Knowledge Integration Dynamics

KID social development supports tomorrow's sports stars and community development


By Mervyn Mooi, Director at Knowledge Integration Dynamics. (KID)
[Johannesburg, 12 Sept 2012]

Over the last two decades, some junior South African national and Springbok players have emerged from the Southern Gauteng under-16 and under-18 girls' hockey teams, a select number of whom were coached at provincial level by Knowledge Integration Dynamics (KID) director Mervyn Mooi during his mid-year leave breaks. Since 2003 KID has sponsored certain Southern Gauteng provincial hockey teams with hockey kits, in support of fostering sport in general.

Mooi is also a development and club level hockey coach and dedicates a great portion of his spare time to sport administration and community development. "Our children are South Africa's future national and international players and although emanating from all walks of life, many are from the disadvantaged areas in Johannesburg's south-west townships".

KID also donates every year a portion of its annual profits to a charity and seeks organisations that impact South African communities in a meaningful way. As a result past beneficiaries also included various safe-haven centres like TAG in Westbury, orphanages like the St. Nicholas home and Ansaar (home for the destitute in Nigel), certain disadvantaged primary schools and the Jordan House Old Age Home in Sophiatown, most located in the greater Johannesburg area.

"We could have donated to any charity, such as the popular ones, but our business is very family oriented and many of us are involved in communities outside of our normal careers / work, so we look also give hands on support to community projects and specifically where children are involved," says Mooi. "Our KID brand also identifies very closely with children."

Mooi is also the chairperson of the In-Touch Community Support Group, a social NPO which KID has also been sponsoring, focused on community support and development. "I administer and coach this group's hockey teams," says Mooi, "because sport is just one means of supporting tomorrow's adults to help reach their full potential. Children today are exposed to numerous negative pressures and influences and many succumb because they don't have the right support structures in place. Sport is a vehicle that develops athletes and at In-Touch we try to help young people develop through a 360-degree approach to life, not just from the sporting aspect alone."

The In-Touch Community Group has over the years catered for and supported over 500 children through sport coaching and participation (hockey, swimming, soccer), spiritual guidance and bereavement support for those who want it. In-Touch also runs a "virtual" Youth Desk that supports scholar networking and communication. "Our strategy is to operate where you stand, and not waste time waiting for things to happen e.g. funding, facilities etc…" "Each person is resourceful and naturally talented and sensible to do positive, constructive things in the community", Mooi adds.

In-Touch pays particular attention to those who have already social and personal difficulties such as drug / alcohol problems, but in a discreet, one-on-one basis. Mooi says that rehabilitation centres are too few, geographically displaced and unaffordable.

"We believe that prevention and rehab should be done in the very same environment that the problems are encountered (the "lion's den"); this would not take them out of the community nor label them, as all house-holds have problems" says Mooi. "Each household and street community should act as local prevention and rehab centres, where the adulthood and parents can be directly involved and accountable in our strife to have positive activities overcome the negatives. We want to be there to help them, holding their hands as much as they need, but our first prize is to ensure that our kids are equipped to say "NO" for themselves and be responsible."

He says that KID's assistance has been instrumental in the group's many individual successes to date.

comments powered by Disqus