New website built free of charge supports sports development projects in Southern Africa
Maidenhead, UK, 4 December 2008 – SDL Tridion and VLC today announce they have built a website for SCORE, a foundation focusing on the promotion and facilitation of sports activities, and the use of sport as a development instrument in poor communities in Southern Africa. To implement a website that meets the objectives of SCORE, a team of two consultants from VLC travelled to South Africa to discuss the requirements with various stakeholders. The new website is built on the web content management system of SDL Tridion. Both parties have provided their consultancy and software free of charge. The new website will be launched mid-December 2008.
SCORE is a South African non-profit, non-government, community development organization that uses sport and physical activity as a medium of development. SCORE’s mission is to use sport to provide children with valuable skills and opportunities that they need to succeed in life and contribute to their communities. The organization recruits and trains international volunteers who are placed in mainly rural communities in Southern Africa where they live with host families for six months to a year, implementing SCORE's programs in the community. SCORE is currently implementing ongoing programs in South Africa (since 1991), Namibia (since 2000) and Zambia (since 2002), but has also worked on projects in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Lesotho.
The success of SCORE in target communities depends on the generous support of donors to fund activities and on volunteer coaches and trainers. Sharing needs, success stories and recruitment of volunteers for the international team based in Southern Africa and The Netherlands are two major goals of the new website. Stefan Howells, executive director of SCORE, said: “Volunteers add significant value in the execution of our projects. Their commitment and efforts are important to the success of SCORE. Our volunteers function as role models for the communities we’re aiming to support and their enthusiasm will inspire others to join us. Our new website is a vital instrument in the recruitment process and an excellent tool to spread and share this enthusiasm and successes with interested audiences and potential supporters all over the world. We’re very grateful and very lucky to be able to profit from the expertise of both SDL Tridion and VLC to make this possible.”
Betty Kgomotlokoa Lallie - communication & public relations manager of SCORE added: “Sport is a powerful development tool, especially when working with children. Our strength is in the development and execution of sustainable local sports projects in close cooperation with local communities. Having a professional website will offer us the opportunity to better share and spread our experiences within our organization and way beyond. We want to be able to show what young people in poor communities are achieving, despite their circumstances. And we would like others to join hands with us to change lives through sport.”
Paul Baan – director at VLC commented; “We have got to know SCORE as a hard-working, no-nonsense organization, driven by very inspired and inspiring people. When we saw a chance to support their cause, we didn’t have to think twice.”
Jan Jaap Kolleman – CEO of SDL Tridion adds: “We’re really pleased to be involved in such a worthwhile cause, and very proud that our market leading web technology can make a modest contribution to the excellent work of SCORE.”
To discuss requirements of the different stakeholders, consultants Yuri Admiraal and Thijs Borst of VLC visited Cape Town for a two-day workshop with SCORE representatives. Yuri Admiraal noted: “When in Cape Town, we also went to see SCORE at work with children at schools in townships. That was a very impressive sight, and made us realize their work – and therefore ours – really can make a difference.”
