One of the SOS Children’s Village youth girls, Chrissie, has been selected to represent South Africa in Australia at the World Goju Kai Style Championships in July this year. This is an incredible honour for her and SOS Children’s Villages South Africa.
Unfortunately, she will not be able to take part in the competition unless the local SOS Children’s Village manage to raise R30 000.00 by the end of May.
Chrissie, who has been with SOS Children’s Village Port Elizabeth since 1990, has excelled at Goju Kai Karate. She started training at the SOS Dojo in Port Elizabeth in 2001 under the tutorship of Sensei Hezron Essen and his wife Sensei Theresia Essen. After only 6 months of training, Chrissie began competing in the beginner’s arena, where she won numerous medals. She obviously had a special talent and training began in earnest.
She is the first SOS child to have qualified for a black belt in this style of Karate since the inception of the SOS Dojo on 4 September1996. She was awarded the black belt at a National Championship that was held in Durban in 2010 as well as two gold medals for her performance of the kata (movement) at the same championship.
Earlier this year she competed in Uitenhage and was selected for the Eastern Province Trials and later in Johannesburg, she was chosen to travel to Sydney Australia to compete there for her country, in the World Championships. She also represented SA at the 2009 World Goju Kai Style Karate Championships that was held in Cape Town.
Chrissie says; “Karate has taught me self-discipline, confidence, socializing skills, generosity and motivation (to motivate myself and to help motivate others). My dream and long-term goal is to one day open my own Dojo and to teach children (particularly marginalized and vulnerable ones) the art of Karate. I could not have achieved the success I have to date without the support of SOS Children’s Villages, my home since I was only 18 months old and now I am almost 22 years old!”
Chrissie has completed her business studies and holds a full time position at MBay Training Academy. Her business knowledge acquired through her studies will help her to run her own dojo one day.
“Chrissie is a very talented girl and her hard work and dedication has paid off, it is now up to us to help her reach her goal of participating in an international championship.” said SOS Children’s Village Port Elizabeth fundraiser, Mandy Spies.
Spies said SOS was doing everything in their power to raise funds for Chrissie to go on the trip and was appealing to individuals and businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay to assist, in whatever way possible.
“We need to raise R30 000.00 in order to cover the expenses of the trip, including her flights, accommodation and other costs. Any donations will be most appreciated,” she said.
Donations can be made to this account:
- Nedbank – Newton Park
- Account Name: SOS Children’s Villages
- Account Number: 1213008166
- Branch code: 121317
Alan Straton
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The Lotto will sponsor any international competition. I suggest they contact Lotto.