In 2005, we made a humble beginning in promoting sports development and supported one team with a volleyball kit. In 2006, we supported a few children’s and adults teams with soccer kits. In 2008, we supported the establishment of a soccer tournament over Easter with 12 teams participating in the tournament held in Pietermartizburg. All the trophies and the entire event were sponsored by GOTG. Also in 2008, an underprivileged athlete was sponsored to take part in an international world karate tournament overseas. A local cricket team from Johannesburg was sponsored with equipment and uniforms and subsequently won the league.

In 2009, we decided to pour more resources into our Sports Development project, because of the increasing pressures our children have to endure. Firstly, we sponsored the Jive 10km Big Walk in Cape Town – a walk geared for the whole family. In April, we expanded the Pietermartizburg-based Easter Tournament to include seven children’s teams. Besides sponsoring the tournament and the trophies, it was decided to present every participant with a figurine as a means of encouragement and motivation, as many of these children have never received an award before. Later in April, we made our biggest sport sponsorship yet - a R250,000 sponsorship for karate, which up till now is still regarded an amateur sport. For GOTG, karate is a spiritual sport associated with spiritual masters, meditation, discipline and obedience. (More details on the events below.)

GOTG builds future karate champions, May 26, 2009

The karate kids at A.M. Moolla Spes Nova School in Phoenix, Durban, were graded from yellow to orange belts on May 26, 2009. As part of the GOTG Sports Development programme, Ayesha Sooliman (GOTG) assisted in handing over medals and certificates to the pupils at the Shotokan Karate-Do International South Africa (SKISA) awards held at the school. Spes Nova is a school for the physically challenged.

GOTG sponsors International Kanazawa Cup, April 24-26, 2009

Gift of the Givers has supported the SKISA (Shotokan Karate-Do International South Africa) International Kanazawa Cup held in Durban from April 24-26, 2009.

This R250,000 contribution includes the sponsorship of six specialized 100 square metre karate floor mats, sponsorship of the International Kanazawa Cup Tournament including 45 medals, 1,000 certificates, the Kanazawa Cup for the Best Male Team, the Kanazawa Cup for the Best Female Team, sponsorship of three athletes to the World Karate Championships in Greece who will be representing South Africa at the Olympic Stadium in Athens in July 2009. The sponsorship also includes the funding of five underprivileged children for a whole year of karate training.

Read the Karate section for more details.

GOTG sponsors NFA tournament in KZN, April 10-13, 2009

Gift of the Givers is working towards the promotion of sports development in South Africa. Sports Development is an ideal way to unite different communities from all walks of life and to combat the various evils of our communities such as drugs, alcohol and violence.

In this spirit, Gift of the Givers sponsored R30,000 towards the National Football Association’s (NFA) tournament held in KwaZulu-Natal from April 10 – 13, 2009, as well as Orient Heights Football Club. The sponsorship went towards the NFA tournament which included trophies for the winners and runner-ups for both junior and senior teams. GOTG also sponsored the tracksuits, soccer boots and soccer kits for Orient Heights FC.

The NFA tournament was held at the Hillview Sports Arena, Newholmes in Pietermaritzburg and attracted teams from around KwaZulu-Natal. There were 15 over-18 teams and six under-10 teams.

The tournament was fun for the whole family. GOTG and Careline had a stall amongst the food and clothing stalls on display. The beadwork and sewing display, from our entrepreneurship project, attracted a lot of attention and appreciation.

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The Orient Heights Football Club was sponsored by GOTG.

Nedbank National Championship for the Physically Disabled, April 3-9, 2009

Gift of the Givers sponsored the Adelaide Tambo Sport Team for the Nedbank National Championship for the Physically Disabled held at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth from April 3-9, 2009. GOTG accompanied the 22 athletes to the event where they gave their all in the various events.

Read Joseph Thomas’s (GOTG Project Coordinator) Diary of Events!

Jive 10km Big Walk, February 25, 2009

In February this year, we were one of the major sponsors for the Jive 10km Big Walk. This annual community walk held in Cape Town attracts 20,000-strong crowd. Proceeds of the walk go towards the Red Cross Children's Hospital and the Islamic Library.

Said Dr Imtiaz Sooliman: “It was a pleasure for us to be included in this symbolic 10^th anniversary walk. We decided to get involved because it was a fantastic opportunity to give back to the people of Cape Town who have so generously supported our relief efforts in Gaza and over the past 16 years. The walk itself was a pleasant experience and had fantastic spirit. We hope that it gets bigger and bigger each year and hope that more people of other faiths will join the walk to show a united Cape Town and a united South Africa. The event is also great for building family spirit which is the cornerstone of building strong societies.”

Tears Pride Football Club sponsorship

In 2006, GOTG sponsored the Tears Pride Football Club from Dambuza, Pietermaritzburg.