The KZN Impi rugby squad took time out to lend support to the Jes Foord Foundation as part of the Rugby against Rape initiative when they converged on the foundations clinic in Chesterville.

The squad have been hard in training as they prepare for Varsity Shield competition but found time in the midst of their busy schedule to help refurbish the facility at the care centre which has been set up to provide psycho-social support to vulnerable individuals and families through counselling and support groups.

Jes Foord herself was on hand to express her gratitude to the Varsity Boys for a job well done.

Sizwe Khubeka, 2013 KZN IMPI Captain Andre Greyvenstein, Reg Smith, Jes Foord and Juandre Small

UKZN Impi revamp Community Centre

Despite the almost unbearable heat, the FNB UKZN rugby team grabbed their paintbrushes and garden tools to repaint and landscape the Jes Foord Community Care Centre in Chesterville yesterday.

The initiative to upgrade the facility is part of UKZN Rugby’s partnership with the Jes Foord Foundation, the “Rugby Against Rape Project” and the FNB Varsity Shield’s “Keep the Aggro on the Field” campaign. Present to lend a hand was Jes Foord, the founder of the Jes Foord Foundation and a survivor of a brutal gang rape.

Jes mentioned that a woman growing up in South Africa is more likely to be raped than she is to learn or read or write. She thanked the UKZN Impi for putting in their time and effort. Foord said it’s humbling to see young University men helping a community that is not even theirs, adding ‘UKZN Impi, you guys are amazing and thank you for putting your muscles into work.’

Services of the Jes Foord Community Centre include following up on cases of rape and abuse of women and children. Counselling and support is provided four days a week with an average of ten clients per day.

Later the Impi faced 2012 Varsity Shield winners, Wits University in a practice session at the Howard College Durban Campus. The UKZN Impi will face Wits in a match at Peter Booysen Park in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday morning and then open their Varsity Shield campaign against Fort Hare at Peter Booysen Park on Monday 28 January (4.30 kick off, live on SuperSport 1). Jes Foord will attend the Fort Hare match as a guest of honour and will address the public at half time.

Photo: Rape survivor Jes Foord with UKZN coach Dylan Campbell, Impi captain Andre Greyvenstein and flanker Lwazi Ncgungama

- Jos Robson