"It's about changing lives," that is the message from the JoWest Local Football Association Chairman Reidwan Sallie when asked about his lifelong dedication to the sport affectionately known as the 'beautiful game'.
Over the last decade or so, Sallie, along with his executive team have the weekly task of creating a safe haven on the Westbury football fields for thousands of children who flock there to enjoy a game of football. There are over 110 boys and girls teams that make up the JoWest LFA, ranging from under-7 kids to under-19. There is also the men's open section which consists of 16 teams.
While there is no financial reward for the work that they do, Sallie, who was a football player himself, says that the remuneration comes from seeing children, many of whom come from destitute backgrounds, escape their harsh realities – even just for a day.
"All the kids are equal when they are on the field," Sallie says. "Whether you are rich, poor, black or white, it doesn't matter. All these kids see is the ball, their teammates and the opponent.
"It fills us with so much pride to see all these kids make their way to the field every week. Many of whom you can see have not had a meal for the day, but thanks to dedicated coaches and parents who are kind enough to provide a sandwich or an orange for the entire team, they receive some form of sustenance for the day," he tells the Siya crew.
"Sometimes, we leave our own families behind to come and be with these kids and we often have to take money out of our pockets, but we do it knowing that we are planting seeds into what could be the leaders of tomorrow. Many of these kids see an opportunity to change their lives around the same way that Steven Pienaar and Keagan Dolly did on these very fields," he continued.
The work does come with its fair share of challenges. Late nights and early mornings and the recent flaring up of shootings in the area, notorious for its high levels of unemployment, substance abuse and crime, which forced the association to cease for a few weeks.
Another area of concern appears to be the lack of interest from parents of the kids, many of whom are battling addiction or are simply not present in their children's lives.
"We salute and we are grateful for the parents that show up here every week. They provide us with a lot of support, some are even volunteer coaches and take up dual roles. The sad thing, however, is that more often than not, only mothers are seen on the sidelines. Yes, there are fathers present, although they are few and far between. I guess it speaks to the society we come from, which for many is a fatherless one. Despite our best efforts, many of these kids will sadly turn to drugs and fall victim to the scourge of gangsterism, which has plagued the community for decades. Children are exposed to this, and their circumstances lead them to these things.
"If we can change one life, and make an impact on one child, then all hope is not lost. These are not only kids from Westbury, but we also have kids coming from Soweto and neighboring communities, even as far as Orange Farm, meaning that we could potentially be impacting the nation and that is why we do what we do."
