[afro-nets] Siyathemba: Tackling AIDS and Building Goals in South Africa

[Cameron Sinclair <csinclair@architectureforhumanity.org>]

Siyathemba: Tackling AIDS and Building Goals in South Africa
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Museum of Modern Art's Paola Antonelli, industrial designer Yves
Behar, and former football player and Survivor Africa winner
Ethan Zohn join Architecture for Humanity in challenging the
world's designers to develop a football facility for youth in
rural South Africa.

New York, NY -- Architecture for Humanity, a non-profit organi-
zation that promotes architecture and design solutions to hu-
manitarian crises, announces Siyathemba, an international design
competition to develop a football (soccer) facility for young
girls in Somkhele, South Africa. "Siyathemba" is the Zulu word
for hope.

In many parts of Africa sporting activities, especially football
(soccer), are being incorporated into a variety of programs
geared toward helping youth address a broad range of issues af-
fecting their lives. By emphasizing a "team" approach, these
programs help impart the skills needed by the next generation to
overcome the many challenges faced by their countries, from pov-
erty to HIV/AIDS, malnutrition to educational access.

Starting July 1, 2004, Architecture for Humanity is challenging
the creative world to design the perfect pitch in Somkhele, an
area with one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the world. This
facility, run by medical professionals from the Africa Center
for Health and Population Studies, will serve as a gathering
place for youth between the ages of 9 and 14, and will serve as
the home for the first-ever girls football league in the area.
The pitch will also act as a place to disseminate information on
HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment and eventually as a service
point for mobile health care.

Participants will be challenged to employ sustainable and/or lo-
cal building material using local labor to realize their design.
The facility is to include a youth-sized field, sideline
benches, and a small changing room. The entire facility should
be built for US $5,000. The entry fee for the competition is $20
($30 for late registration) and designs are due by October 1,
2004. As with all Architecture for Humanity projects, entries
from developing countries and communities in need are waived.

In mid-October, a team of internationally renowned designers,
landscape architects, medical and sports professionals will se-
lect three finalists and up to twelve honourable mentions. From
the three finalists, the winning design will be chosen by mem-
bers of the Somkhele Girls Football team. Confirmed jury members
include: Design Curator at the Museum of Modern Art, Paola An-
tonelli; award-winning industrial designer Yves Behar; former
pro-soccer player and winner of Survivor Africa, Ethan Zohn; and
Nike Katalyst, Kevin Carroll.

The winning design will be announced on World AIDS day (December
1, 2004) at an exhibition to be held in New York City. All fi-
nalists and a number of honourable mentions will also be fea-
tured in the March/April 2005 issue of I.D. (International De-
sign) Magazine. In addition to displaying entries on its web-
site, Architecture for Humanity will exhibit selected entries on
a travelling exhibition starting in December 2004.

Finally, in tandem with the Siyathemba project, Architecture for
Humanity has been distributing donated Nike footballs to our
partner medical and relief groups around the world. Already,
balls have been sent to youth teams and newly built schools in
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Kenya, and South Africa.

With funds raised from the competition entry fee, donations and
a generous grant made by the Red Rubber Ball Foundation, the
winning concept will be built in 2005. It is hoped that the
Somkhele Girls football team will kick off its first match at
the new pitch by fall 2005. With South Africa set to host the
2010 World Cup the next great player could be found on the Si-
yathemba pitch.

About Architecture for Humanity Architecture for Humanity is a
registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 1999 to
promote architectural and design solutions to global, social,
and humanitarian crises. Through competitions, workshops, educa-
tional forums, partnerships with aid organizations, and other
activities, Architecture for Humanity creates opportunities for
architects and designers from around the world to help communi-
ties in need. We believe that where resources and expertise are
scarce, innovative, sustainable and collaborative design can
make a difference.

For further information please visit our web site ­
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org

or contact:
Cameron Sinclair
Executive Director
Architecture for Humanity
Suite 3A, 165 West 20th Street
New York, New York 10011, USA
Tel: +1-646-765-0906
mailto:cameron@architectureforhumanity.org