Our Story & Mission
Our Foundation & Faith | Our Journey | Timeline
Ubuntu is an African expression of togetherness, meaning that what I am is intrinsically linked to what we are.
MISSION
Holistically developing elite footballers towards becoming citizens of significance.
VISION
To develop servant leaders who impact the world
VALUES
Honour | Family | Positivity | Excellence | Growth
We believe that creating the right culture and environment is crucial in raising the next generation of great leaders. Our five Ubuntu values underpin all that we do, providing coaches, staff, and players a clear reference point to the type of men we want to develop. Weekly life skills and Bible studies based on these values help coaches and players apply them on a very practical level in their lives. Each term, our badge system rewards players living out the values in their community, school, as well as on the football field.
Our Guiding Scripture
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden... In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." — Matthew 5:14, 16
Our Vision
To develop servant leaders who will impact the world.
Who We Are
Our mission flows from our identity as a Christian organization committed to the flourishing of families. We believe Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world, the source of all abundant life. Compelled by this hope, we serve our community and model the way of Jesus to raise up the next generation of servant leaders.
A Heart of Hospitality
Thus, because Ubuntu is firmly rooted in these Christian convictions, we welcome families of all backgrounds and beliefs with grace and sensitivity. We believe every student possesses inherent dignity and purpose. Our commitment to 'love our neighbor' creates a community where every child is safe, respected, and empowered. We value our diversity and look forward to journeying alongside your family with mutual respect.
Our Foundation & Faith
Our Journey
When Ubuntu Founders Casey Prince and Michael Jenkins met for the first time in 2009, they very soon discovered that they shared two passions. Both of these men were football fanatics with a deep concern about the generation of boys growing up in some of South Africa’s toughest communities without fathers, mentors, or role models. They believed that football has the unique power to inspire and motivate young people not only to demand more for themselves but from themselves in areas such as character, leadership, and education.
These passions became a dream, and in 2011 the dream became a reality, with 16 boys between the ages of 12 and 13 years becoming the very first Ubuntu Football Academy class. With no sponsors, resources, or even a bank account, Ubuntu’s first intake of boys was all drawn from communities within driving distance for Casey and Michael, who would fetch boys for training every afternoon and drive them home afterwards. They felt that the only way to pursue their dream was to start doing what they could with what they had. If all they could do was invest in those 16 boys through to their adulthood, that’s exactly what they were going to do.
By the end of 2011, they raised sponsorship to put those first 16 boys into an excellent local school, and the Ubuntu Football Academy became a full-time football and education program. This meant opening bank accounts, registering a trust, and applying for non-profit status; the Ubuntu Football Trust became a proper organisation. By 2013, Ubuntu’s support base had grown sufficiently and allowed an intake of a new group of 12-year-olds. Since then the Academy has added an age group each year, growing to 90 boys between 12 and 18 years old, with a residential facility for those coming from further afield, and a number of community-based satellite Football Forward programs operating in various communities around Cape Town.
In 2016, the Ubuntu Football Academy registered as an independent school, starting with Grades 6 through 8 in January 2017 with the vision to offer a creative, effective, and quality education to every boy in the Academy. By 2021 our school provided education to 55 students across Grades 7 - 12 and at the end of that year, our five Matriculants who had received their the entirety of their High School Education with Ubuntu, all matriculated with Bachelor Passes.
For a long time, we had wanted to be an Academy that provided opportunities for both boys and girls and in 2023, we made the decision that the time had arrived to start the process of introducing girls into our program. Following a successful campaign in mid-2023, we launched an U-12 girls team in 2024 as well as invited four girls to join our full Academy program and we will be adding more girls to our program with each year.
