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Cape Town is breathtakingly beautiful, with stunning mountains and picturesque coastlines, it is one of the world's most beautiful cities. However, beneath its beauty lies a city plagued by high crime rates, particularly violent crimes.
Youth growing up in Cape Town often face harsh realities, including exposure to gangs, violence, and drugs. For those who are marginalized, the prospects for a bright future are even more limited.
"Where he is now, I didn’t imagine he would be here,” said Juliet Maarman, Eltheo’s mother. “If God puts something on your path, it is meant for you, even with your disability. Don’t look on your disability because you can do something with your life.”
Eltheo, 23, is a passionate and determined individual, but he wasn't always this way. His education began in a mainstream school, where his intellectual disability meant he was never truly given a fair chance.
“When I was in primary school, there was a lot of bullying,” said Eltheo. “When I went to Mitchell’s Plain School of Skills, it was something different.”
There, Eltheo found the opportunity to express himself, surrounded by athletes like him. It was at this school that he discovered sports, which gave him the confidence and platform to pursue his dreams.
At Mitchell’s Plain, Eltheo met Charl, and the two quickly became friends. Growing up together from an early age, they supported each other's development.
“One hand washes the other,” said Leslene Manchest, Eltheo’s teacher. “They help one another. What I love about them is they know exactly what they want and both of them work very well together, hand in hand.”
Living in the same community, they began playing together, often seen outside either in groups or just the two of them. Their shared passion for outdoor play eventually evolved into a project aimed at helping the community.
Their love for sports became a way to give back to their community. They saw an opportunity to grow soccer and support those less fortunate.
"What would be different from others,” questioned Charl. “We looked at genders and decided let’s start coaching females because there is gender-based violence. Why not be the change to break the silence and give females opportunities to shine?”
They aimed to create a soccer club for 14 – 16-year-old girls, hoping to inspire school-going youth by showing them there is a future and that they can succeed if they set their minds to something.
“I’d probably be on the corner right now selling drugs,” said Kylah, a player on the youth soccer team. “It saved me a lot. I focus on school and soccer and my life is so different and I am happy.”
In the communities of Cape Town, many young girls become mothers by age 16, leading them down darker paths of drugs, prostitution, and gangs. The soccer club serves as an outlet and a shield against a world no young person should have to endure.
Then came the disruption of COVID-19. The entire city and country of South Africa went into lockdown. Unable to reach the athletes, Eltheo and Charl sought other ways to assist the less fortunate.
“We decided that we should give food out because a lot of them are underprivileged,” said Eltheo. “If I have and I can give, then I will give. But if I don’t have, I will see if there are other ways that we can make it happen.”
They enlisted the help of their families and friends to distribute soup during this time of need. Despite being unable to host practices or games, they continued to support the girls on their club teams and the community feeding over 100 people.
The strong friendship and impactful work of Eltheo and Charl have not only impressed their families but also brought the two of them closer together.
“We are very good friends,” said Juliet. “We visit each other, sometimes I sleep over there. We are quite good friends.”
The support from their families has strengthened the two friends' ability to give to their community. In return, the activities that Eltheo and Charl have supported have brought the families together, fostering stronger friendships that didn’t exist before.
“[My brother and I] didn’t talk a lot,” said Eltheo. “But now it makes us talk a lot because we need to know information, maybe we need to meet, so we need to communicate properly. The girl’s [soccer] team has improved us.”
Their relationships with their families have not only grown and improved, but they have also noticed a change in their family’s mindsets.
“It has changed their perspective of life,” said Charl. “I believe back then, in their time, it was not as easy. They still might be stuck on [their old] mindset. But now they are seeing everyone is coalition with everybody.”
The true beauty of Cape Town extends far beyond its stunning landscape; it resides in the compassion, solidarity, and support found within its community. Eltheo and Charl exemplify the city’s inner beauty.
