Umzingisi Partners and Supporters
A Chance To Play (ACTP)
Under the banner "A chance to play" a programme has been launched that aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and youth by linking opportunities for playing and sport with learning and training inititives. It thereby seeks to make an important contribution to allowing boys and girls to enjoy growing up, and to learn to hold their own: on the sports ground and in the game of life. The programme links into the excitement anticipated from major soccer events in South Africa to create and influence sporting and recreational development for children.
The A chance to play programme facilitated through terre des hommes Germany (with funding from Volkswagen Group Works Council), supports Umzingisi in several different programs providing the bulk of funding for the “2010 Soccer Fun Bus”. They also support development at the School of Excellence with the sponsorship of 60 scholars with silver and bronze scholarships as well as facility development that will take place later in 2010.
Coca Cola
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Globally, they are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffee. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, the Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where they operate.
Coca Cola are the proud sponsors of one of Umzingisi’s After School Program Growth Points. They provide full sponsorship for the growth point which includes sports coaching, life skills development, daily meals and several day trips and events for 120 children of the Kwanoxolo semi-formal settlement. These children follow Umzingisi’s one year Youth Development through Sport (YDS) Curriculum.
IMBEWU- Suisse
IMBEWU-Suisse has a mission to strengthen the psychosocial development of South African and Swiss children and youth, through sport and education in order to provide tools for responsible citizenship.
IMBEWU-Suisse are an institutional partner of Umzingisi and have really helped to take the charity forward over the past 18 months. IMBEWU supports Umzingisi with funds for the After School Youth Development through Sport (YDS) program as well as the on-going development of the one year YDS curriculum. IMBEWU-Suisse is also supporting the development of Umzingisi by providing experts and volunteers from Switzerland to provide their expertise and strategic advice to help take Umzingisi forward.
Lucozade
Lucozade is part of the GlaxoSmithKlein group who have a challenging and inspiring mission: to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. This mission gives them the purpose to develop innovative medicines and products that help millions of people around the world.
Lucozade supported Umzingisi children with full apparel sponsorship of the under 13 squad that travelled to the UK to compete in the Saffron Walden U13 10’s tournament. Lucozade provided golf shirts, t-shirts, tracksuits and bags for the boys and the management so that they could feel confident and proud on and off the field when competing with the teams from around the UK.
Rio Tinto Alcan
Rio Tinto Alcan is one of five product groups operated by Rio Tinto. The Group finds, mines and processes the earth's mineral resources – metals and minerals essential for making thousands of everyday products that meet society's needs and contribute to improved living standards, a leading international mining group
Rio Tinto was the first Global corporate to support Umzingisi. They are sponsors of 10 gold scholarships and the first children to come to the School of Excellence from Motherwell township. Throughout their support of Umzingisi Rio Tinto have also provided for all children within the school where needs have arisen, by providing sports kit and equipment, stationary and a weekend holiday camp for all of the children.
The Oliver Foundation
The Oliver Foundation is committed to creating a meaningful and sustainable impact in under-resourced communities, primarily in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, focusing on empowering disadvantaged and vulnerable people to create personal self-sustainability.
The Oliver Foundation has supported Umzingisi since its inception. From providing human resource and support to providing seed money to commence the first programmes. The Oliver Foundation continues to support and facilitate further support including the sponsorship of 20 Gold Scholarships at the School of Excellence.
touraid
touraid is a registered children’s charity that establishes sustainable relationships between schools and clubs in the UK with similar organisations around the world to support disadvantaged children.
Since their launch in October 2006 touraid has organised 35 tours for 400 children aged between 11 and 14 from 25 countries across 4 continents.
touraid has supported Umzingisi by facilitating a sports and cultural exchange tour to the UK for our squad of under 13 boys. The tour was a once in a life-time opportunity for the boys who were all from the poorest communities of Port Elizabeth and further opened up doors for the boys to continue to advance, five of the boys subsequently received scholarships to top schools in the Eastern Cape.
United Through Sport
United Through Sport (UTS) is an international sports development charity that unites people around the world to play sport and tackle social inequality. Sport is central to everything we do. It is the vehicle by which we deliver development and long-lasting change to improve the lives of some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities across the world.
UTS is Umzingisi’s sister charity in the UK and has supported Umzingisi since its inaugural programs. As the first ever sponsors of Umzingisi their on-going support has continued to grow, so too has the close relationship between the charities and many of Umzingisi’s volunteers come through UTS and many continue to support Umzingisi through UTS once back in the UK. UTS is also an on-going sponsor of the food kitchen at the School of Excellence.
VW
The Volkswagen Group is the world’s fourth-largest automobile manufacturer, and the largest car producer in Europe. It is the largest German investment in South Africa and is a major contributor to foreign direct investment, technology transfer and skills development.
VW supports Umzingisi with the donation of a 22 seater crafter bus, which enables us to operate the new “2010 Soccer Fun Bus” program. This program takes sports coaches and life skills trainers to the heart of the township and rural communities of the Eastern Cape, reaching some 10000 children per year.