Maurice Podbrey migrated from South Africa when he was 27 and founded Montreal’s Centaur Theatre in 1967.
After 30 years at the helm of the theatre, Podbrey returned to South Africa. He says he had some unfinished business in his homeland.
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The 83-year-old Podbrey joined Global’s Laura Casella to talk about the work he’s been doing in South Africa for the past 20 years.
“With Mandela arriving and new dispensation, it was time to see if I can go back and contribute,” Podbrey explained.
After initially working as an English and Afrikaans theatre reviewer, Podbrey set up the Mopo Cultural Trust, a foundation responsible for 35-plus theatrical projects around Cape Town.
“It was really fulfilling, it really gave me a chance to see the lay of the land,” said Podbrey.
After working for Mopo Cultural Trust for close to nine years, Podbrey was approached to help in another venture: a soccer club for at-risk African youth.
“Two brothers were running this little club, trying to protect the kids from heavy cultural drugs, gang violence and so on,” stated Podbrey.
“I threw my lot in with them.”
Podbrey made an instant impact. He raised over 100,000 rand (C$10,000) through the Canadian High Commissioner to South Africa, which helped fund the startup.
The program is now called the Pauline Podbrey Foundation, and has over 200 South African youth participating in sport, a venture that Podbrey says helped him find fulfilment.