- Title: South African karate trainer gives township kids a fighting chance.
- Date: 6th June 2017
- Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF KHAYELITSHA TOWNSHIP MEN WALKING DOWN THE PATHWAY/CHILDREN PLAYING VARIOUS OF CHILDREN DURING KARATE TRAINING VARIOUS OF KARATE MASTER, MONWABISI NJOMBA INSTRUCTING CLASS MORE OF KIDS DOING KARATE NJOMBA INSTRUCTING THE KIDS/KIDS FIGHTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) KARATE INSTRUCTOR, MONWABISI NJOMBA SAYING: "I see there's a lot of soccer and cricket and all that stuff but I choose to take karate because I started karate in early age. And then I see to me, that karate is the best sport and discipline. So to influence them it's easy because I know karate it's the sport of discipline." VARIOUS OF NJOMBA TRAINING STUDENTS VARIOUS OF TRAINING SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (English) KARATE STUDENT, NWABISA MNTUWEDWA, SAYING: "It changed my life because I'm no longer like sitting on the corners and sitting with friends on the streets and it keeps me busy most of the time." (SOUNDBITE) (English) KARATE STUDENT, MZIKAYISE MGUDLWA SAYING: "It has taught me how to do things the right way and I often think of when you get into a fight, you think twice about doing something." VARIOUS OF STUDENTS DURING KARATE CLASS STUDENTS BOWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) KARATE INSTRUCTOR, MONWABISI NJOMBA SAYING: "We see worldwide the Njomba Fitness Academy in worldwide, we influence the township. The problem is this, when you in township worldwide because the problem is this when you see in township people they go to gym, people they think it's not our thing to go to the gym. Maybe you are the first class, you are someone else when you attend training or those exercise classes." NJOMBA GIVING CLASS INSTRUCTIONS VARIOUS OF STUDENTS PRACTISING KARATE MOVES
- Embargoed: 20th June 2017 17:15
- Keywords: Khayelitsha crime violence township disciplines sport martial arts Karate
- Location: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Karate,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016K53M8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Khayelitsha township, the largest black settlement in South Africa's coastal city, Cape Town has a notorious reputation for rampant crime and gang violence.
But against the chaotic backdrop, children and youth at the Njomba Fitness Academy are learning to fight for a brighter future.
Here the students are taught to use powerful hand blows and kicks to promote good.
The gym offers rigourous Karate training with an aim to teach discipline, fitness and self-defence skills.
Monwabisi Njomba is the man behind the program; he too learnt karate as a boy under a master in his hometown, and honed his skills further by watching Kung-fu movies.
Njomba says he wants to give children alternatives.
"I see there's a lot of soccer and cricket and all that stuff but I choose to take karate because I started karate in early age. And then I see to me, that karate is the best sport and discipline. So to influence them it's easy because I know karate it's the sport of discipline," said Njomba.
Njomba started his martial arts gym in 2012. His client base has grown to include adults too, who frequent the gym for morning karate lessons and aerobics classes in the afternoon. The club also holds regular fitness challenge sessions around Khayelitsha.
The young students are between five to 18 years old and those who can afford to, pay a monthly fee of 12 dollars.
"It changed my life because I'm no longer like sitting on the corners and sitting with friends on the streets and it keeps me busy most of the time," said karate student, Nwabisa Mntuwedwa.
"It has taught me how to do things the right way and I often think of when you get into a fight, you think twice about doing something," said Mzikayise Mgudlwa, another student.
Njomba says finding sponsors and adequate gear for his students has been difficult. He also works as a personal trainer to enable boost his income and raise capital for the academy.
Some of the karate students have qualified for the International Karatedo Gojukai Association World Championships, which will be held in Canada in September.
"We see worldwide the Njomba Fitness Academy in worldwide, we influence the township. The problem is this, when you in township, people they go to gym, people they think it's not our thing to go to the gym. Maybe you are the first class, you are someone else when you attend training or those exercise classes," Njomba said.
Njomba says he wants to open similar centres across the country. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None