Khayelitsha football gogos honoured in film
Cape Town - A grannies’ soccer club from Khayelitsha has been honoured with a film about their project.
Alive and Kicking: the Soccer Grannies of SA, was produced by the organisation Street Talk and was shown at the Artscape Women’s Humanity Arts Festival in Cape Town yesterday. Street Talk director Richard Mills explained that the film stimulates conversations in communities about illnesses which affect elderly people.
“It was important to share these women’s stories. The making of the film also inspired them to help other people,” he said.
The group of grandmothers started the soccer project eight years ago after being diagnosed with illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Nelishwa Rhotsho, 64, who is the striker of the soccer club, said when she started playing soccer she could not even kick a ball.
“But today, my health has improved a lot,” she said.
Mabel Zenani, 71, said: “By playing soccer we wanted to become healthier. But it has now grown bigger with more senior citizens who joined the club over the years.
“We have also started a programme to make young people aware of the dangers of drug abuse.”
The film is on Cape Town TV.
@RusanaPhilander