KHAYELITSHA CANOE CLUB


SUPPORT FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES


"Sports have the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. 
It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair." – Nelson Mandela

Khayelitsha, meaning “new home”, is one of Cape Town’s largest townships. It consists of both formal accommodation (houses of bricks and mortar) and informal settlements (makeshift shacks). Built in the early 1980s on the Cape Flats about 20 minutes' drive from the Cape Town City centre, Khayelitsha is a bustling mix of township 'box houses' and jury-rigged shack lands that regularly fall prey to wildfires and flooding due to its dangerous location close to the Capes coastline.

The ethnic makeup of Khayelitsha is approximately 90.5% Black African, 8.5% Colored and 0.5% White, with Xhosa being the most common language of the residents. The Township has a very young population with fewer than 7% of its residents being over 50 years old and over 40% of its residents being under 19 years of age. The majority identifies themselves as Christian while about 20% follow traditional beliefs and just a small minority of residents identify themselves as Muslim. 

For many years, it was a desperate place with few facilities and little infrastructure to house the large influx of people living here. These days though, things appear to improve in Khayelitsha, although poverty, crime and unemployment are still prevailing. To this day around 70% of the residents continue living in shacks and one in three people has to walk 200 meters or further to access water. Just around 53% of Khayelitsha’s total working age population is employed. Nevertheless, it is a township with its eyes on the future. Tourism is a great opportunity to the township - it gives visitors an insight into the lives of those who live there and a taste of day-to- day community life.

Amazing Africa understands the importance of supporting local communities and realizes the impact - negative and positive - tourism can have on the lives of the people living near major tourist destinations. We understand the importance of responsible tourism and have always been sensitive to the needs of the local communities we operate in.

KHAYELITSHA CANOE CLUB


The Khayelitsha Canoe Club's strives to teach the youth and all residents who are interested how to swim and paddle in a safe way. Besides creating a peaceful environment in the community, the Canoe Club works on keeping the wetlands and the animals that live in it clean and looked after. The small pond used to be filled with garbage – by now there is still some litter, but the old ways of dumping are gone. It is thanks to youths in the area who are trying to protect the environment after being schooled at the Khayelitsha Canoe Club. Before every practice, club members gather and remove litter from the dam. During the progress of expanding the Club, jobs are being created and crime is being reduced in the area increasingly. Another side benefit is the boost of tourism by providing river rafting and guided walking tours through the township by members of the club.
Amazing Africa Tours - Support Local Communities
Khayelitsha Canoe Club
The Khayelitsha Canoe Club is hoping to introduce the sport to the whole township and to curb crime in the area. It is for this reason, that we as a tour operator encourage the Khayelitsha Canoe Club, the first Canoe Club of this kind.
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