Pienaar Helps Out South African Kids

Midfield man backs project sending kits to his homeland.

Steven Pienaar went back to school on Friday to support a project that donates football kit to underprivileged children in his native South Africa. 

The Blues star visited Hunts Cross Primary School to meet pupils who were enjoying a football coaching day as part of the Engage for South Africa project.

The project, which launched in 2009, visits primary schools across Merseyside to collect old football kit and boots from the pupils to take to schools in Cape Town.

Pienaar praised the youngsters for taking part in the initiative and spoke to pupils about what inspired him to take up football as a youngster in South Africa.

He said: "Projects like this make such a difference to kids in South Africa and it's fantastic that so many children in schools across Liverpool have donated their boots and football kit to help kids on the other side of the world.

"Every child should have the opportunity to play football and this project is helping to make that a reality."

Over the last few months, hundreds of kits and boots have been collected from Merseyside primary schools and they will be delivered to Cape Town this summer.

As well as distributing the kit, coaches from the Engage for South Africa project also deliver football training to hundreds of youngsters.