LERATO LAMOLA WINTER GAMES GIVE BACK TO LOCAL SCHOOLS
Long after the final whistle of the 10th Annual Ikeja Lerato Lamola Winter Games, the tournament’s impact has continued to be felt beyond the football pitch.
On Monday, 11 August 2025, the organisers visited three (3) local schools to distribute more than 150 donated items, bringing much-needed relief to young learners.
The beneficiaries were PS Tsosane Primary School and Rebonwe Primary School in Ivory Park, as well as Ebony Park Primary School in Ebony Park. Each school received a share of school shoes, clothing, and sanitary towels.
The donations were a product of collective community effort. The 32 teams that participated in the tournament, together with members of the public, contributed school shoes. Vendors who traded during the games donated sanitary towels, while the bulk of the clothing items was provided by Ikeja.
Ridge Monga Ndlovu the Event Coordinator and Co founder of Lerato Lamola Foundation said the outreach initiative was deeply personal and rooted in shared lived experiences.
“Lerato Lamola understands the struggle of not having school shoes. We have first-hand experience as we grew up ekasi and know what a black child would experience by not being well off. Those are the main reasons why we opted to put together a tournament that is unique. Lastly, we have the influence and capacity of putting people together, so we found a way of maximising on how we can contribute to the betterment of ikasi and try to improve the lives of these young kids,” said Ndlovu.
The Ikeja Lerato Lamola Winter Games have grown into more than just a football event. While the tournament celebrates local sporting talent, it also serves as a platform to unite the community and address pressing social challenges. This year’s donation drive is a testament to the power of collaboration and the belief that, as the organisers put it, “It takes a village to raise a child – ikasi for ikasi, by ikasi.”
The 2025 edition of the games, which marked a decade of the event, will be remembered not only for the football on the field but also for the tangible difference it made in the lives of children in Ivory Park and Ebony Park.
