The Active Education Foundation is very excited to announce that We are currently working with three CYCC’s (Children and Youth Care Centers) who fall under the uMephi Project, in the Benoni, Boksburg and Brakpan areas. We put together one party a month for all the children who celebrate their birthday in that month. To make these parties a success we need your help! You can support us by sponsoring a party or contributing in some way. We need gifts, party food, lunch, entertainment and a venue to create a memorable experience for all the children!

"As a mom I love making my children’s birthdays a special day for them. A day they know is all about them, a party to enjoy and celebrate! I asked myself a question, “I can do this for my children but who does it for those who are not so fortunate”? That is where my desire came from to start ‘Active Foundation Parties’ (Active Parties for short) –a group of moms who get together to provide these children with their own special day! " says Bridgete Smuts"

Our first party took place in January 2012 and was a huge success. The kids enjoyed a fun afternoon at the Bokkie Park, were entertained by the Active Education team and enjoyed hot dogs, sweets, cake and party packs donated by moms!!

If you would like to support us in any way or have another organisation we could assist with a birthday party, please contact us.

Active Parties are part of the Active Education Foundation; go to http://www.activeeducationsa.com for more information.

The AFM Executive Welfare Council founded uMephi in 1938, for more information visit http://www.umephi.org

Diversified industrial services and retail group IMPERIAL Holdings and its Ukhamba Community Development Trust have partnered with school sports coaching specialist Active Education to present 35 schools in Soweto and Orange Farm with the opportunity to develop basic physical skills in a fun and healthy environment under the guidance of expert coaches.

The partnership will be launched today (14 March 2012) at 12:00 at a small sports event held at King Zwelithini Primary School in Emndeni, Soweto. The session will showcase physical education lessons, skills training and friendly matches among the learners. Among the guests will be Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile, principals from the various schools as well as IMPERIAL executives.

“IMPERIAL I-Active programme has the potential to introduce 27,000 learners to the wonders of sports participation in a fun, creative and structured manner through the medium of physical education,” says Active Education founder Bruce Smuts.

Active Education takes a holistic approach to physical education, providing extra curricular and age group team coaching as well as organising sports days, tournaments and festivals.

The primary and high school programmes they will be bringing to Soweto will offer the schools a choice of coaching in 16 different disciplines, including cricket, rugby, swimming and even skateboarding.

“Our programme, which is run in conjunction with the Gauteng Department of Education, is all about maximum participation, education, building confidence and self-worth and, of course, skills transfer,” he adds.

Tak Hiemstra, IMPERIAL executive director for strategic development, shares why this initiative scored with the company, “We believe that the abundance of sporting opportunities in South Africa can help our children develop physically and mentally. IMPERIAL is proud to partner with Active Education to help develop the talent that will take advantage of such opportunities in years to come.”

Smuts adds, “The lessons are age specific and so is the equipment we use. We chose our coaches not only for their personal sporting abilities but also their responsibility, consistence and an affinity for working with junior and senior students.”

Coaches are recruited from local communities and trained by Active Education which also manages its own large-scale talent identification programme. Active Education is the logical and justifiably proud partner for the Supersport ‘Let’s Play’ initiative.