There are moments in sports that go far beyond the boundary ropes, moments that shift perspective, challenge assumptions and open doors that would’ve felt closed. This is one of those moments.
The countdown is on. In June 2026, thirteen young women from Khayelitsha, Cape Town, will travel to the United Kingdom to attend the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. For most of them, it will be their first time leaving South Africa. For all of them, it will be the beginning of something far greater than a tour.
A Story Behind the Journey
CATCH Trust was founded in 2014 as the Gary Kirsten Foundation in Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest township. What started as a response to inequality in access to sport has, over more than a decade, grown into something powerful. Since then, a fully built in-door centre, a network of trained and local employed coaches and programmes that reach hundreds of young people each year.
However, beyond the facilities and programmes, we have built something less tangible and far more important. Belief and Opportunity.
In 2019, we took an U13 Boys team from Khayelitsha, who made a similar journey during the 2019 Men’s Cricket World Cup in England. From not having flown in a plane, to playing and watching cricket abroad, they arrived as unknowns, but left with only losing one of four matches played, earned a standing ovation from opposition and shifted the perspective and perceptions about what young players from underserved communities can achieve.
“The challenge was never talent. There is incredible talent in townships. The challenge is Opportunity.” – Gary Kirsten, Founder of CATCH Trust.
Partner with us for an HISTORIC TOUR
Journeys like these do not happen in isolation. They are built day by day and the tour is just the introduction thereof. We are seeking partners who believe in what CATCH Trust stands for and the work that gets done, from funding coaches, running programmes and building cricket infrastructure.
A monthly commitment transforms our operational capacity, where coaches do what they love, girls keep playing and the CATCH Trust Centre of Cricket Excellence stays open.
To get involved, contact Tim Human – tim@catchtrust.org to find out more and get involved.
Together, we can not only make the 2026 Girls Tour a journey that changes lives, but change lives thereafter, both on and off the field.
