Hand in Hand: How the Bambisanani Partnership Built Bridges Through Sport

Target 17.16 – Enhance multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development

Partnership is often talked about in vague terms, memorandums of understanding, development frameworks, aligned objectives. But in the hills of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and the classrooms of West Yorkshire, England, it means something very different. It means real students, real teachers, and a shared goal: to grow together, through sport and education.

That goal is the heart of the Bambisanani Partnership, a collaboration that began in 2006 between St Mary’s Catholic Academy in Menston, UK, and Mnyakanya High School in rural South Africa. The name means “working hand in hand” in Zulu. And over the years, that’s exactly what the partnership has done.

What started as a simple cultural exchange has grown into a multi-stakeholder programme involving schools, universities, local government, sports bodies and youth organisations. Its focus is not just on sharing resources, but on building mutual leadership, respect, and opportunity.

By 2015, students from the UK were travelling annually to KwaZulu-Natal to coach sports, deliver leadership training, and run health awareness sessions. But this wasn’t a one-way transfer. South African students also shaped the programmes, co-led activities, and taught their visitors about life in their communities. The learning moved in both directions.

Sport was the starting point, particularly football and netball, but the impact went far beyond the field. Students gained confidence. Teachers shared ideas. New school clubs formed. Graduates from the programme became youth leaders, health workers and even teachers themselves. One former South African participant now works full time training coaches in rural schools.

The model grew. By 2020, Leeds Beckett University and Nottingham Trent University had joined as higher education partners. UK university students travelled to South Africa to complete leadership placements and support physical education projects. South African schools received new equipment, training manuals and, crucially, long-term mentorship from their UK counterparts.

The relationship was not based on charity or saviourism. It was based on shared values and joint ownership. UK students did not arrive to “help”, they arrived to listen, learn and collaborate. And as South African partners led more of the agenda, the partnership deepened.

The programme also embraced sustainability. Rather than run one-off events, the Bambisanani team helped set up ongoing leadership academies, supported by local councils and school management. Annual sports festivals drew participants from across the district. Teachers were trained to continue the work independently.

And when COVID-19 disrupted travel, the project didn’t stop. It shifted to digital. Students exchanged videos. Teachers co-developed lesson plans. Online sessions were held to maintain connection. The pause actually strengthened commitment on both sides.

By 2023, the partnership had involved over 1,000 UK and South African students directly, with an indirect reach of more than 10,000 young people. It had published a book, received multiple awards, and become a model for how schools and communities can build global relationships that last.

But what makes the Bambisanani Partnership a standout example of SDG 17.16 is not the scale, it’s the structure. It brings together diverse actors: education institutions, local councils, families, sports NGOs and youth mentors. It focuses on results that matter locally, not global metrics. And it adapts, over time, and with humility.

In a world where “partnership” often means unequal power or paperwork with little follow-through, Bambisanani shows another way. One where the people doing the work are the ones shaping it. One where sport becomes a language of trust. And one where the handshake goes both ways.

Your Voice. Your Target. Your Legacy.

If your school, youth club or organisation wants to build a meaningful international partnership, don’t start with logos. Start with people. Choose a purpose. Show up consistently. Build trust. Share decisions. And commit to growing together.

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