News

12th July 2026

FROM ELDORADO PARK TO KENYA – AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE 

When Come Back Mission (CBM) launched Project Pick Six in October 2023, the goal was clear: to create new opportunities for children and young people from the disadvantaged community of Eldorado Park through sport, education, and personal mentorship.

That vision has now become a reality in an extraordinary way. Thanks to the project, five boys and five girls were able to travel to Kenya. For every one of them, it was the first flight of their lives, their first trip outside South Africa, and for most, the first time anyone in their family had ever left the country or travelled by air. But the experience went far beyond that: they had the honour of representing South Africa on an international stage. As the country's top Under-13 team, they qualified for the NFL FLAG Africa Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, where they competed as South Africa's representatives in the U13 division.

On the field, the tournament was a tremendous success. The team opened the competition with a commanding 32–0 victory over Egypt, followed by an impressive 43–0 win against the host nation, Kenya. Despite showing great determination, they were defeated by the physically strong teams from Ghana and Nigeria, with several injuries making the challenge even greater. In the third-place playoff, however, the team once again demonstrated its quality, defeating Egypt 42–0. With that victory, South Africa secured the bronze medal and finished as the third-best U13 flag football team in Africa.

This achievement is even more remarkable considering the vastly different resources available to the competing nations. Some participating countries receive direct support from the NFL or individual NFL franchises and benefit from significantly greater financial and structural backing. Against this backdrop, the performance of the young team from Eldorado Park is truly outstanding.

Just as impressive as the results on the field was the feedback received from tournament officials. Coaches, referees, organisers, and delegates consistently praised the children for their discipline, mutual respect, teamwork, and exemplary conduct both on and off the field. They represented South Africa, their community of Eldorado Park, and Project Pick Six with great pride and distinction.

For the children, however, the trip to Kenya meant far more than participating in a sporting event. It was their first time flying, their first journey abroad, and their first opportunity to experience another African country and culture. They met peers from across the continent, built new friendships, and gained life experiences that broadened their horizons and will shape them for years to come. After returning home, many of them said they wished they could have stayed even longer.

For children growing up in a community affected by poverty, unemployment, drugs, and crime, experiences like these are invaluable. Some of the participants live in simple shacks, yet in Kenya they stayed in a five-star hotel for the first time in their lives and experienced a completely different world. Such moments do more than show these young people what the world has to offer—they help them recognise the potential within themselves. They learn that commitment, discipline, and teamwork create opportunities, and that through perseverance, doors can open that once seemed impossible to reach.

Again, a huge thank you to everyone who believed in these young athletes and helped make this journey possible.

A special thank you to Beloved Community Coalition (BeCoCo), the main sponsor of the trip, whose support made this journey to Kenya possible. Beloved Community Coalition has been supporting and collaborating with Come Back Mission on various initiatives in Eldorado Park for many years, making a meaningful and lasting impact in the community. https://becoco.org/