Some Bambisanani Partnership Highlights from 2024
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The amazing Bambisanani team has worked tirelessly, frequently in the most challenging of circumstances, to ensure that this has been our most successful year to date in terms of development, programmes, participation and impact:
It’s difficult to imagine life without a pair of shoes – sadly, that is the harsh reality for many children in remote, rural South Africa despite having to walk considerable distances to and from school each day.
Reflections on my time volunteering in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa as part of the University’s ‘Gryphons Abroad’ project in August 2024.
By Tracy Campbell
Former St. Mary’s Menston student and professional footballer Jordan Sinnott was a great supporter of the Bambisanani Partnership charity which uses the power to change lives in some of the poorest rural communities in South Africa. Following his tragic death in 2020 three annual awards were established in his memory at Vumanhlamvu Primary School in the Nkandla region of KwaZulu-Natal. The awards recognise the Sportswomen of the Year, Sportsman of the Year and Sports Leader at the school.
South African teachers, Mrs Pk Zondi and Miss Mazet Langa from Mnyakanya High School and Mrs Eunice Mchunu from Umlazi Primary School together with students Amahle Nsbande and Bayanda Gcaba from Mnyakanya recently visited Leeds as part of the Bambisanani Partnership exchange programme. Mnyakanya School established the partnership with St. Mary’s, Menston 18 years ago. The visit was coordinated by Mrs Pk Zondi and Catherine Chattoe from St. Mary’s supported by Charlotte Wood, Barbara Pounder, David Farmer, Margaret Hattersley, Gerry Sayers, Brogan O’Connor and David Geldart.
For the second year running, The Bambisanani Partnership has been named as International Sport and Physical Education Charity of the Year at the annual Acquisition International Non-Profit Organisation Awards.
The 4th Annual Bambisanani Partnership International Athletics Challenge, supported by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts & Culture and Coastland Hotel and Resorts, brought together 13 primary schools.
For the past 18 years, the Bambisanani Partnership has operated in the most challenging rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa using the power of sport to transform lives. During that time more 20,000 young people from the UK and South Africa have engaged in the charity’s various projects and programmes.
When 8-year-old Althaeá Dickinson from York, was talking to her grandad about World Book Day at her school she asked him if schools in South Africa, where the Bambisanani Partnership charity operates, were involved in World Book Day.
Students and staff from Newcastle College have recently returned from the college’s second annual visit to South Africa as part of the Bambisanani Partnership.
Thobile Prudence Nsibande recently graduated from the University of South Africa (UNISA) with a Bachelor of Education Degree qualifying her as a teacher.
Bambisanani Partnership Awards in memory of Sbonelo Magwaza are presented annually at Mnyakanya High School and St. Mary’s, Menston; the two founding schools of the Bambisanani Partnership.
Congratulations and many thanks to Lilly Chattoe who recently ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon raising much needed funds for the charity.
A dedicated team of nine staff members, supported by two drivers, from Newcastle College have successfully completed the formidable UK 3 Peaks Challenge in an impressive 23 hours and 53 minutes.
Mazet Langa, a teacher from Mnyakanya High School, has recently been honoured for her outstanding work by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. At a prestigious ceremony in Nkandla Mazet received a special award for her exceptional results in the mandatory curriculum area of Life Orientation where 100% of her final year students gained Distinctions.
Supporters of the Bambisanani Partnership recently participated in a sponsored 100-mile walking event – Marching through March – in order to raise much needed funds for the charity.
During the St. Mary’s School, Menston visits to South Africa in 2023, as part of the Bambisanani Partnership, the students and staff had their first visit to Thembimfundo School– a school dedicated to children with Special Educational Needs.
On 27 February 2024, St. Mary's staff and ex-students joined the members of Aireborough Rotary at Horsforth Golf Club where Rory Southern and Anna Ciesluk, who left St. Mary’s last year gave an enlightening account of their work in South Africa in July 2023.
Mnyakanya High School in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, has recently learned that it has obtained a remarkable 90% pass rate in the annual Matriculation (Matric) Examinations, despite many challenges that were faced by the school in the last year.