Kick it up South Africa

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/witness/2010/07/201075103757900123.html


-snip video-

"Stop that car! That one over there!" It is the day before the opening of the World Cup and I am standing at an intersection in Ipelegeng, Soweto in South Africa watching a group of five teenage Sowetan girls race across the street towards a little red Toyota.

They are dodging traffic, video camera, microphone, and sound boom in hand, as they scoot past vehicles, hooting and hollering for the car full of seemingly terrified passengers to stop.

As this streaking comet of pink t-shirted, white-capped zeal reaches their destination, I am finally able to see what the "big deal" is all about: The car is full of Mexican football fans, all here for the next day's opening match against Bafana Bafana, South Africa's beloved home team.

They are decked out in red, green, and white, some wearing soccer jerseys, others more traditional garb - against the backdrop of Soweto, these foreign visitors stick out like a sore thumb.

I break into a smile as I watch the girls set up the shot, and think to myself, "Wow. We are really doing this. It is finally happening."

Unheard female voices

Who would have thought I would be here, in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup, teaching 22 young women to be aspiring journalists?

-snip-

When Meena and I started brainstorming this project, there was never any doubt as to why Global Girl Media needed to exist - this was obvious. The biggest question was: Well now how do we do it?

Like many of the young women we serve, Global Girl Media (GGM) was born into a battleground of obstacles and was competing for resources even before it got off the ground.

-snip-

The 'real' Africa

Global Girl Media officially got off the ground in mid-2009 with a grant from the Nike Foundation. In the process of all of this, I jumped on the idea of having our first projects rotate around the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Not only was this going to be a major historical event for South Africa, I also knew that the deeper stories, the direct impact of the World Cup on young people of the region was probably not going to be accurately reported, if it was going to be reported at all.

-snip-

r the past three weeks, this is exactly what we have been doing. Twenty-two young women have gone from being just another group of girls to this extraordinary team of reporters.

Their articulateness, their passion, their hunger for information is insatiable. Twelve hour days, training, teaching, interviewing, has the four trainers - myself, Meena and Therese from GGM, and Meagan, from the Global Press Institute, barely functional by the end of the day.

The girls on the other hand, it is like they are just getting started. In the three short weeks they have been part of this programme, they have already interviewed major international football players
local TV celebrities, street vendors, fans and international music icons.

-snip-

Yet they have taught me so much more. Back in Los Angeles, editing the piece, I hear their voices, singing in perfect harmony, I see them pouring over an article on the internet or dancing in the stadium, screaming at the top of their lungs. And if the world does not hear them yet, they soon will.

They are the Global Girls of Soweto, and this is one World Cup that I can personally say has not only changed the face of football, but also uprooted the goal posts.
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how exciting! hugs and kisses all around and I'll keep on lookout for the Global Girls of Soweto.

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is the networking they facilitate for young people. Youngsters learn important skills and make important connections.