IMBEWU has benefitted from many prestigious ambassadors over the years and continues to do so. Their contribution has strengthened and developed the IMBEWU projects since its founding. Léa Sprunger and Christian Mukuna, the current ambassadors, follow in the footsteps of Thabo Sefolosha, the Swiss Football Association and the Roger Federer Foundation.
Lea Sprunger
2017-2018
Lea is a young and talented Swiss athlete, from the region near Lausanne. She spends every year several months in South Africa for her training and feels committed to supporting the work that is done for and with the youth of this country, especially the most disadvantaged ones. She started practising gymnastic at the age of 7 and then joined the local athletic club when she was 10 years old. She won she bronze medal in heptathlon at the U20 European championships and then got specialized in sprint. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she participated at the 200m race and was also the captain of the swiss 4x100m relay team. In 2014, Lea changes discipline again to dedicate herself to 400-meter hurdles. She has been breaking records ever since and what makes us so proud above all this it’s her energy, her beautiful smile and the strong values she shares with IMBEWU.
Picture ©Daniel Mitchell
Christian Mukuna
Since 2017
Christian is an actor, comedian and humorist born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He likes to speak and laugh about different topics such as his diversity, the difference between his two cultures, life, people and love. He loves performing since a teenager and started his career on the stage. He then acted in Web-series and short films, some of which have won awards in Solothurn and Neuchâtel film festivals. His outstanding performances helped him win a role in “Station Horizon”, a TV series produced by the Swiss public broadcasting organization RTS. Off the set, he likes to write poems, scripts, and mostly sketches. Christian won the Morges-sous-rire contest in 2015 and has performed his own one-man show called “AOC Switzerland” in Belgium, Marrakech and Quebec. Today, he uses his talent to make others laugh and to promote his ideal of “living together”. Christian uses his acting skills to benefit IMBEWU and to bring a smile to the faces of disadvantaged children and young people living in the South African townships.
Picture ©Mélanie Jenzer
Thabo Sefolosha
2010-2017
Keen to make a difference to the living conditions of the youth of the Mamelodi township in Pretoria, the birthplace of his father, Thabo Sefolosha and IMBEWU Switzerland have united their forces to launch a development through sport project.
Know as Bophelo Ke Kgwele or the Thabo Project, today the project welcomes more than 700 disadvantaged children for sports and educational activities. Every day after school, the children can play and develop in a safe environment accompanied by seven coaches who act as role models. The programme provides sports training, workshops on prevention on health and social issues, reading and writing learning support and distribution of a piece of fruit to boost their nutrition. Finally, the project includes renovation of the sports grounds in order to guarantee a proper and safe play area for the children.
Thabo Sefolosha site
Picture ©IMBEWU
Roger Federer
2004-2010
In 2004, IMBEWU became the first NGO to receive the support of the Roger Federer foundation (RFF). Between 2004 and 2010, IMBEWU and the Roger Federer Foundation worked together on educational and development through sport projects in the Port Elisabeth townships. Thanks to the support of Roger Federer, IMBEWU was able to get 100 children into school, build a multi-function sports grounds in the New Brighton township in Port Elisabeth and to launch the first development through sport project in 2006. A strong and sincere partnership which lasted 6 years and which allowed IMBEWU to evolve, to grow and to become more professional.
Picture ©IMBEWU
Swiss Football Association
In 2010
In partnership with the Swiss Football Association during the FIFA World Cup 2010, IMBEW Switzerland welcomed the Swiss national football team lead by their secretary general Alex Miescher and the player Philippe Senderos to the sports grounds in Port Elisabeth.This partnership was further reinforced by enabling 100 children to participate in the development through sport project, thus making a lasting contribution the South African youth.
Picture ©IMBEWU