South Africa: Gerhard Clarence Januarie

We must hurt in order to grow, fail in order to know and lose in order to gain – because some lessons in life are best learned through pain. In the life of Gerhard Januarie, he was exposed to dealing with bad situations, being a child taking action to support his family. Experiencing family love and support. Was not always possible due to himself and his sister that had to take the lead in many ways, however as a boy child, being part of WP and SA Rugby, he realised that even when situations is bad and not blooming, you can become a better person, by being committed and part of a team. Experiencing some challenges with his own life (broken families, broken relationships), he needed to learn to take life one day at a time. Working with the adolescents (14 and up), he realized his own life experience, prepared him to be an instrument of change for the scholars at Schoonspruit, the boys at Die Dorings and even his peers at Swartland Municipality.

Linking with Alma Kritzinger at an IMATU Conference, I have learned more about gender mainstreaming, the importance of networking and how small actions can make a use difference in a person’s life. For example creating opportunities for the boy child during school holidays to be part of a rugby clinic, focusing on technical aspects, but linking it with adult players that mentor the boys and being a father figure to them. Creating opportunities of education and growth in the institution by focusing on assisting with CV’s, job applications etc. For some this is basic, for the community, this is a way of transformation.

Objectives

Forgive yourself for not knowing what you did not know until you lived through it. Honour your path, trust your journey, learn, grow, evolve and become. It is important to realize a mistake should be a teacher, not your attacker. A mistake is a lesson, not a loss. It is a temporary, necessary detour not a dead end. When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: – Admit it, – learn from it; – do not repeat it.

Key activities

In general, in the Boland Rugby Region, Rugby is seen as a contact sport that is played between four lines. The specific gender needs of both men (players, club) and women (club, parents or siblings) of players is not taking into account and the equal enjoyments of right and access to opportunities, outcomes and resources not taking into account especially the social safety nets that mitigate the effects of poverty, GBV and social ills. Focussing on a player, you need to focus on his holistic circumstances:

The player economic status, the player personal status (physical and mentally) this result in being:

A coach on the field, but also a life coach in the individual life, a spokesperson on his behalf to testify and an advocate to intervene in difficult situations. As a coach, you become a family councillor, a financial guru and the tool to create change.

This include several actions:

Assistance and ensuring access to medical care (the player family, is your family)

Assistance with job applications, CV’s and interventions at possible employment opportunities.

Assistance with basic life skills (interview skills, conflict management)

Assistance with nutritional support (unemployment), funerals etc.

Assistance in education on sexual reproductive health, fatherhood etc. child maintenance and court orders. Focussing on educational problems, learning problems for the boy child, fighting for acceptance in high school or assisting in sponsorship to ensure participation. Access to sport and recreation comes with a price. It may be set available by local government with a price tag, but it does not take into account the we work with rural unemployment players that do not have money, do not have transport. Advocacy is needed to break down the gap.

Key challenges

The challenge of transport for the rural communities. The ignorance of the community that focus on economic outcome, and not always taking into account the rights of the players. Working with farm community, players is obligated to work long hours. Often miss practices and then even miss league games – the enforcement of the powers above. The ignorance and the neglect of ensuring safety of women and children – gates at farms close at 18:00 this result the player and his family to walk miles through bushes to reach their destination.

Results

Change at the individual level

At first I was focused to function within blocks – I am an official at Swartland Municipality, responsible for Sport fields. I am a shop steward at Swartland Municipality responsible to ensure fair labour practice, equity etc. Am a rugby coach at Die Dorings, responsible to ensure growth on the sport field? I am vice-chair person of the Brotherhood Neighbourhood Watch that focus on community projects, safety of women and children, providing a service and assistance to the SAPS and community. Looking through a lens of gender mainstreaming I realized that all is interrelated and crosscutting. I am a gender advocate!