Today, Ubuntu is a fully functioning professional football academy with a registered school and residence. We have graduates across the globe with some playing professional football; some continuing their education in the USA and others gainfully employed in South Africa. We have much that we still want to achieve, so watch this space…
Ubuntu Academy over the years
2008
Mike and Casey Meet in Cape Town
2009
Ubuntu Sports Outreach Founded
Casey and the Prince family move to Cape Town
2010
Start Working in Schools in the Southern Peninsula
First One Valley Festival
First Academy Trials
2011
Launched the Ubuntu Football Academy With Under 13s
Partnership With Fish Hoek Association Football Club
2012
Start of Football Forward program
Partnership with Sun Valley Group of Schools for Boys' Education
First boys make the Board Team
2013
Launch of Ubuntu Teammates Sponsorship Program
Started adding one age group per year in the Academy
2014
First Academy Group of Under 12s
Won first Super League Championship
2015
Academy Residence opens for 15 Boys
The first group of boys Matriculate
The merger of Ubuntu Football and ASD
2016
6 Boys sent to America for College ID Camps
Luke Fleurs becomes the first Ubuntu Player to join the U-17 National Team
2017
Ubuntu Football Academy School Grand Opening
Expansion of Residence for 30 Boys
Academy graduate Jesse Donn signs with Ubuntu Cape Town FC
Luke Fleurs Becomes first graduate to make it to South Africa’s Top Flight, signing with SuperSport FC in Pretoria
2018
First-ever Ubuntu Crosses Borders trip to the Middle East
7 Boys Go to America for Prep School, College, and football
2019
The school adds high school grades 10-12 and grows to 70 students
Our first Matriculants matriculate from our own high school
The U18 team wins the ENGEN Champ of Champs national tournament
2020
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, while many students were not able to receive schooling, we were able to keep our school and residence open for our players
We took our fundraising, talent show, and magazine all online!
2021
Luke Fleurs and Jesse Donn became our first graduates to be selected for the National Team, with Luke playing for the National Team in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Our U18 team won the ENGEN Knockout Competition, retaining the title they won in 2019
All five Matriculants received Bachelor's Passes
The Ubuntu Football Academy celebrates its 10th Anniversary
2022
Munashe Garananga becomes our first Ubuntu graduate to play in Europe by signing for Dynamo Brest, Belarus
Antonio van Wyk (playing for Stellenbosch FC) is called up to the National Squad for the COSAFA Cup and becomes our first graduate to score for his country at the senior level
Luto Tom and Robin Terry become our first Ubuntu Graduates to graduate from University
2023
Munashe continues his development by moving to FC Sheriff (Moldova) and is selected in their UEFA Europa Conference League Squad. Munashe would then go on to play for FC Sheriff in the UEFA Champions League Qualifying Rounds and UEFA Europa League, and receive his first call up to the Zimbabwean National Squad.
Eight of our twelve graduates sign contracts with PSL Clubs
Our U14 enter the Schools League and - at the first attempt - win the Regional, Provincial and National Tournaments, qualifying them for the COSAFA U15 Schools Tournament which they went on to win in December 2023.
2024
We launch our girls program; introducing five girls to join our full Academy program and also creating a U12 Girls team. They cap off a successful first year with our U14 team winning the U18 4th Moment Super Cup in October.
Munashe Garananga continues his European development, moving to K.V. Mechelen in the Belgian League before securing a €4million move to Danish team, FC Copenhagen in July
Prince Amponsah becomes our second graduate to move to Europe, securing a move from Stellenbosch FC to FC Isloch in Belarus. Two soon became three with Antonio van Wyk becoming the third graduate to move to Europe, moving to SV Ried in Austria.
2025
In April we win the BayHill Premier Cup (U19 tournament) for the first time
Our graduates (Jody Ah Shene, Fletcher Smith Lowe and Lazola Maku) win the U20 AFCON qualifying them to participate in the U20 World Cup. They - along with Siviwe Magidigidi - went on to participate in the U20 World Cup helping South Africa reach the knockout stages of that competition.
Graduate Antonio van Wyk and former coach, Moritz Kossmann, secure promotion to the Austrian Bundesliga with SV Ried
Losika Ratshukudu becomes the first Ubuntu player to play for a Senior National team (Botswana) while still in the Academy.
Neo Mangcaka & Inganathi Simama play important roles in South Africa u17’s COSAFA regional tournament win.
Munashe Garananga becomes the first Ubuntu player to play in the Group stage of the UEFA Champions League with FC Copenhagen, coming off the bench against Tottenham Hotspurs.
Luke Hendricks is selected and plays in the U17 World Cup, helping South Africa reach the Last 32.
2026
Siviwe Magidigidi and Losika Ratshukudu join (K Beerschot VA, Belgium) and Slaven Belupo (Croatia) respectively becoming our fifth and sixth graduates/old boys to sign contracts in the European leagues.
Our expanded Nutrition Plan begins with every Academy player receiving two nutritious meals and snacks per day to ensure they are well fuelled to achieve their academic and athletic potential
