The Academy
Ubuntu Empower
In 2025 we launched Ubuntu Empower in collaboration with UTTE (Urban Think Tank Empower) in Site C, Khayelitsha. Ubuntu Empower was created as an integrated, community-based programme delivering education, football, faith-based life skills, and nutrition to 65 children in Grades 3–7, and is designed for national replication and strategic corporate partnership.
Twelve months after starting our first site in Khayelitsha, we launched the Eighty20 Ubuntu Empower Westlake at Westlake Primary School and we will be launching our next site in Jeffrey’s Bay in early 2027.
FOOTBALL
As one of the top academies in Southern Africa, we provide world-class coaching for our Academy players. With well-qualified coaches leading our sessions, our players receive excellent daily coaching at a fantastic facility that enables them to develop their talent and reach their highest potential.
As a result, some of our Academy graduates are playing football at the highest level in South Africa and in Europe, with other graduates going on to represent their country on the International Stage, too. In addition, other of our graduates have used their football ability to secure scholarships in the USA, enabling them further their education at a High School, College and University level
EDUCATION
In January of 2017, we opened the doors to the Ubuntu Academy School, and since then, we have created an environment for learning that is positive, stimulating, encouraging, and most of all, safe.
There are currently 60 learners enrolled in our school, ranging from grade seven to grade twelve. Each staff member is working to contribute to overall academic growth, as well as confident, well-educated learners. At Ubuntu, our values are the foundation of every choice we make, and together, we have an opportunity to encourage growth and excellence.
FORMATION
At Ubuntu, we run group mentorship programs through our Character Curriculum. This includes our weekly ‘Future Ready’ program; a small group, discussion-based setting where our students tackle issues and topics that will provoke them to consider their values and views. In addition, this setting provides a safe space for our facilitators to tackle some ‘taboo’ subjects (pornography, sex etc) from a healthy, Godly perspective.
As part of Future Ready, our students are encouraged to consider their ‘Dual Dream’’ - a concept developed by Coach Dave Waters (which can be explored further in his book, ‘Dual Dream’ ), where each player is encouraged to pursue two pathways in life and help them to find and develop these by exposing them to new ways of thinking.
Outside of our mentorship programs, every staff member at Ubuntu is encouraged to form mentoring relationships with the players. The mentorship programs and staff are integral to our goal of producing holistically healthy future leaders.
Discovering the next Ubuntu player...
We have developed a network of unofficial scouts throughout Cape Town, so we can invite players to our Football Forward or Skills School programs. These are our once a week trainings with 6 to 11-year-olds where we focus on skill and character development. These allow us to invest in Cape Town's overall football community.
Every October, we host a trial that includes football, educational and character evaluations for the best under 12s. Through this process, we are able to select the best children that can have the highest potential success in the Ubuntu Football Academy. Please keep an eye on our social media during this time to see our times and venues (u8-u12)
