Our Story – Working Together, Learning Together

Last updated: 05/10/2023

The Bambisanani Partnership emerged in 2006 from a British Council/Youth Sport Trust initiative linking UK and South African schools through physical education and sport. The link between St. Mary’s High School in Leeds and Mnyakanya High School, which serves one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most deprived rural communities, went on to become embedded in the lives of both schools, inspiring young people in many areas of the curriculum through joint learning activities.

Bambisanani is a Zulu word meaning ‘working hand in hand’ and aptly describes the work and vision of this inspirational partnership that uses sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership.

The University of Leeds and Leeds Trinity University are now both significant members the partnership and like St. Mary’s School regularly have students out in South Africa to extend the work of the partnership. A fundamental aim of the partnership has been to create genuine ‘two way’ learning between both countries with a key focus on ‘working together and learning together’. The Bambisanani story is testimony of the power of sport to change lives. Over the past 15 years more than 10,000 students from the UK and South Africa have participated in various Bambisanani projects and programmes, including ‘Leadership through Sport’, Sports Festivals’ Cycling to Success’, ‘Literacy through Sport’, ‘Numeracy through Sport’ ‘Art through Sport’, ‘Learning through Football’, ‘International Athletics Challenge’ and the joint training of Physical Education teachers and Sports Coaches.

Now a multi-award winning charity, the pioneering partnership has gained international acclaim for its work. Despite the most challenging of circumstances this project has not only been sustained it has grown and expanded to involve other schools and indeed universities. The Bambisanani story is testimony of the power of sport to change lives.

A fundamental aim of the partnership has been to create genuine ‘two way’ learning between both countries with a key focus on ‘working together and learning together’. The Bambisanani story is testimony of the power of sport to change lives and has served as a reminder to many just why they became a teacher.

Photo: Sports Festival at Mnyakanya High School

Photo: The road to Mnyakanya High School

““This partnership has developed some of the best international education programmes and practice in the world.” ”

— John Rolfe MBE, British Council

““The Bambisanani Partnership represents a truly authentic approach to educating children about health, global citizenship and leadership. St. Mary’s School, Menston, the University of Leeds and Leeds Trinity University should be applauded for creating and developing this inspiring project which uses sport to positively connect pupils from different cultures. It is a clear win-win situation innovation with boundless benefits for students in the UK as well as those in a deprived region of South Africa. The partnership clearly has the power to change lives for the good and develop long-standing friendships across nations. Many schools around the world would benefit from knowing more about this partnership and adopting similar innovative approaches to genuinely enhancing young people’s lives.””

— Dr Jo Harris, Loughborough University

Photo: Playing football in 2006 taken by David Geldart when he first visited Nkandla

““Much of our life in the UK has become obsessed with materialism and ‘celebrity’. We have lost touch with things that really matter. My visit to South Africa has given me a much more meaningful perspective on life.””

— UK student

““We have worked together…people of different colours, countries, religions and cultures…we have proved it can be done.””

— South African student

““Sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else can. Sport can create hope where there was once only despair. It breaks down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all kinds of discrimination. Sport speaks to people in a language they can understand.”
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— Nelson Mandela