11

th
January 2012
Dear Friends and Partners of Ubuntu Football
So far 2012 has been, without question, the most significant ten-day period of
Ubuntu Football's young life so far. The mission that we share (together with
you - our partners) is to use football as a vehicle to mentor and grow the next
generation of great men, leaders and footballers. With this in mind, 2012 has
started in the most encouraging way possible - with an incredible leadership
and team-building camp last week, followed by the privilege of being at Sun
valley Primary and Silvermine Academy High School this morning as all of our
players began their first day of school.
HighAfrica Leadership Camp - 4
th
- 7
th
of January
HighAfrica, on the banks of the Breede River, specialises in helping youth to
develop courage, resourcefulness, leadership and teamwork and was the
perfect place for the Ubuntu Football Academy players to start 2012 with 3
extremely full, challenging and enjoyable days. Our days started early, and
the boys showed us that they had (mostly!) been very diligent with their
holiday fitness programs, as we put them through their paces on the training
pitch between 7.+5am and 9am every morning.
One thousand and one, one thousand and two.....
After breakfast, each morning, the HighAfrica team ran a non-stop
series of challenges, activities and events that kept our players
stretched in every possible way throughout the day. However, as chal-
lenging as the activities were, the whole experience was fun and it was
wonderful to watch the players enjoying themselves, pushing them-
selves and enjoying each other so much.
!t was a camp with many highlights, but for the coaches, the best was saved
until last. As we ended our camp on Saturday, the Nanaging !nstructor,
Uncle" Jurie, made a few closing remarks. He told our boys that after ten
years of having around 5,000 kids from some of the best schools around com-
ing through the facility, the Ubuntu group were exceptional and unlike any
other kids he's worked with in terms of their spirit, respect and willingness to
take on whatever he put in front of them. We were incredibly encouraged by
this early indication of the leaders and men we believe they will become!
Ubuntu goes to School
Nany of you probably first got to know the Ubuntu Football team and players
in October of 2011 at our first fund-raising event. Due to your collective gen-
erosity, we were able to enroll our players in the Sun valley Group of Schools,
and this morning was a very special day for all of us as we all rolled into Sun
valley Primary and Silvermine Academy High School for the start of the new
school year. The value of this opportunity is hard to understand unless you've
been into some of the classrooms and school environments our players have
come out of. The individual attention they will get, and the chance to grow in
a wholesome and safe school environment is a wonderful opportunity that
you have helped to make possible.
Sun Valley Primary's new arrivals Some of the Silvermine Boys
Ubuntu Football Forward

January of 2012 has also seen the launch of our pilot Ubuntu Football
Forward model in Ocean view. The goal of Football Forward is to take
mentorship through football to a broader, younger group and to offer
young kids between the ages of 6 and 12 a safe alternative to the
streets three afternoons a week. 3 times a week, every child in the
community will have the opportunity to get exercise, learn valuable life-
skills and play 5-a-side football. This program will benefit many young
football enthusiasts, and we look forward to seeing our Football For-
ward communities becoming local hotbeds of talent. Whilst the Ubuntu
Football Academy aims to invest in the best young footballing talent we
can find across Cape Town, we believe that Football Forward will help
us to ensure that many of the best players in the city come from our
local communities, and that all the children of our communities benefit
from what we do.
Treswill Overmeyer "the Mayor of Ocean View" invites the kids of Kleinberg
Primary to Ubuntu Football Forward
Football Forward comes to Ocean Viewl
2012 promises to be a year in which our work grows tremendously in
breadth and depth of impact. We are incredibly grateful to you - our
financial supporters, volunteers, partners and friends who make all of
this possible. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to this work.
Our football season starts in April, and we will keep you informed as to
where and when you will be able to see the players lighting up the field
(we hope!). We consider Ubuntu a family, and you a part of it, so if
you're interested in coming down to training, visiting the school or
chatting to any of us at any time, we'd love to hear from you.
Wishing you a very blessed 2012!
The Ubuntu Football Team