South africa
OASIS “REACH FOR YOUR DREAMS”
OASIS work to create development opportunities for young people across South Africa through participation in sport and education.
They focus on helping young men living on the streets, or those who live in very difficult circumstances within informal settlements.
Each year they participate in the Homeless World Cup with the goal of giving opportunities to those less fortunate. They also offer accommodation to participants before and after the Homeless World Cup, with an emphasis on working out an exit plan.
Country statistics
110 out of 189 in Human Development Index rankings (UNDP, 2022)
$6,480 Average annual salary per person (World Bank, 2023)
43% of young people are unemployed (World Bank, 2023)
South Africa is a country at the southern tip of Africa which has a population of 64.4 million (Worldometer, 2025). The majority of people live in cities, with rates of urbanisation rising year-on-year (CIA World Factbook, 2023).
More than 4 million people, or over 1 million households, live in informal settlements built on public land in South Africa. Cape Town is home to one of the largest slums in the world – some 1 million people live in township Khayelitsha approximately 30km outside the city which is continuously growing.
Crime is endemic with reports suggesting 80% of children in the township have experienced some form of trauma (Human Rights Watch, 2020; University of Bath, 2018).
During the Covid-19 global pandemic municipalities across South Africa illegally evicted residents and demolished over 58,000 temporary houses.
The government is also struggling to meet the rising demand for affordable housing as people move from rural to urban areas, with extensive waiting lists for families in need of affordable housing (Human Rights Watch, 2020; South African Human Rights Commission).
South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world, with inequalities stemming from a sluggish economy and a lack of work opportunities. Unemployment figures are consistently high with women and young people disproportionately affected. As of 2023, 49.1% of young people in the country were unemployed, giving the country one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in the world (CIA World Factbook, 2023; World Bank, 2023).
People not being registered at birth is leading to mass statelessness across Southern Africa. This prevents people from gaining access to education, health care or buying and owning property. It’s estimated that this could affect 137 million people in the countries in Southern Africa (UNHCR, 2020).
8.4 million people are living with HIV or AIDS in South Africa, accounting for a quarter of all global cases. They have been directly impacted by the decision under the Trump Administration to freeze USAID and pause George W. Bush's US President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programme which has been running since 2003 (Sky News, 2025).
The Homeless World Cup took place in Cape Town in 2009.
STORIES from the region
