Ellerton pupils taught the art of boxing

Pupils enjoying their exercise.

Pupils at Ellerton Primary School in Sea Point learnt one or two boxing tricks this past week for a good cause.

Mojo Boxing and Fitness together with the Peninsula School Feeding Association (PSFA) conducted a boxing workshop for the learners pupils on Thursday, October 25.

This was in preparation for the Fight to Feed Charity boxing event by Mojo Boxing and Fitness to raise funds PSFA.

The event is set to take at Camps Bay High on Saturday November 24.

The owner and fitness coach at Mojo Boxing and Fitness, Joseph Chinana, said the initiative was a way of giving back to the community.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved in helping charities that work with school children and I believe that sport is one way to impact children in a positive way.”

He said he started the Fight to Feed initiative in 2016 with a mission to raise funds to feed hungry school children and this year they’re planning to go bigger and better.

“We know bullying is a reality in our schools and my main message throughout our boxing sessions is to teach them not to hit each other and I teach them that they can be strong without putting someone else down,” said Mr Chinana.

Fundraising manager at PSFA, Charles Grey, said they are aiming to raise enough money to feed two classes of 30 pupils (60 children)for a year.

The feeding association feeds about 100 pupils at Ellerton Primary School on a daily basis.

He said the first by Mr Chinana, in 2016 and we managed to raise enough to feed a class of 30 children for a year.

“The planned event is a full-on boxing charity event and we like to get involved with this initiative because boxing promotes fitness, self-defence but like Mr Chinana and his team, we preach no-bullying and fighting,” he said.

The principal of Ellerton Primary School, Carolyn Cannon, said the feeding association has made a huge impact in her school.

Ms Cannon said the teachers have been seeing the difference in their classes.

She said the concentration levels have increased, pupils are less sleepy because some travel from as early as 5am.

“I can see the difference in our children, they get fed in the mornings as early as 7am and they also get lunch.

“You can see the sadness in their faces when there isn’t a feeding scheme on some days, especially on Fridays I realise that some of our children who eat here, might not eat properly on the weekend. Everything is nutritionally balanced and the portions that they get here, are meant for them,” she said.

Ms Cannon said the need is there and children don’t over-eat. She said sometimes she’d ask them what they ate at home and learn that the food they have at the school was sometimes their main meal.

She’s called on businesses and the members of the public to assist where they can in initiatives that support children.

“PSFA has made a huge impact in our school, whoever sponsors them, indirectly sponsors our children,” she said.