St. Mary’s South Africa Visit 2024
By Charlotte Wood
The Bambisanani Partnership has gained international acclaim for its pioneering work in one of South Africa’s poorest regions, using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership. This summer has seen the multi award-winning charity take on its most ambitious volunteering project in its 18-year history. Students and staff from St. Mary’s School, Menston, the University of Leeds and Newcastle College have recently returned from South Africa where both individually and collaboratively they extended and developed the work of the partnership.
Following eighteen months of preparation, planning and fundraising, thirteen students from St. Mary’s embarked on a mission to deliver a ‘Leadership Through Sport’ programme’ to students at Mnyakanya High School situated in the remote, rural Nkandla area. This year’s visit was led by Charlotte Wood with support from Catherine Chattoe and David Farmer.
The student team comprised of Jake Flatman, Oscar Willis, James Allenby, James Lawrence, Malachy Caldwell, Ciaran Diamond, Gus Burrows, Holly Taylor, Freya Power, Florence Northway, Abigail Samways, Evelyn Paduch and Amelia Devine.
Throughout their visit, St. Mary’s students were assisted by four students from Eshowe High School; Mandisi Simelane, Nothando Khoza, Minenhle Sibiya and Nondumiso Hadebe; who supported them with the delivery of the leadership programme and provided invaluable assistance with English and Zulu language translation.
The visit started in rural Nkandla where St. Mary’s students led and organised the Bambisanani Schools’ Athletic competition with for local primary schools. Impressive times and distances stunned the student leaders especially given that many participants were barefooted and running on difficult terrain.
Following four intense days of athletics coaching and leadership training, thirty Mnyakanya High School students were fully equipped and confident enough to organise and host a spectacular Sports and Reading Festival for over 120 children from Ntolwane Primary School. Both Festivals were a tremendous success and enjoyed by all. Additionally, as part of the visit, the St. Mary’s students delivered lessons in a wide range of curriculum areas. Enthusiastic staff and students from Mnyakanya High School experienced high quality lessons in history, maths, biology, and geography.
At a special presentation ceremony and partnership celebration, Mnyakanya students received their much-deserved Leadership awards and students from Mnyakanya and Ntolwane Primary school were presented with a series of annual Bambisanani awards from the John Paul II Foundation for Sport as well as very special awards in memory of Lawrie McCauley, Sbonelo Magwaza and Heather Read.
In collaboration with Newcastle College, St. Mary’s visited Thembimfundo Special School for children with various disabilities and challenges. The team ran a Sports Day for the children, which included dancing, high jump, boccia, javelin and parachute games. It was moving, rewarding and insightful to see how well the children did, and to see how happy they were participating in the activities. The UK team hosted a celebration ceremony where they were delighted to present, for the very first-time, awards in memory of former St. Mary’s teacher Matt Harvey. The awards celebrated students who had demonstrated excellence, determination and leadership in sport. The visit highlighted major water and sanitation problems at Thembinfuno. The charity has subsequently committed to working with the school, local community and Department of Education to try and rectify what is a truly appalling situation. During the visit, David Farmer, Deputy Headteacher from St. Joseph’s Primary School in Pudsey committed to walking, running and climbing the equivalent distance and height of the three highest Mountains in Africa in order to raise funds for the water and sanitation project.
The final part of the visit saw the St. Mary’s students volunteering at uMlalazi Day Centre and Crèche, a centre for orphans and vulnerable children run by the Zulufadder Children’s Trust. This was a magical time for St. Mary’s students where they loved promoting literacy bringing stories to life with the use of props and toys. The students also acted out Going on a Bear Hunt read by David Farmer and had a teddy bears picnic.
David Geldart, Founder of the Bambisanani Partnership and former St. Mary’s School teacher said, “The commitment of St. Mary’s to this initiative is simply phenomenal. This is where it all began and 18 years on more than 50 educational institutions are now involved and 27,000 young people from both countries have engaged in our programmes and projects. During that time more than 200 students and 15 teachers from the school have volunteered in South Africa. This year the St. Mary’s team worked with no less than 13 different schools and 1449 young people. I have nothing but praise and admiration for the teachers who continually go the extra mile, and more, to create such fantastic educational opportunities for their young people. The St. Mary’s students are remarkable; they are outstanding young people who respond exceptionally well to all the challenges and opportunities that volunteering in rural KwaZulu-Natal brings. It is always great to see a school that is serious about living its values.”
