A new global initiative, Lay’s RePlay, which aims to bring joy to deserving communities around the world through the power of football, was launched in Tembisa yesterday.

Lay’s has joined with the Uefa Foundation for Children, streetfootballworld and local partners Amandla, the SA Football Association and the City of Ekurhuleni to reuse empty chip packs to help create sustainable football pitches, driving positive outcomes for people and the planet. 

“We know how powerful sport can be in bringing people together, something we have fostered for decades,” said Tertius Carstens, CEO of PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa. “This Lay’s RePlay pitch now provides the youth in Tembisa with a place to come together, share joy and burn off some energy – while bringing a positive impact to our community and our planet.”

Up to five football pitches are expected to open around the world this year, with the first in Tembisa, followed by communities in Russia, Brazil, Turkey and the UK.

The local programme, managed by non-profit organisation partner Amandla, looks to empower youth, promote inclusivity and share key life skills and pro-social behaviours with EduFootball sessions.

“We’ve seen how football and sport can create the foundation to engage youth in holistic development,” said Florian Zech, MD of Amandla. “By working together and supporting Lay’s RePlay we believe that regular, consistent and sustained participation of young people in our programmes will enable participants to make better life choices.”

Former Bafana and Leeds captain Lucas Radebe said: “The true power of the sport sits in the values such as patience, respect, discipline and determination that it instils, while teaching our youth to come together through teamwork, which I believe is invaluable in empowering communities far beyond the pitch.”