Michael Mapfunde, our local hero without borders
He has been making a difference through his organisation for two-and-a-half years.
For the last four years, Michael Mapfunde has been transforming Zandspruit’s youth landscape by empowering those in need through his organisation, Football Without Borders (FWB).
Michael moved to South Africa from Harare seven years ago to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Child Youth Development at Monash South Africa, having spent 28 years in Zimbabwe’s capital city. After already having established FWB in Zimbabwe prior to moving, Michael set out to do the same in Zandspruit.
Michael’s goal wouldn’t be without its challenges however, as it took him three years to get his organisation registered as an NGO in South Africa, with FWB finally being registered in 2015, which was also the year he completed his degree at Monash.
“I wanted to continue my vision of empowering youth in disadvantaged communities by using sport as a tool to develop them as leaders,” Michael said.
Michael began work in Zandspruit in August 2016, and made such an impact that in early 2018 he was able to expand his incredible work to the community of Kromdraai. His work in Zandspruit has perhaps proved the most effective, as his champion project (Ujab Boxing Club) has experienced exponential growth, going from working with two pairs of boxing gloves and a handful of children to working with 15–20 pairs of gloves, a handful of punching bags, and just about 30 children.
Michael said he feels that a lot of people are afraid to invest in projects in communities such as Zandspruit. Therefore, he and FWB rely predominantly on international investors and funding, with some of his main benefactors being Canadian, among them the Toronto-based Second Kicks and the Canadian Embassy to South Africa. His latest project in Zandspruit was a five-day coaching clinic sponsored by the Canadian Embassy and held in alliance with Coaches Across Continents and Golden Drifters Football Academy.
For Michael, the work he has done with FWB has been all about the youth he has been able to work with.
“The best part of my experience in running Football Without Borders has been working with the youth and also seeing how sport programmes, if amalgamated with programmes that educate the youth on various social issues, are able to develop future leaders who will also able to provide solutions to problems in their respective communities.”
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