Buhera | Zimbabwe
Ubuntu Sustainability is a football academy that combines elite football coaching, academic excellency and a tailored character development programme to develop the future leaders and role models within sport, business and academia.
Our name communicates our mission which is to empower change makers and future leaders who embrace the opportunity to develop themselves and their communities. We do this by promoting and embracing the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the drive for academic excellence in Buhera’s young people. We fulfill this mission by inspiring young people to excellence, imparting football knowledge, and developing and promoting leadership. We aim to hold up the highest standard in preparing our athletes for successful local and international professional football careers, overseas football scholarships and leadership roles in life.
In the future our goal is to scout for ambitious athletes with academic and football potential across all the rural districts of Zimbabwe. Ubuntu (humanity)and sustainability is at the centre of everything we do. As such we work with our athletes in developing personal development plans and coming up with solutions and action plans for addressing challenges found in their communities.
Based in the rural district of Buhera, according to some sources the second poorest district in Zimbabwe (out of 59 districts): https://web.archive.org/web/20080705191158/http://www.tbalert.org/projects/zimbabwe/buheradistrict.php, we currently have 5 boys teams of under 12, 14, 16, and 18, and 21 that are competing locally. In the future we look forward to establishing Girls Teams and have our Under 21 Boys team compete in Zimbabwe Football Association Manicaland Division 2 (tier level 3 of Zimbabwean Football)
Buhera district has also been noted by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) as lagging behind in terms of football development and participation in footballing activities in Zimbabwe when compared to other districts in Manicaland Province and Zimbabwe: Manica Post, 28 September 2018: https://www.manicapost.co.zw/zifa-retains-regional-provincial-officials/.
Ubuntu Sustainability Football Academy aims to address this gap by giving young people football knowledge and the highest level of football competition across the district. This will go a long way towards preparing them to break into the professional ranks and secure international football scholarships. We believe early development in football is the only way to realize one’s athletic, cognitive, and other natural talents young people may have as youngsters which later translates into footballing prowess.
The Principles of Ubuntu Sustainability Football Academy
- Ubuntu
Ubuntu pronounced is a traditional African concept. The word ubuntu comes from the Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele languages, and can be roughly translated as “humanity towards others.” The term finds a clear expression in the Nguni/ Ndebele phrase: umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu (a person is a person through other persons)Ubuntu embodies all those virtues that maintain harmony and the spirit of sharing among the members of a society. A person with ubuntu knows his or her place in the universe and is consequently able to interact gracefully with other individuals. One aspect of ubuntu is that, at all times, the individual effectively represents the people from among whom he or she comes, and therefore tries to behave according to the highest standards and exhibit the virtues upheld by his or her society.The ethical values of ubuntu include respect for others, helpfulness, community, sharing, caring, trust and unselfishness. Ubuntu underscores the importance of agreement or consensus, and gives priority to the well-being of the community as a whole. As an academy we encourage our athletes to embody Ubuntu.
- Ambition
Ambition is eagerness or an excessive desire for some object that confers distinction, as preferment, honor, superiority, political power, or fame; desire to distinguish one’s self from other people. It involves, first, the desire for attainment, and, second, the motivation and determination to strive for its accomplishment even in the face of failure and adversity.We are always looking for ways and opportunities to be better if not the best at everything we do as well as encourage our athletes to have ambition.
- Sustainability
We are constantly evolving to match and change the lives of kids from various socioeconomic backgrounds and those we work with. For our ‘ecosystem of opportunities’ to thrive, it also has to be sustainable. It means our decisions are built on what’s right for the whole group, not just for one part of it. It means winning as a group not just as individuals. We invest in trusting relationships and long-term successes, not quick transactions and short-term wins. And it means that we will stay mindful of our impact on the community and the environment in our operations.We are constantly developing and running projects to be self sustainable and train our athletes in leadership beyond the classroom.
