By Johnathan Paoli
A new initiative in the heart of Johannesburg’s inner city is tackling the dangers faced by children playing football on unsafe streets.
The Field of Dreams, developed by the Maharishi Invincibility Institute (MII) in partnership with Standard Bank, Italtile, the BW Cares Foundation, and former cricket captain Ali Bacher, intends to bring safe, accessible recreational facilities to the communities that need them most.
MII CEO Taddy Blecher, speaking during the recent sod-turning ceremony to celebrate what will soon become the first full-sized soccer field ever built in the Johannesburg CBD, described the field as a green beacon of hope visible to nearly a million motorists each day along the M1 highway.
“This is more than just grass, it is a promise to our youth. For decades, this city has been known for its gold and industry. Today, we are digging deep for something more valuable; the genius, creativity, and infinite potential within the city’s youth. The Field of Dreams will be a place where they build confidence, learn teamwork, and see that their futures are boundless. It is a symbol that pride is being restored to our city,” Blecher said.
He said that the field forms part of MII’s broader “Education Town” campus, a hub where thousands of young people from nearby townships and informal settlements come daily to study, learn skills, and access career opportunities.
The field, he said, represents a green gateway to a space where education and recreation meet to empower the next generation.
The project has been driven by Bacher, with the support of Jozi My Jozi, a civic and corporate coalition focused on transforming the Johannesburg city centre into a place of safety, opportunity, and pride.
For Bacher, whose long-standing career in sport administration includes rebuilding South African cricket in the post-apartheid era, this is another chance to use sport as a force for unity and development.
While the Field of Dreams is new to the inner city, it forms part of a wider movement using sport as a tool for education and upliftment.
One such example is the SafeHub network, founded by AMANDLA Social Enterprises in 2007.
The organisation provides secure environments where young people can play, learn, and access education and mentorship programmes.
According to the SafeHub global website, there are 13 SafeHubs either operational or in development across South Africa.
In Johannesburg, three hubs in Diepsloot, Alexandra, and Jabulani are anchored by high-quality soccer pitches and community programmes offering after-school tutoring, digital literacy, job readiness training, and mentorship.
Refiloe Tsiyane, acting facility manager at the Alexandra SafeHub, said the initiative tries to bridge the gap between physical education and life skills from an early age.
“We also have an ECD (Early Childhood Development) programme that we run. We fetch kids for an hour session once a week. In Alex, most of our ECDs don’t have space for movement, and many teachers aren’t equipped to provide physical education,” she said.
Lindani Ntuli, Youth Café programme manager at the same SafeHub, expressed optimism at the opportunities afforded by the project.
“Young people in Alex come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through programmes like EduFootball and digital training partnerships, we are creating pathways to opportunity. Projects like the Field of Dreams will help expand that ecosystem of hope,” Ntuli said.
But while new spaces of hope are being built, the decline of public recreational areas remains a serious concern.
Once-vibrant parks such as Jukskei Park and Joubert Park have fallen into neglect, plagued by crime, vandalism, and poor maintenance.
Joubert Park, once the city’s proudest green haven and its oldest park, now stands as a symbol of urban decay, with its playgrounds broken, walkways overgrown, and reputation marred by crime and drug use.
Blecher said the Field of Dreams represents a different kind of investment, not in concrete or commerce, but in the spirit of community and the future of Johannesburg’s children.
INSIDE EDUCATION