Evidence of change at the individual level

Meeting and walking a path with Gerhard Januarie, was finding back my passion for the community work as helping him to develop a system of support and programs in Wesbank, was like opening a mini gender desk in Malmesbury. He is an enterprising person and assisting and providing assistance and support comes natural to him. Meeting the team 2018 and see the growth in one year, not only on field but also in the community, is ensure evident of a process of change. Alma Kritzinger – Mossel Bay Municipality IMATU Shop steward 0796917708

Change at the household level

“My friends feel safe to talk to my dad when things is not safe at their house. It’s like having the whole rugby team (Die Dorings) and the school u/15 team (Schoonspruit), as my siblings.” Veronique Adonis Daughter

Evidence of change at the household level-Linda Davids

“I just want to thank you for what you did to my son Dominic he is completely different today and Wesley his brother told me last night that you should come and play – he is so excited, thank you” The Lord bless you “for what you mean to my two sons. Appreciate that you encouraged him, thank you again”

Change at institutional level– Klaas Maarman Chairperson Die Dorings

“The Club reached a level of understanding whereby each one is contributing to the success of the club. The supporter’s numbers of men and women and even children increased”

Mariana Kaptein – Team Manager Die Dorings

“The Club started as a male dominant club, with only focus on rugby. Now our children become part of the club as water boys, the women as first aid or fundraising agents. Even when I struggled to enrol my boy child in high school, it was the club that assisted me in the process”

Michelle Maarman and Matthew Maarman – Player and wife Die Dorings

“The club is a family. Having the coach as the godfather of our baby daughter, is evident of the trust we have in the fatherly role he play for each of us”

Christiaan Olivier – Captain of Die Dorings

“We enjoy being used as mentors for the boy child and rugby clinics. It give us a sense of importance and we take the responsibility seriously”

Evidence of change at institutional level                Klaas Maarman – Chairperson Die Dorings

“The Club reached a level of understanding whereby each one is contributing to the success of the club. The supporter’s numbers of men and women and even children increased”

Mariana Kaptein – Team Manager Die Dorings

“The Club started as a male dominant club, with only focus on rugby. Now our children become part of the club as water boys, the women as first aid or fundraising agents. Even when I struggled to enrol my boy child in high school, it was the club that assisted me in the process”

Michelle Maarman and Matthew Maarman – Player and wife Die Dorings

“The club is a family. Having the coach as the godfather of our baby daughter, is evident of the trust we have in the fatherly role he play for each of us”

Christiaan Olivier – Captain of Die Dorings

“We enjoy being used as mentors for the boy child and rugby clinics. It give us a sense of importance and we take the responsibility seriously”

Change at a policy level               

Networking with Rugby Union, we had several contact session with Boland whereby the model of building players to become fathers and men in the community to be responsible, stand up in such an extent that we heard by mouth of Cassie Carstens CEO Boland that they also started to embark in rugby clinics for the children addressing social ills.

In local perspective, we changed the culture at DIE DORINGS in such an extent that it is all about taking hands, reaching out and making a difference in everyone’s daily life.

Evidence of change at a policy level

Cassei Carstens CEO BOLAND –

“The Dorings struggled but ended as second in its league. The discipline and bond as players, families and management is evident of transformation and the reason they raised”

Julie September Secretary Die Dorings –

“We started as a small group, struggling to gain funds, and really to be part of the rugby league. We ended as a team to be taking into account. We expand our borders and undergo two tours to Mossel Bay.”

Gerhard Januarie – Coach Die Dorings

“We are currently the hub that is feeding the bigger leagues with players of high quality”

Capacity building

Experienced trade union shop steward, rugby coach and sport facility supervisor, mentor and facilitator with qualifications in IRB Level 1, 2 and 3 with Boksmart number. Strong background in all aspects of strategic and business management, people development and management. High level of interpersonal interaction combined with sound problem analysis capacity. Well-developed communication, planning and organisational skills, with strong capacity to motivate and train teams and individuals in order to transfer skills. High level of cognitive and emotional capacity. Versatile, adaptable and energetic. Strong focus on mentoring, empowering and enabling co-workers to become self-directed and life-long learners and to make an impact on their environment.

Lessons learned and shared

Transformation is a continuous process. Change created today, can be in need of change tomorrow again. Nothing stays the same. The goal and focus however, to be the best you can in the given timeframe and position you in, is all you have to work. Money can ease the challenges, but commitment, partnership and networking is the key contributors to create effective change. Legislation makes provision to access to sport and recreation, access to health services etc. However, in reality is that just a word on paper – the reality is even access comes with a price!

Next Steps

The need to establish a Community Based Organisation has been identified. Currently we are people with a passion driving several programs, human rights, women rights and the safety of women and children, interlinked with the rugby and the changing of behaviours in the lives of these young individuals. Opening a Community Based Organisation that recognize the following is needed:

Sport and recreation as a tool to change lives

Women and Children rights and access to basic services and protection

Changing the mind-set of men to become activists in changing lives and leading the example as a leader in the house, community and on the rugby field.