A PAST pupil at Port Alfred High School, Qhama Dyakala has been selected by the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) to be a “reverse volunteer” in Hanover in Lower Saxony, Germany, for one year to do volunteer work in sport clubs and schools.
This is part of the exchange programme between the State of Lower Saxony and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.
Currently an intern at the DSRAC, Dyakala grabbed the opportunity with both hands when he heard of the programme.
Starting at the end of July, Dyakala will be involved in facilitating, organising and implementing sport development programmes in the state of Lower Saxony, assist in promoting a healthy lifestyle through club development and federation programmes, facilitate leagues and tournaments, do fitness tests, set up exercise bills and assist in coaching young school children.
[pullquote]“It’s a great opportunity for anyone to explore Europe firstly and it’s such an honour to be selected out of so many applicants from our province. This will allow me to showcase my capabilities with the knowledge and experience I have acquired so far. This programme will also broaden my intellectualism through merging with different cultures and traditions through networking,” Dyakala said.[/pullquote]
He explained that club development is part of three sections at DSRAC in the Sarah Baartman District office in Grahamstown. It deals specifically with the community and mostly young adults. The other sections are school sport and recreation.
With a love for sport and some encouragement of an older friend, Lubabalo Vulani, Dyakala decided to study human movement science at the University of Fort Hare in Alice, where he excelled academically.
“It was no easy road for me to be honest I was like any other kid doing everything that a teenager is likely to do. There was a dramatic change in my life when my father passed away the day before my birthday and I was only doing Grade 10 at the time,” he said.
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