Cape Town Kids Stranded in Europe as Kfm’s Tracey Lange Leads Effort to Bring Them Home
- A group of young players from BT Football Academy were left stuck in Spain and Portugal following their participation in the Donosti Cup
- Families had been fundraising since September last year to cover costs for flights, food, accommodation, and transport, yet the group faced challenges returning home
- Through her initiative, Tracey Lange Cares and the Facebook page Coloured Girls Rock, she raised funds and secured flights for all 28 children, confirming their return by the end of the week
A group of schoolchildren from Cape Town found themselves stranded in Spain and Portugal after participating in an international football tournament.
Source: Getty Images
The children were part of a tour with BT Football Academy and had taken part in the prestigious Donosti Cup, a grassroots football tournament held annually in San Sebastián, Spain, during the first week of July.
The tournament draws teams from football clubs, schools, academies, and educational institutions worldwide.
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What are the parents saying?
However, after the tournament, the group faced difficulties returning to South Africa. One of the children’s guardians shed light on how the trip was organised.
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“Last year, they were chosen on merit to join the tour. They told us what it was going to cost, and we were given enough time to fundraise,” the grandmother explained, as quoted by IOL.
Watch the video below:
“Each child had to pay R50,000, and they started paying in September last year. That amount was supposed to cover flights, food, accommodation, and transport.”
Fundraising efforts are in place to remedy the situation
In response to the crisis, Cape Town-based radio presenter Tracey Lange took swift action to help the stranded group. Through her Tracey Lange Cares initiative, and with the support of the Facebook community Coloured Girls Rock, where she is an admin, Lange spearheaded a fundraising campaign to bring the children home.
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"We can confirm that we have managed to raise the funds to pay for all 28 flight tickets and, with the assistance of TAAG, have secured seats on flights within the next few days. Everyone will be home by the end of the week," Lange announced in a Facebook post.
Speaking to IOL, Lange also expressed gratitude to residents in Portugal who showed kindness and support to the stranded group in Lisbon during their ordeal.
Source: Twitter
What is BT Football Academy saying?
BT Football Academy has since released a statement explaining the challenges they faced, citing financial constraints as the primary reason they couldn’t bring the children home on the originally planned date of July 15.
Read the statement below from BT Football Academy:
It remains to be seen how the South African government will respond to the matter. Efforts to obtain comment from Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.
Watch the video below:
Young rugby player goes viral
Briefly News previously reported that a primary school pupil from Rietkuil Primary School, Zedan Johnson, caught the eyes of many on social media with his incredible runs and steps that have seen him land on the radar of several rugby scouts.
Many have likened his rugby skills to those of Springboks' Cheslin Kolbe, whom he idolises.
Source: Briefly News
