Soccer partnership grows into wider community initiative as 100 learners receive new school shoes
TSHWANE, South Africa — What began as a community soccer initiative has grown into a broader platform for supporting young people, with 100 learners at Siqobile Primary School in Tshwane receiving new school shoes through the continued partnership between Engen Thorntree ZZ Convenience Centre and the Mukalanga Foundation.
The handover, held on Friday, 28 August 2026, forms part of Engen’s Dealer Community Partnership Programme (DCPP), which enables Engen dealers to work with local organisations and communities on initiatives focused on upliftment, education and empowerment.
At the centre of the initiative is Engen Thorntree dealer Ben Fourie, whose relationship with the Mukalanga Foundation has extended beyond the football field. Fourie has supported the foundation’s annual soccer tournament since 2024, helping create opportunities for young people to participate in sport while promoting values such as teamwork, discipline, perseverance and a positive approach to competition.
The partnership has now evolved into additional community support, with the provision of school shoes offering practical assistance to learners while reinforcing the broader role sport can play in community development.
For Fourie, the initiative represents a natural progression of the relationship built through the soccer tournament.
“Our involvement with the Mukalanga Foundation and the annual soccer tournament has allowed us to build relationships in the community and identify other areas where we can make a difference,” he said.
“Every learner deserves to feel comfortable and confident when they arrive at school, and we hope these shoes will make a meaningful difference to the learners receiving them.”
From the football pitch to the classroom
The Mukalanga Foundation’s annual soccer tournament was established to provide children in the community with a constructive sporting platform while exposing them to the life lessons that come with participation in sport.
For young players, football is not simply about winning matches. It provides an environment in which discipline, teamwork, resilience and perseverance can be developed—qualities that extend well beyond the pitch.
The tournament has also helped create stronger relationships between community stakeholders, opening the door to initiatives that address other challenges faced by children and families.
The school-shoe donation is one such outcome.
By supporting learners with an essential part of their school uniform, the initiative connects the values promoted through sport with the everyday realities of education, dignity and confidence.
Siqobile Primary School principal Ms Maselela welcomed the contribution, saying the shoes would have an impact beyond their practical purpose.
“For many of our learners, a new pair of school shoes is more than just part of a school uniform; it gives them confidence, dignity and a sense of pride.”
Partnerships that create lasting impact
Engen National Sales and Operations Manager (Inland) Thabo Tswai, who attended the handover, said the initiative demonstrated the potential of collaboration between business, dealers, schools, government and communities.
He emphasised that Engen’s dealers occupy a unique position because of their close connection to the communities surrounding their businesses.
“Our Dealers are an integral part of our value chain. They are not only business partners but are also part of the communities where we operate. They understand the local needs and, importantly, the opportunities.”
Tswai said sustainable community development required more than once-off interventions, with meaningful relationships needing to continue long after an initiative had been completed.
“A handover is a moment, but what matters is what happens afterwards. We want to build partnerships that go beyond the handover, beyond funding and beyond PR.”
That philosophy is particularly relevant to initiatives rooted in sport, where sustained participation can create a lasting platform for youth development.
Engen CSI Manager Olwethu Mdabula said the DCPP allows dealers to identify and respond to needs within their communities.
She commended Fourie and the Thorntree ZZ team for recognising a specific need at Siqobile Primary School and responding directly to it.
“The dealer’s ongoing involvement with the Mukalanga Foundation shows how sustained community engagement can create opportunities for further initiatives that benefit learners and the wider community.”
Building stronger communities through sport
The Siqobile Primary School initiative illustrates how community sport can become a catalyst for much broader social impact.
The annual soccer tournament gives young people a space to compete, learn and develop, while the relationships created around the event can help identify challenges affecting children beyond the playing field.
In this case, a football partnership has helped create an opportunity to support education—demonstrating how sport, business and community organisations can work together around the development of young people.
The initiative also forms part of Engen’s broader commitment to education and social development. Earlier this year, the company provided more than 900 pairs of school shoes to learners in disadvantaged communities across South Africa through its national Back-to-School campaign.
For the learners at Siqobile Primary School, however, the impact is immediate and personal: 100 new pairs of shoes, renewed confidence and a tangible reminder that their community is invested in their future.
And while the latest intervention may have happened at the school, its roots remain firmly on the football pitch.
Because sometimes, the most powerful legacy of sport is not the score at the final whistle—it is what happens in the community long after the game is over.
