A Bright Future For Canoeing
Siyamamkela, South Africa
Goal Click and UNICEF UK collaborated on a series that highlights the impact that Soccer Aid for UNICEF has on children around the world. In an effort to protect children from the impact of climate change and environmental degradation, UNICEF South Africa has partnered with Canoeing South Africa, with the Grootbos Foundation identified to implement the Sport for the Environment and Climate Change programme.
The Grootbos Foundation is a non-profit organisation, established in 2003 with the vision of conserving the unique Cape Floral Kingdom and a mission to develop sustainable livelihoods in the communities through ecotourism, enterprise development, sports development and education. The Development Canoeing Programme for 8-15 year olds is run on the Klein River in Stanford in partnership with the Stanford Canoe Club. It teaches basic water safety and water conservation, and gives opportunities to participate in local and national canoeing, marathon and sprint regattas throughout the year. Siyamamkela started with the program in 2016 and is now competing at provincial and national level.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your sports journey?
My name is Siyamamkela and I will be turning 22 this December. I am from Stanford, paddling for Stanford Canoe Club. I have been paddling for seven years. I got involved in the sport in the middle of winter in 2016. It was very cold when I was in the 7th grade. My Principal at primary school Mr Pedro told us in the Monday morning assembly about the sport and I was interested in doing it. I have been involved with the Grootbos Foundation from the day I joined Stanford Canoe Club.
My sports journey has been really good but really competitive because of the competition I have within my age groups. I am paddling at provincial and national levels today, representing Stanford Canoe Club at the South African Championships.
I started participating in 2016 in Cape Town in the triple series race. This is a timed sprint series in three different venues in the Western Cape and times from the series assist in your ranking in Canoe SA - and whether you qualify for participating in Western Province Canoe Sprint Championships and then South African Canoe Sprint Championships.
In 2023 I went to Western Province Sprints at the Paarl Canoe Club and the Western Cape Marathon Champs at Peninsula Canoe Club in Lakeside, Cape Town.
What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a wider meaning with the photos?
The photos were taken at Stanford Canoe Club and where I live. The people are my coaches from Grootbos Foundation and Rodger, my canoeing coach. There are also my teammates and my family too. I feel so much connected with them because they are the reason why I am still paddling and the reason why I am still living. These people give me energy and they mean a lot to me. There is a photo with my dad, who is my everyday motivation and my role model.
Why is canoeing so important to you and your community?
Canoeing is very important to me because it keeps me off the streets. I am not involved in any bad activities going on in my community because of canoeing. I am this disciplined man today because of canoeing and the good people around me.
What impact has the Grootbos Foundation program had on you? What does the program mean to you?
The Grootbos Foundation has had a great impact in my life by supporting me every step of the way, such as with the transport to attend the race and food for me to eat at the race. With everything I needed Grootbos Foundation has always been there for me, supporting me from day one when I started paddling for Stanford Canoe Club.
How has canoeing helped you learn about climate change? What do you think needs to be done to help fight climate change?
Canoeing has helped me to learn about climate change by travelling to other Provinces and training in different seasons of the year. Because of climate change it has always been difficult to paddle in other Provinces like Gauteng, where there is a lot of pollution and the place is dry. In my home town it gets difficult when we are approaching winter. During winter it gets really cold and rainy for training sessions. That can cause laziness for some of my teammates!
What do you think the future looks like for canoeing in your community? What are your ambitions?
For my future I want to paddle internationally. I want to represent Stanford Canoe Club, the Grootbos Foundation, and my name internationally in the Olympics or in the Canoe Sprint World Championships. I also want to be the coach of the Stanford Canoe Club.
As the Club grows, the number of athletes we have in our Club is growing. More and more young boys and girls are really interested in doing Canoe, so for me the future is really bright in the sport.
