YDF Team

Gerald Guskowski holds a BSc in Social Work, a Master's Degree in Business Administration, and is the Project Manager of YDF. He is enormously passionate about soccer and does not miss out on any soccer games. Gerald worked in Germany, Tanzania and Rwanda in the field of youth promotion and welfare for more than 20 years. He has experience at grass-roots level but has also headed youth departments with 200 staff members. His vision is 'to tackle social and economic differences by supporting schools and parents with non-formal education'. For Gerald, 'football is a fantastic tool for that purpose'.

Thulani Mabaso-Mahlangu is an advisor for development assistance and manager of grants received from the European Union (EU). He is also responsible for technical and policy advise to the Department of Sport and Recreation (SRSA). He joined the YDF team in April 2010 and brings a wealth of experience from his former positions. Thulani has worked for the United Nations in South Africa. As portfolio manager at the International Development Cooperation Unit of the National Treasury, he was in charge of EU donor relations and development cooperation in South Africa. Thulani, a qualified teacher and psychologist, is currently studying towards a master's degree with the Da Vinci Institute. His love of soccer and passion for development - in particular that of young people - prompted him to join the YDF team. Besides leading the YDF South Africa Team, Thulani is also responsible for coordinating YDF programmes in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Christiane holds a Diploma in Political Science from the University of Hamburg and worked for projects relating to the rights of children and the youth in Latin America and India before joining GIZ. Christiane started working at GIZ's Head Office in 2006 in a sectoral project for children and youth. Later she became a planning officer for youth development and was responsible for the technical backstopping of GIZ's youth projects worldwide. She joined the YDF project in August 2009 and is currently coordinating activities in the YDF partner countries as well as the province of Gauteng. She believes that 'football is a very powerful tool that can be used to reach out to children and the youth and positively impact their lives'. Besides leading the YDF Africa Team, Christiane also coordinates the YDF programme for Kenya, Namibia and the South African province Gauteng and is responsible for the Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) of the YDF project.

Tina is supporting the YDF team as the Gauteng intern, where she is working on a variety of projects in cooperation with local partner organisations. She holds a Masters Degree in International Relations and Development Policy, with a regional focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Through her studies and her various internships in the field of good governance, she has become convinced that civil-society organisations in particular can have major impact on development-related issues. The YDF project fascinates her with its combination of sport and development prospects. She feels that using the popularity of football to tackle social challenges such as HIV/AIDS, crime and violence is an inspired way to enhance the life skills of young disadvantaged girls and boys. Football is a sport close to her heart; always passionate about the game, Tina played actively in her youth and is excited to be supporting the innovative approach of YDF.

Johanna holds a Diploma in Sports Science from the German Sport University of Cologne. She has worked with disadvantaged children and youth using sports as a tool to increase the development of a positive attitude with themselves and others. Through her work in the field of Environmental Education, she has no doubt about the positive impact of practicing sports in natural scenes to increase life quality and gain awareness of the human impact on nature to build up a sustainable behavior. Besides having researched on the development of sustainable use of Nature Reserves in Brazil through Sports-tourism, she also worked as an intern at GIZ Headquarters in the regional department for Latin America. She joint the YDF Team in October 2011 to support the implementation of its toolkits, especially the new YDF Manual for Environmental Awareness which has been developed in behave of COP 17 hosted by Durban in 2011.

Lebogang has a certificate in public relations. He worked as a junior reporter at the Government's Communication and Information System (GCIS) and coordinated the promotions for Amalgamated Beverage Industries with respect to the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. In 2003 and 2004 Lebo played professional football for the Ledwaba Power Stars, representing the country both in the U-20 national team and during the World Student Games. As project manager for Makwetla & Associates he was, among other things, involved in nation-building initiatives and gained valuable expertise for his subsequent positions on the Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Lebo is currently studying for a B-Tech in Public Relations Management with the Tshwane University of Technology. He joined the YDF team in April 2010 to continue with his passion for nation-building through the one sport he knows and loves. Lebo coordinates the YDF programme for Ghana, Mozambique and Zambia and is supporting the further development and implementation of the YDF Toolkit.

Phumlile joined YDF in January 2009 as a coordinator for youth development. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences with majors in Communication and Psychology. She started her career at Eskom where she worked as an environmental officer in the north-west region while based in Klerksdorp. Later she moved to a rural community-development project in Swaziland where she worked as a facilitator for social transformation, and has been involved in development work since then. Phumlile is part of the YDF Africa Team and is responsible for the coordination of project activities in Botswana, Lesotho, Rwanda, Swaziland and the South African province of Mpumalanga. She enjoys working in the field of youth development and embraces the challenges of her work. Her motivation in youth development is 'to keep as many children as possible off the streets by providing them with alternatives and hope for a better future'.

