NOW in its 13th year, the Bambisanani Partnership has gained international acclaim for its work in rural Nkandla area of South Africa using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership.

From the very first visit by founder, David Geldart, it was clear that despite lack of equipment, kit or facilities, football was of enormous importance in the Zulu community. Since that time, the partnership has worked hard to use this fact to develop the game itself in the area but also to use to promote other aspects of education particularly English/literacy through football. An example of this has been using football related books to teach reading.

Over the past year the Bambisanani Partnership has become involved in the British Council and Premier League Premier Skills initiative. Premier Skills has two distinct strands of its international work: developing local football coaches and teaching English through football related resources. All the volunteers who have recently visited South Africa from St. Mary’s School, Menston, the University of Leeds and Leeds Trinity University received training from the British Council in use of the resources. In South Africa members of the Mnyakanya School and wider Nkandla community began training as football coaches with Premier League Coach Educators in courses held in Durban. Both strands of this work have proved incredibly effective and have added much to the impact of the partnership.

The Premier Skills resources were used to great effect by students at the John Wesley School in Eshowe and in Ntolwane Primary School in Nkandla.

Trainee Primary School teacher, Harriet Mackinney, from Leeds Trinity University said: “Premier Skills teaches English/Literacy through a range of football related resources eg: the use of comics based on a young boy becoming a ‘soccer star’. The youngsters absolutely loved the fact that I was using a comic book because they almost didn’t see it as learning. They loved that it was about soccer because they could tell me about their favourite soccer team and they could ask me about mine. Premier Skills resources for teaching English/Literacy are excellent and can be used effectively in a variety of contexts.”

Charity founder David Geldart said: “These programmes are so positive and are not only providing valuable education and skills but also aspiration and hope in this desperately poor area. Both elements are vitally important and we try and link them at every possible opportunity.

“In the year ahead we will continue to work with the British Council and Premier League with a specific focus on training more football coaches, coach educators and more local teachers in the use of the Literacy materials.

“Community football teams are already starting to emerge. We also hope to create a ‘proper’ football pitch for training and fixtures and a computer suite where teachers and pupils can access Premier Skills English Language resources online.

“ It is great to see the beautiful game changing lives in this way!”