Umzingisi Foundation

Infrastructure and socioeconomic indicators in the Eastern Cape lag behind other areas of South Africa. Its population suffers from high unemployment, badly equipped schools and a poor healthcare system. Educational opportunities for inhabitants of the Port Elizabeth Township are especially poor: only 3% of students enter tertiary education after high school, compared with 97% of students from top schools in the area. The Umzingisi Foundation provides underserved young people with increased educational opportunities, using a tiered sport-for-development programme to 1) improve emotional well being and increase life skills (teamwork, leadership, decision making, communication); 2) discuss critical issues – by delivering curricula on topics such as HIV/AIDS awareness, and gender equality in a fun and interactive manner on the sports field; and 3) to improve the quality of education – by providing support and pathways for talented and dedicated individuals through supplementary support where the quality of education is poor and also through scholarships to top local schools.

Building on past experiences with a similar, but broader approach, EMpower is supporting Umzingisi to deliver a more intensive after-school Siyakhula (‘We are Growing’) program encompassing sports, life skills, personal mentoring and supplementary academic tutoring to young people in their last year of elementary school thereby creating a path to enter and pass secondary school requirements (and eventually move onto tertiary education).