(Johannesburg) While the Football World Cup enters its final stages in early July, 2010 the work of the Salesians of Don Bosco and some Salesian NGO continued on behalf of education to a world view and to integration.

The Salesian South African Planning and Development Office with Jugend Eine Welt (Austria), Jovenes y Desarrollo (Spain), Salesiánská asociace Dona Boska (Czech Republic), Salezjanski Wolontariat Misyjny (Poland) and Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (Italy) launched the Champions for South Africa – Join the Game Campaign, jointly financed by the European Commission.

The Campaign provided an interactive game available on the internet or on a DVD. It was designed to show European children (8-12 yrs.) and youngsters (13-18) how their South African peers live. The games develop through a series of animated programs representing the challenges and the choices facing young South Africans. At the end, after seeing reports, photographs and video clips, the players have to make their own decisions. The conclusion of the game is determined by their decisions. The games are available in German, English, Czech, Polish, Italian and Spanish.

Champions for South Africa – Join the Game also provided teaching material for educators with quizzes and open questions about South African geography, history, society and daily life also in age specific categories. Nearly 8,000 schools throughout Europe have used this program for the civic and social education of their young citizens.

Among the sponsors is Giovane Elber, a former Brazilian international soccer player who, with the German Ambassador to South African Dr. Dieter Haller, is the Honorary Patron of the campaign. During a visit to the Salesian house in Ennerdale near Johannesburg, on June 9, 2010, the talented Brazilian player publicly gave his support to the missionary work of the Salesians in South Africa. He said, “Only with education and good formation can young people escape from poverty. It is very important to give them a well rounded education since not all of them can become professional footballers.”