Executive Director’s Letter
This year, something shifted for us, and we want you to feel it too.
For fifteen years, CoolPlay has been built on a quiet but unshakeable belief: that when a child from an underprivileged community is given a safe space, a consistent mentor, and the ability to understand their own emotions, their lives can change. We have always felt this in our bones. In 2025, our Alumni Impact Report gave us something we can finally hold in our hands: proof that CoolPlay changes lives.
Some alumni highlights: Bradwin Louis, who once played on a dusty field as a young learner, is now our Northern Suburbs Area Co-ordinator. Nande Mabhoko is studying Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University, and Olwakhe Dyidi, who is studying Sports Science at the University of Venda, are both pursuing demanding degrees and credit CoolPlay for their confidence, discipline, and good work ethic. Lungelo Nguta, moved by CoolPlay’s goal-setting sessions, paused, reflected, and chose to pursue a Paralegal qualification. These are just a few CoolPlay alumni who embraced the CoolPlay Way.
And none of it happens without our Champions.
Children in South African townships face an average of eight traumatic events every year — up to 100 by the time they turn 16. With few safe after-school spaces, many are left exposed to the dangers of the street and to the unbearable weight of carrying painful experiences entirely alone. Our Champions are often the first adults these children turn to. They are there on the field, trusted in the community, and trained to hold space when a child discloses something they have never told anyone before. They show up not just as coaches, but as mentors, role models, and sometimes the only consistent, caring adult in a child’s entire week. We cannot overstate how vital they are. They are the heartbeat of everything we do.
CoolPlay is a nonprofit that has spent fifteen years transforming lives in South African townships. Through sport, we deliver psychosocial support that builds character, resilience, and emotional well-being in children who need it most. We create spaces where children can be truly heard and seen — where children can learn, play, and grow into the people they are meant to become.
We love what we do. We carry a purpose greater than ourselves, and we want that to be felt in every session, every community, and every single life we touch.
To everyone who continues to walk this journey with us — thank you. Your support makes all of this possible, and we do not take that lightly.
With much gratitude,
Moshibudi Piet