After making his way from the Nolukhanyo Township outside Bathurst to London, Tiger Titan cricketer and President's Award for Youth Empowerment Programme participant Masixole Mkrakra received a standing ovation in response to his speech at a gala dinner at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
After making his way from the Nolukhanyo Township outside Bathurst to London, Tiger Titan cricketer and President's Award for Youth Empowerment Programme participant Masixole Mkrakra received a standing ovation in response to his speech at a gala dinner at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Currently working towards his Silver Award in the programme, Masixole attended the Sporting Heroes Dinner at the Home of Cricket on Wednesday, 21 March 2012, accompanied by Martin Scholtz, CEO of the award programme and Ross McCreath, who founded the Tiger Titans.
It was a privilege being at Lord’s to hear Masixole reflect on the impact of the award programme and the Tiger Titans on his life… He received a standing ovation – a man next to me had tears in his eyes, said Scholtz.
Masixole is a symbol of the impact of the award programme on the life of a young person in South Africa – he is a remarkable young man and we hope to see him back at Lord’s in the future – playing cricket for South Africa!
In his speech Masixole explained how he became involved with Tiger Titans, and then the award programme, after he heard that, “a white boy called Ross had started teaching township kids how to play cricket. He said that he had to see for himself that a white kid was actually in the township, and it was true. Masixole then began to play cricket and as he and the Tiger Titans have quickly progressed in a few years, he has since played for the EP Rural Team and now made his first overseas trip.
The trip to London was made possible by the International Award Association’s World Fellowship and British Airways. Local companies Birches as well as Jumbo sponsored various clothing needs for the London visit, Scholtz said.
While in London, Masixole also met with the South African High Commissioner, Dr Zola Sweyiya, at South Africa House.
The gala dinner was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Edward, who is chairman of the International Council of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Association, as well as a number of well known international sporting heroes which included: former South African Springbok rugby captain, John Smit; Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, one of Britain’s greatest Paralympics athletes; Derek Underwood, former English spin bowler; Boris Becker, former international tennis star and former All Blacks rugby player, Zinzan Brooke.
