REFUGEE VI

The team, Refugee VI, is an initiative of 18-year old Zimbabwean refugee Ephraim Ntlamo who currently lives in Cape Town. Refugee VI currently has 28 members and was started with players from the six countries where most of South Africa’s refugees come from: Angola, Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda, Somalia and Zimbabwe. But players from other countries, including South Africa, have also been welcomed at the club.
Ntlamo who has known many hardships both in Zimbabwe and as a refugee in South Africa, has managed to uplift himself he says – partially through the Refugee VI. “I now use my own experiences to motivate the other guys that nothing is impossible in this life.”

Abang Africa Trust is very inspired by this message and decided to also sponsor this team. Together with Ephraim and his team works the Abang Africa Trust on Xenophobia Awareness Campaign of which the first event will take place during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. “I think the World Cup and football in general unite people and it is a wonderful opportunity to present ourselves.” says Ephraim.

During the FIFA 2010 World Cup the Refugee VI will play six ‘awareness matches’ in different areas in and around Cape Town. The tour kicks off on June 11, at 11 o’clock, at the Khayelitsha Stadium where they meet Goal Hunters FC. After the game the players of both teams gather at the nearby eKasie backpackers to collectively watch the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup.

The remaining matches will be played in Mitchells Plain (15 June), Gugulethu (22 June), Du Noon (28 June), De Doorns (3 July) and in the Cape Town City Centre (07 July).

Everybody is welcome to come and support the fight against Xenophobia!