Soccer star walks his talk

Right direction: Musa Otieno of Santos, with his coach, Boebie Solomons, helped UCT students persuade learners to make positive choices in life.

Students from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at UCT roped in soccer star Musa Otieno of the local Premier Soccer League side Santos to persuade learners to make positive choices in life.

In collaboration with non-profit organisation Facing Up, six fourth-year occupational therapy (OT) students hosted a holiday programme in Lavender Hill on 28 and 29 September, which involved some 150 Grade Seven learners from Levana, Hillwood and Zerilda Park primary schools.

The event was part of the social responsiveness aspect of their programme, and aimed at developing young people's life skills, especially their ability to choose sustainable, healthy values and practices.

Activities included teambuilding and a sports day, where the Kenyan-born Otieno demonstrated his skills and spoke with the learners.

"We hope we can leave a lasting imprint on the minds of these learners about the alternative choices they have, as well as the prospects for a better future made possible by a healthy lifestyle," said student Nikki Smit.