WATCH | Ivory Park teen chats to David Beckham

Not many South Africans can say they have done what 18-year-old Sebabatso Nchepe has done.

The matric pupil from Ivory Park informal settlement in Gauteng has had a one-on-one conversation with David Beckham.

The two chatted like old friends via Zoom earlier this month as part of the UN Children's Fund (Unicef) commemoration of World Children's Day.

As an ambassador for Techno Girl, a programme that encourages girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Nchepe was chosen to interact with the legendary former English footballer, who is a Unicef goodwill ambassador.

“I was so excited. It was such an honouring experience as the legendary David Beckham took time out of his busy schedule to speak to me,” Nchepe told TimesLIVE on Friday.

During their conversation, Nchepe told Beckham she wanted to be biomedical engineer.

Beckham responded that he hoped that his daughter, the youngest of his four children, would one day be inspired by science like Nchepe.

Nchepe told him that her mother, Annah Dibuseng Nchephe, and sister, Palesa Nchephe, were her role models because she watched them overcome obstacles on a daily basis.

Beckham was impressed as his role models are his parents, who he said taught him his work ethic and encouraged him to follow his dream to play football.

After the one-on-one chat with Nchepe, Beckham said: “Sebabatso is such an impressive young woman. I loved speaking to her about her life in SA and her dreams for the future. This day is an important reminder that we all have a duty to protect children everywhere.”

World Children’s Day is celebrated annually on November 20 to promote international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide, and improve children's welfare.

It marks the anniversary of the date the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

TimesLIVE