Andrea Lisa Adolph has been working as a project officer with YDF South Africa since May 2011, having previously worked at loveLife as Head of Games. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg. Her experience includes extensive work as a community developer in townships such as Ennerdale and Soweto. In addition, Andrea has been involved in various opening and closing ceremonies organised by the International Cricket Council - the ICC World Cup, Telkom Charity Cups and the A1 Grand Prix. Work which made her aware of the power that sport holds and its potential impact on youth development. Lisa coordinates the YDF programme for Western Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State and Limpopo.

Davide Fiedler holds a degree in Political Sciences from Heidelberg University. His thesis on social exclusion from maternal and child health in India was deeply influenced by his experiences while working at both UNICEF and the former GTZ. As an intern with UNICEF India in 2008, he participated in a research project on child-health programmes for marginalised communities. In early 2010, as intern within the then GTZ's sector project 'Global Health Architecture and Local Health Systems' at the head office and in Bonn, Davide worked closely with BMZ, focusing on the German contribution to MDGs 4 and 5. After an internship with YDF in late 2010, he joined YDF as a junior expert in March 2011. 'YDF is an approach that offers an innovative and attractive means of reaching out to high numbers of youths and impacting on their development in a positive way.' Besides being in charge of public relations, Davide manages the Public Private Partnership (PPP) between YDF and Nike on the Sport for Social Change Network (SSCN) in Southern Africa.

Timothy assists YDF in the capacity of a Liaison Officer. Supporting the Acting Chief Director for Community Sport at Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA), he provides the link between the project and the department. He holds a B-Tech Degree in Sports Management from the Tshwane University of Technology and previously worked as a sports presenter for a local radio station. Between August and December 2009 Timothy participated in SRSA's 2010 Mass Mobilisation Road Show as an intern, travelling across five of South Africa's provinces in order to create awareness about the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. For him the mega-event served as an excellent opportunity for South Africa to build relations and to grow and develop as a country. Timothy joined YDF in April 2010, driven by the idea of giving all youths the opportunities and joy that sport provides.

Sipho Maduna joined YDF in November 2011 as Technical Advisor. He will support the management of the conditional grants at SRSA. Sipho holds a National Diploma in Journalism from the Walter Sisulu University. He underwent training at Big Media in 2005 and worked as an intern at the Gauteng Office of the Premier in the Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS) department in 2006. In 2007 he joined the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa and worked in the Minister’s office assisting the Media Liaison Officer. Sipho was in charge of marketing and communications during the organisation of the Sport Heroes Walk Against HIV/AIDS in 2007 and 2008. In 2010 Sipho was appointed Assistant Director in the Office of the Chief Director, where he was assigned responsibility for budgeting and consolidating reports and responses referred to the Minister and the Director-General. Sipho’s work experience also includes freelance journalism. A highlight of his career was the time he spent working in the Office of the former Minister of Sport and Recreation, Rev. Dr Makhenkesi Stofile.

Dennis has more than 17 years' work experience in the fields of finance and management in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia. He has worked inter alia with Oxfam, Save the Children and the African Medical Research Foundation. Dennis holds a University Degree in Finance. He joined YDF in August 2009 and is responsible for procurement and finances. He is also a sportsperson who enjoys soccer and tennis. To be part of a football project that advocates young people's development runs parallel with his work motivation 'to have an impact on the community we live in'.

Nokuthula joined the YDF project in September 2009 and is in charge of tenders and finances. She has a degree in Business Administration from Andrews University in Zimbabwe and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from De Montfort University, UK. She joined GIZ in July 2008 when she started working with the International Services. She has been working in international development organisations for more than seven years; her experience includes working as an associate programme officer and grants manager for Pact - a non-governmental organisation active in the HIV/AIDS sector. Born and raised in Swaziland, she likes the positive message that YDF conveys and enjoyed experiencing South Africa during the FIFA World Cup™.

Mpumi is a BA Communications and BTech Management graduate who joined the YDF team in April 2008. She worked as a teacher for six years, and was then employed by South African Airways as a flight attendant, later moving to the sponsorship division of SAA's marketing department. At YDF she is responsible for office management, events management and project administration. She also holds diplomas in events management, project management and public relations. She is a soccer fanatic and supports the Mamelodi Sundowns.

Lebo joined the team in August 2009 and supports the administrative department. She is currently completing her Degree in Economics and Marketing at UNISA. Prior to her assignment with YDF, Lebo worked as an administration assistant for two years. Though born and raised in Mamelodi, she is a staunch supporter of Kaizer Chiefs and likes working for YDF because it develops and grooms young people and offers them a better future. For Lebo, the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ has been an opportunity for Africans to showcase both their talents and Ubuntu to the world.