A 10-year-old soccer-loving boy from Sharpeville had his dreams delivered to his doorstep after strangers rallied behind his remarkable story.
Gauteng, South Africa (11 August 2026) – Last Sunday, a small convoy of cars turned down a dusty road in Sharpeville, where Lehlohonolo ‘Nolo’ Matiwane was outside waiting, waving excitedly with the rest of his family at his side.
The 10-year-old amputee soccer star, whose fearless play on crutches captured the hearts and hopes of so many strangers-turned-supporters, was about to have one of the best days, ever.
Nolo lost his left leg in a car accident four years ago, when he was just six. It never once slowed him down. He plays soccer and swims every chance he gets. When he’s on the pitch alongside his able-bodied teammates, on crutches and full of confidence, it’s easy to forget he’s playing any differently at all.
Photos of him doing his thing, captured by local photographer Steals by SK, went viral and moved Johannesburg-based sports charity, Play It Forward, to want to help.
The charity rallied its supporters to donate toward a proper kit for Nolo. On Sunday, the team from Play It Forward, along with a few of its supporters and Steals by SK, made the trip to Sharpeville to meet his family and hand-deliver his soccer dream pack. They also took the first exciting steps toward something bigger…
After dropping off bags of donated clothing and a few gifts for the family – who warmly welcomed them into their humble home – the group headed to a soccer match that Nolo’s coach, Simmy, had specially arranged for them.
They didn’t arrive there empty-handed! The group pitched up with bags of mini soccer balls, boots and gloves for the community’s young players.
“We met up with them at a soccer field in the middle of Sharpeville,” says Alison, who runs Play It Forward alongside her son, Ross. “There was not a stitch of grass on it. These little boys play on the dirt, in the dust, they fall down, they get back up, they are strong, strong little characters.”
Alison says Nolo’s gratitude on the day was easy to see in his unending smile, and his gentle, well-mannered nature was clear in his kindness toward a fellow team member before the game.
Related Stories
Goodbye Uncle Sidney: South Africa Mourns a Man We All Came to Love
South Africa, We Have SO Much Good News to Share With You!When his fancy new Nike soccer boot did not fit, Nolo, without any hesitation, handed the pair over to a friend on his team. He then happily laced up a pre-loved boot from the bag of donated goods Play It Forward brought for the community players.
“He didn’t worry about it,” says Alison. “These brand new Nikes went to another little boy on the team. There wasn’t a tear shed, there wasn’t any jealousy. There was nothing of the sort. This other little boy couldn’t believe his luck, put on his new boots and played like an absolute star.”
A Play It Forward supporter has since arranged for a properly fitting pair to be delivered to Nolo.
On the day, Play It Forward handed Nolo the rest of his dream kit, too – bags packed with two soccer balls, kit, and Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates gear. Alison says it was the soccer balls that undid Nolo completely.
“This little kid’s eyes when he saw these two balls, that was what amazed me,” says Alison. “That is what Play It Forward is about. A ball can change a life,” she adds. “Nolo just kept saying, thank you ma’am, thank you ma’am. And hugging us.”
Play It Forward also facilitated the next hopeful step toward Nolo’s future.
During their visit, Alison sat with Nolo’s mom to complete his application for Jumping Kids, a local NPO that provides access to prosthetic equipment for children living with lower limb amputation from previously disadvantaged communities. Nolo is booked for an assessment later this month!
The day of giving left a mark that went far beyond the gifts that Play It Forward came to deliver, says Alison.
“It was totally mind-blowing, the whole day,” says Alison, through tears. “It was just such a wonderful, humbling experience. What they as a family don’t realise is that yes, we were there to help them, but my gosh, it felt like it was the other way around.”
“The lessons we’ve learned are invaluable, about what we and our children take for granted as privileged people. In this instance, there is no big income. This mommy has very little. This township community gets by on the breadline. But they survive and they don’t begrudge anybody anything. This experience has opened our eyes to the hardships people are facing out there.”
Watching Nolo’s joy over something as simple as a ball was a reminder of why Play It Forward does this work, and just how much fuel it gives a young child chasing his wildest dreams.
“It’s been so strange recently to answer questions about what we do, I never really stop to think about it. I get emotional whenever I talk about it,” says Alison. “Eight years down the line and I think it’s finally sinking in that we can and are changing lives in our own small way, and that realisation has been huge for us.”
Photographers Kelly Heath and Steals by SK captured every moment of this very special day.
by 
