A youth development initiative that combines sport, environmental education, and leadership training is set to officially launch in Retreat on 7 November 2026. Seeds of Change, Green Goals, founded by local resident Zaakiyah Booth in August 2026, seeks to engage young people through activities including recycling, community clean-ups, indigenous tree planting, and food gardens.
The organisation will hold its launch event at Wesley Methodist Church on 4th Avenue, Retreat, starting at 10:00. It has also submitted an application for registration as a non-profit organisation to the Department of Social Development, which acknowledged receipt of the application on 20 October 2026.
Before its formal establishment, Seeds of Change, Green Goals ran a holiday programme in June 2025 at Thomas Wildschutt Senior Primary School, attracting over 50 youth participants. The programme, supported by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, combined sport and environmental awareness. Booth emphasised the importance of addressing social challenges in tandem with youth development, stating, “How can you coach a child who is hungry?” She added, “Your talent is not a mistake. You don’t need to join a gang to belong, you can belong to a team.”
Seeds of Change, Green Goals fits into a broader Cape Town context in which environmental education is increasingly integrated into youth programmes. The City of Cape Town’s Junior River Warden Programme, launched in 2025, provides Grades 5 and 6 learners with practical conservation experience through hands-on projects and community engagement. Alderman Eddie Andrews described it as an “innovative environmental education initiative” that highlights the importance of freshwater ecosystems.
Further support comes from City-led activities such as the coastal environmental learning day held at the Soetwater Environmental Education Centre in Kommetjie on 5 June 2026. These initiatives demonstrate municipal commitment to fostering environmental awareness among young people.
Despite growing efforts, a 2026 peer-reviewed study on sport-for-development programmes in Cape Town found that environmental education remains uncommon and that short-term interventions have not significantly improved ocean-conservation competences. The Retreat initiative attempts to bridge this gap by combining sport, leadership, and environmental stewardship within a community facing youth vulnerability, hunger, and gang exposure.
The programme aims to offer structured after-school and holiday activities to Retreat’s youth, although specific projections regarding participant numbers and long-term impact remain unverified. Plans include establishing a Green Sports Hub at Wesley Methodist Church, yet this is pending confirmation.
Seeds of Change, Green Goals represents a practical response to local challenges, offering healthy alternatives and emphasising the role of community involvement in shaping youth futures. The Cape Flats community will watch closely as the organisation officially launches and begins expanding its reach.
Cape Flats News will continue to track the initiative’s development and report on its community impact in upcoming months.