NEDBANK EMPOWERS YOUTH THROUGH SPORTS

The name Nedbank has become synonymous with sports and recreation in South Africa. This is a result of the brand’s commitment to the development of the youth, which has been a key element of Nedbank’s sports sponsorship.

 

True to Nedbank’s commitment to partner with the youth in their journey towards fulfilling their dreams, the brand has introduced various programmes that have influenced multiple success stories particularly, through football.

 

The Nedbank Cup has proven to be more than just a fixture that identifies South Africa’s premier knockout club at all levels of play. The added spin-offs to the tournament enable young players from the third tier right up to the Premier Soccer League to live out their dreams as professional football players.

 

Through the years, the competition has launched many careers in the Premier Soccer League, while the Nedbank Ke Yona Team Talent Search continues to scout and develop South Africa’s future football stars at grassroots level.

 

Nedbank’s involvement in empowering the youth of South Africa, stretches well beyond this and as we celebrate Youth Month in June - Nedbank in association with The Sports Trust and the Department of Sport and Recreation, has unveiled multi-purpose sport facilities in schools across South Africa.

 

From 2013 to 2016, Nedbank has donated three state-of-the-art multipurpose sport courts to schools at a cost of between R1-million and R1.2-million each, with the most recent of these being the multipurpose sport court at Ivory Park Primary School in Gauteng.

Nedbank has further donated over 500 training kits to schools, with a total investment of over R5-million.

 

 

“We believe in the advancement of knowledge and talent, hence our new business proposition “See money differently”, which incorporates sports development and education as part of our key focus areas” stated Mr. Tobie Badenhorst, Head of Group Sponsorship & Cause Marketing at Nedbank.

 

The Nedbank Ke Yona Team Talent Search is another initiative by Nedbank that has also proven to be a massive success since it was first staged in 2013, with an impressive 16 players having earned professional contracts - many of the youngsters have gone on to become influential playmakers for their respective teams.

 

One of which is Bafana Bafana international, Maphosa Modiba, who was part of the 2014 class, and is making head waves with this year’s Nedbank Cup finalists SuperSport United.   

 

“The Nedbank Cup has a rich history of showcasing new, talented young players and that is the beauty of the competition. It affords these talented players with an opportunity to display their skills and catch the eye of professional clubs which is vital for the development of South African football,” concluded Badenhorst.

 

In the same manner that the Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search has provided a platform for the youth to showcase their talent, the Nedbank Cup has essentially played a part in the development of young players as they have advanced from virtually unidentified raw talent to becoming household names and national team players.

 

As an extension of the Ke Yona Team Search, in 2016 Nedbank launched the Ke Yona Ring of Steel, which serves as a protective shield for young professional players - providing them with valuable resources to ensure a sustainable future, even after the final whistle blows.

 

 

The 2016 beneficiaries of this programme included: Aubrey Maphosa Modiba, Ian Chikohwa and Jarred Meyer.

 

Following multiple sessions with the Financial Planner in the ROS, Modiba purchased his first car, debt-free and built his mother a house.

 

-Press Release