- Series culminated in final tournaments for U16 boys’ and girls’ teams, as well as the final round of the adults’ night league
- Former 1. FSV Mainz 05 player Bakary Diakité took part in the final day, alongside representatives from SV Werder Bremen and SV Wehen Wiesbaden who, over the course of the Series, spoke with participants as part of ongoing workshops focused on gender parity
- The aim of each Safe-Hub location is to build strong foundations within communities to support young people and give them opportunities to thrive
- This summer, Wiesbaden and FC Augsburg will head to South Africa as part of their preparations for the 2024-25 season
After a successful eight-week tournament, the Bundesliga x Safe-Hub Series concluded with a final round involving the champions from each of the four participating Safe-Hub locations: Alexandra, Tembisa, Diepsloot and Jabulani.
Aimed at fostering a supportive environment for personal growth and community development, the players also participated in a range of life skills sessions and workshops that sought to dismantle stereotypes and instead promote the importance of creating opportunities for everyone.
Former 1. FSV Mainz 05 player Bakary Diakité was involved in the Series from the start and attended the finals in Alexandra, where he participated in the prize-giving ceremonies as well as speaking with local media. Alongside the former Mali international, former SV Wehen Wiesbaden player and now Sales Director Alf Mintzel, and SV Werder Bremen Head of Human Relations Eva Ihlenfeld also participated as guest speakers, giving talks to the finalists on gender parity.
Furthermore, all three clubs were involved in promoting the challenge “In your shoes”, which was focused on resolving some of the social challenges surrounding gender that many of the participants currently face.
Alf Mintzel, SV Wehen Wiesbaden Sales Director, said: “Speaking in front of an audience of South African children was a new experience for me. It is fantastic that SV Wehen Wiesbaden, together with the DFL, is expanding its commitment to another continent and that we are supporting the kids with local projects.”
Eva Ihlenfeld, SV Werder Bremen Head of Human Relations, further said: “I am delighted to have been part of the Safe-Hub series and to discuss the topic of gender equality and mechanisms for breaking down barriers with young people.”
Klaus Filbry, CEO of Werder Bremen, added: “Werder Bremen is proud to be part of the Safe-Hub series. Our visit to the AMANDLA Safe-Hub in Johannesburg in 2019 underscores our commitment to building strong international relationships and contributing to local community development through sports, especially football. South Africa is an important part of our internationalisation strategy, and we are delighted to support impactful initiatives like the AMANDLA Safe-Hub series. We look forward to hosting similar events like these in the new season.”
Since 2007, Safe-Hub has been working in collaboration with local partners to realise their vision of establishing an equal world by improving access to support and opportunity in under-resourced neighbourhoods and communities. The Bundesliga has a long history of supporting the development of football throughout Africa in a number of ways, including recent community activations such as the launch of the ‘Bundesliga Common Ground’ pitch in Lagos, Nigeria. Furthermore, ahead of the 2024-25 season start, FC Augsburg and SV Wehen Wiesbaden will travel to South Africa, playing competitive friendly matches as part of their pre-season preparations. As part of Wiesbaden’s visit, a group of the first team players and coaches will visit the AMANDLA Safe-Hub in Cape Town on 2 July from 2pm (local time). Alongside a training session with more than 120 children and young people, there will also be an opportunity for media to speak with the club and representatives of the Safe-Hub.
