One of the mottos that Sinalo Jafta lives by is “Hold fast to your beliefs and stay true to who you are”, something that is evident in her personality.
Jafta is not just a Western Province and Momentum Proteas star but also plays a key role in giving back to the community. She is involved in various organisations, namely Menstruation Foundation, O Grace Land and MasiSports.
She has always had a passion for the community and sees giving back not as an act of heroism, but as one of her duties. “The one thing that has always been on my mind is, ‘how do I give back and ensure that kids stay in sport.’”
Jafta’s agent got her in touch with Siv Ngesi, who is the Co-founder and one of the Directors of Menstruation Foundation. Through Ngesi she met Marius Basson, who is the other Co-founder and one of the Directors of Menstruation Foundation. Babalwa Latsha (Springbok Women’s player and Western Province captain) is also a Director.
Menstruation Foundation is an organisation that gives sanitary pads to schools in Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Langa, and Cape Town. Over the past 6 months the organisation has donated and distributed over 390 000 pads, but Jafta, an ambassador of the organisation, said that this is just the start and that they want to achieve a lot more.
“For us that’s not even what we want to achieve. We want to give more than that monthly, weekly [and] daily.”
Additionally, Jafta is an ambassador for a registered NPO called O Grace Land, founded by Philani Zama. Zama is also the Managing Director of O Grace Land, a home for girls over the age of 18 “who have aged out of care.”
O Grace Land “offer life skills and a safe place to stay while girls complete their education and prepare for the working world.” They give these girls the opportunity to finish their studies at the School of Hope, helping them “to become young women ready to step into adult life.”
Jafta’s role and something that she is passionate about, is to check up on and support these young women throughout their journey at O Grace Land.
Furthermore, Jafta has been involved in the MasiSports programme, which is a “youth upliftment programme using sport and life-skills education to support schools to deliver a holistic education.”
One of the schools that this programme supports is Ukhanyo Primary School. Jafta was part of the team that went to Ukhanyo Primary School to help coach various sports to the school kids, as well as to impart their knowledge and expertise.
Jafta was very impressed with the facilities at Ukhanyo Primary School. “Education and sport can take you places that you didn’t think were possible. I’ve been to a lot of schools in the township; this for me is beyond par.
“Whatever they’re doing is working, and I wish this programme could be a blueprint for other schools around – whether it’s township or not. This is what kids need – because they’re the future.”
Even though Jafta is often very busy training for upcoming tours, she always makes time to give back to the community and to help those who are less fortunate, and that’s why she is the unsung hero of this week’s piece.
Photos: Stephen Cruickshank & BackPagePix
