PeacePlayers South Africa Storybook FINAL - Flipbook - Page 108
The Tshibanda family has generations of PeacePlayers participants who have been involved with all facets of
PP-SA's programmes. Five sisters, guided by their parents, grasped and embodied the idea of exploring their
surroundings through shared experiences. Their roots are far from where they now call home in Durban, South
Africa. Enicia (23), Samantha (20), Grace & Gloria (16), and Davina (7) are all Congolese, although only one sister has
actually stepped foot in their home country.
Enicia’s parents decided to move their family from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in hopes of finding more
economic opportunities when she was just two years old. Enicia didn't know she was destined to be a global citizen
before her eyes could understand what was happening around her. "I barely remember taking the trip," Enicia adds.
She picked up a few languages and soaked up some qualities of her parents along the way. She understands and
speaks Swahili, French, Zulu, and English. She now finds herself speaking more English and Zulu.
They arrived in Durban in 2001, the same year PeacePlayers was founded in South Africa. They were new
immigrants from the DRC, now in unfamiliar territory. Enicia began schooling at Carrington Primary in Durban
Central where she found out basketball, through PeacePlayers, was offered as an extracurricular activity.
Enicia says, “The game and PeacePlayers allowed me to meet new peers in a welcoming setting outside of the
classroom.” As a young foreigner trying to establish herself in social settings, she thrived in this welcoming
environment. She went on to play it throughout high school.
The organisation impacted her life so much that she applied to become a coach shortly after matriculating.
When asked about her inspiration for becoming a coach, she says, "Coach Nasiphi " who coached her at Carrington.
Coach Nasiphi says “Enicia was always a superstar, willing to lead in any way - with registers or warmups before
practice starts. It’s been amazing to see her growth. Some of the attributes that she showed when she was young,
as a captain at Carrington, I still see in her now as my colleague.” Enicia attended Brettonwood High School, then
balanced being a new coach at PeacePlayers while attending undergraduate school at Durban University of
Technology (DUT), where she pursued a marketing degree.
Enicia didn't know it at the time, but she was creating a lane for her twin sisters to follow. In 2006, their family
welcomed two twins into the world, Grace and Gloria.
The twins credit their big sister for being like a mother figure their entire lives. Gloria and Grace noted that "she's a
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PEACEPLAYERS SOUTH AFRICA STORYBOOK
