LIVEWIRE Gqeberha wrestling promotor, Mark Beale, is celebrating ten years in his fight to protect scholars in the Nelson Mandela Bay region from bullying, gangsterism, and drug and substance abuse.
Beale has just signed an agreement with the Department of Education to work together in this regard.
“We have 112 schools that we visit in the region – including Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp,” he said.
“With the blessing of the education department we can now operate more dynamically, and I believe 2025 is going to be a really big year for us,” he said.
Beale’s World Association of Wrestling (WAW) is the biggest on the African continent. “Over the years we have spoken to thousands of scholars and encouraged them to stand firm against the blows of life.
“I also use Mr Wrestler, our own world heavyweight champion, to speak to the scholars. As a lookalike of the WWE superstar, Hulk Hogan, he is obviously extremely popular at our schools and everyone enjoys his approach to the task.
“Various speakers go to schools to talk to scholars, but we found it is nowadays easier to grip their attention of scholars by means of superheroes – superheroes like Mr Wrestler. This is the market that we are in, and it makes our project more effective.
“So he is the perfect man for the job and they just love listening to him.
“We will also try to reach even more scholars from now on.
“I am confident that we are winning this war and will keep going for as much as we are needed,” Beale said.
Principals across the region are also impressed by the work Beale and his team are doing and are full of praise for the WAW.
In a speech last year in front of a packed school hall, Beale said, “Walk a straight line in life and never settle for anything less.
“Believe in yourself all the time. This is your weapon in difficult times. Stay away from what is wrong and just focus on what is right.
“The road that you walk in life is your choice. Be strong and don’t let unwanted elements influence you to decide otherwise.”
