14 April 2010

One of the greatest South African female soccer players of all time, Desiree Ellis, and former South African cricket captain Shaun Pollock have been named the newest members of the Laureus Friends and Ambassadors programme.

The Laureus Friends & Ambassadors are individuals invited to represent the cause and consist of current and retired sports personalities who have achieved sporting greatness, plus non-sporting celebrities who have made significant contributions to the sporting community during their careers. In addition to Desiree Ellis and Shaun Pollock, South African Laureus Friends & Ambassadors are Deshun Deysel, Ernst van Dyk, Frankie Fredericks, Bryan Habana, Baby Jake Matlala, John Moeti, Lucas Radebe, John Robbie, Natalie du Toit and Cynthia Tshaka.

The Laureus Foundation addresses social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives.

The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa in partnership with Mercedes-Benz South Africa and other sponsors currently support 12 projects nationally:

Buffalo City Soccer School, Fight With Insight, Free The Youth, Little Champs, PeacePlayers International, Sport for All, Future Champs, Soweto Schools Rugby Project, Indigo Youth Movement, Makomba-Ndlela Youth Movement and the newly established Lungisani Indlela and Johannesburg Cubs.

These projects focus on amongst other issues, crime, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and HIV and Aids. The 12 projects operate in areas such as Cosmo City in Johannesburg, Elim in Limpopo, Khayelitsha and Soweto.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa is a proud partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation since its inception in South Africa and is supported through the MBSA Corporate Social Responsibility strategy under the key focus area of education.

Laureus was founded by its Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone.