His dream has become a reality, says Khayelitsha cricket coach Sivuyile Mfunelwa, 23, as he embarks on a three-month coaching assignment in Mauritius.
The young coach from Makhaza has in the space of two years established himself as one of the most promising coaches within the Gary Kirsten Foundation.
Kirsten said: “He is an exceptional person, as well as a coach, and has shown unbelievable compassion and care with the youngsters and become a type of father figure.
"Sivu’s progress has been of such a high standard that he runs our high-performance programmes and shown his worth as a leader.”
He said Mfunelwa had been a personal inspiration due to the way he has progressed and achieved so much under challenging circumstances.
The next three months would be an exciting time for Mfunelwa but also a great way to gain experience going forward in his coaching career, said Kirsten.
The foundation has been invited to Mauritius for a second year to assist in developing and promoting further interest in cricket, and Mfunelwa will be based at the Northfields Cricket Club.
The foundation's coaching director, Ryan van Niekerk, said Mauritius was a huge stepping stone for Mfunelwa, who'd done phenomenal work.
Mfunelwa said: “My dream has become reality. I remember growing up dreaming of working with Gary and now I am living it.
"Working with young talented cricketers has become my passion, and this new challenge in Mauritius is the next step for me in my development and future as a coach.”
His family were very excited for him, though his mother had mixed feelings of having her son away from home for so long, he said.