World Wide Worx | Business Technology Research South Africa

DreamFields, World Wide Worx, e.tv score in Orange Farm

JOHANNESBURG:- The Dreamfields Project, which has provided more than 650 soccer teams from disadvantaged communities with complete soccer kits, returns to its roots on Wednesday, 27 May.

In partnership with World Wide Worx and e.tv, the Dreamfields Project will host a schools soccer tournament, or DreamEvent, at Orange Farm, where the project first began in 2007. Three schools will each be presented with a DreamBag, which provides a team with a complete set of kit, including boots and “everything a team needs to walk out onto the field, ready to take on the world”, says project founder John Perlman. “The sponsors, via their investment in DreamBags, are helping us to grow dreams.”

Aside from teams playing under the banners of World Wide Worx and e.tv, a team will also be sponsored by Gadget.co.za, World Wide Worx’s consumer technology magazine, which is celebrating its 12th year as South Africa’s leading online hi-tech publication. Gadget.co.za has focused strongly on coverage of soccer-related hi-tech news in the run-up to the Confederations Cup in South Africa this June and next year’s World Cup finals.

“We’re a soccer-mad organisation, and could think of no more appropriate way to give something back to the community,” says Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, South Africa’s leading independent technology market research organisation.

The Dreamfields Project also works in partnership with the Department of Education and together they have staged 40 schools tournaments known as DreamEvents, where DreamBags are handed out to all the schools in a particular town or district.

The Orange Farm school teams that will receive their DreamBags on Wednesday are the under 12 teams of Podumo Primary, Lesedi la Kreste Primary and Ahanang Primary. They will vie for a trophy that will be jointly presented by World Wide Worx and e.tv.

“The tournaments are fantastic events — the joy of the children and the deep satisfaction of the donors mixing together in a day filled with football and positive feelings,” says Perlman.

Says Michelle Kirby, e.tv Head of Marketing and Corporate Social Investment: “e.tv are very proud to be associated with a project that not only provides for our young budding soccer stars now, but that will take them to 2014 and beyond,”

Two major corporate sponsors, Old Mutual and BHP Billiton, have covered the running costs of the Dreamfields Project, so that sponsors of DreamBags are assured that every Rand donated goes to the young footballers.

Wherever possible, the Project buys services and goods from local entrepreneurs so that the DreamEvent puts something back into the host community and deepens commitment to the ongoing soccer leagues that education officials will continue to run.

The Dreamfields Project is also committed to finding low-cost low-maintenance solutions to field building, especially in areas where water is a scarce and unaffordable resource. So far, it has built seven soccer fields in rural areas.

The May 27 Dreamfields tournament will take place at the Chris Hani Sports Complex, 15752 Ext 4, Orange Farm, Johannesburg. - 25 May 2009

• For more information on The DreamFields Project, visit www.dreamfieldsproject.org

• To read Gadget magazine, visit www.gadget.co.za