NEWS
KZN Cycling and University of Leeds accept International Award
by Tim Whitfield
DURBAN – KwaZulu-Natal Cycling and the University of Leeds on Thursday jointly received an international award on behalf of the UK-based Bambisanani Partnership for their cycling programme in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Accepting the award International Sport and Physical Education Charity of the Year award on Thursday were (from left) Siphamandla Mbhele, Assistant Project Manager for KZN Cycling; Manqoba Bhengu, the Acting Chief Director for Sport Promotion and Development within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture; Suzzi Garnett from the University of Leeds; and Alec Lenferna, Chief Executive Officer of KZN Cycling.
KZN Cycling and Leeds University, working together under the Bambisanani Partnership umbrella, accepted the International Sport and Physical Education Charity of the Year award on Thursday in Newlands East, Durban, for their work teaching young people how to ride and maintain bikes in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
It was the third time the Bambisanani Partnership – a UK-South Africa charity that uses sport and education to transform lives and strengthen communities – has won the award. The recognition this year is for the joint programme undertaken by KZN Cycling and Leeds University in Nkandla.
The Bambisanani Partnership is a multi-award-winning UK-based charity that began as a collaboration between St. Mary's Catholic School in Yorkshire, England, and Mnyakanya High School in rural KwaZulu-Natal in 2006. Run entirely by volunteers, the partnership has grown to include more than 60 schools, colleges and universities across the United Kingdom and South Africa, using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, leadership and global citizenship.
University of Leeds students and staff, partnering with the Bambisanani Partnership and KZN Cycling, at the cycling clinics.
In South Africa, the partnership operates in the Nkandla region, where Bambisanani has partnered with KZN Cycling's internationally-recognised development programme to expand cycling opportunities in one of the country's most remote and disadvantaged communities.
KZN Cycling's province-wide initiative has been strongly supported by the KZN Department of Sports, Arts & Culture for many years. The relationship with the Bambisanani Partnership in Nkandla has changed lives through education, practical skills training, and providing children in particular with improved mobility.
Alec Lenferna, Chief Executive Officer of KZN Cycling, and Suzzi Garnett from the University of Leeds accepted the award on behalf of the Bambisanani Partnership.
"The aim of the KZN Cycling development programme is to try and change people's lives for the better," said Lenferna after receiving the award. "So being able to get the programme going with the Bambisanani Partnership in Nkandla fits in exactly with what we are trying to do and we can only thank people like them and the KZN Department of Sports, Arts & Culture for the opportunity."
Suzzi Garnett from the University of Leeds says the project benefits both the communities and the students who work on the project.
KZN Cycling is growing the sport throughout the province with regular clinics, training programmes and development events.
"Working in partnership with KZN Cycling for the last three years has helped bring our cycling project to new levels," said Garnett. "From one school in the Nkandla region we are able to scale that up through the cycling hub to many schools throughout the year. The impact in South Africa is really clear, and the impact on our students and staff from the UK as they engage with the community is helping them develop their skills and their global awareness. We're providing really meaningful experiences for young people in South Africa and the UK."
Manqoba Bhengu, the Acting Chief Director for Sport Promotion and Development within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, expressed his appreciation for the work done by all the partners in the project.
Skills training is a vital component of the training clinics.
"We just want to take time to appreciate the Bambisanani Partnership and kudos to the team working on this partnership in the province, such as KZN Cycling, as well as all of those that are responsible for its implementation in Nkandla," said Bhengu.
"We really appreciate Leeds University for taking time and obviously being part of this particular initiative in trying to give a platform for our young people in this province in a code that is historically not for them because of the entry barriers.
"We are extremely proud as a provincial government that we are able to help give a platform for this type of programme, working with all the stakeholders and ensuring that we build a brighter future for these young kids."
All photos courtesy of Graham Daniel / KZN Cycling / Gameplan Media
Twenty Years of Hope: The Bambisanani Partnership's Extraordinary Journey
by Dr. Poppy Bhengu
By any measure, twenty years is an extraordinary achievement. For the Bambisanani Partnership, it represents two decades of changing lives, building friendships across continents, and proving that education, sport and compassion can transform communities.
When the Bambisanani Partnership was established by David Geldart in 2006, its vision was simple yet ambitious: to create opportunities for young people in South Africa and the UK to ‘work together and learn together’ through education, sport and meaningful international partnerships.
Twenty years later, that vision has become a remarkable reality.
Over 40,000 young people, from 60 schools, colleges and universities have benefited from programmes that have provided educational support, leadership development, sporting opportunities and hope for a brighter future. Behind every statistic is a personal story—a child who discovered confidence in the classroom, a young athlete who found purpose on the sports field, a student who became the first in their family to attend university, or a future community leader inspired to give back.
What makes Bambisanani unique is that it has never simply been about providing aid. It has always been about partnership; creating change through collaboration and empowerment not charity alone.
The charity's work has been built on mutual respect, shared learning and genuine friendship between schools and communities in the United Kingdom and South Africa. These relationships have enriched everyone involved, demonstrating that lasting change is created when people work alongside one another rather than for one another.
Education has always been the heartbeat of the charity's mission.
Recognising that education offers one of the most powerful routes out of poverty, Bambisanani has invested in programmes that nurture both academic achievement and personal development. Students have been encouraged not only to dream bigger but also to believe those dreams can become reality.
Alongside education, sport has become one of the Partnership's greatest success stories.
Through a wide variety of sporting experiences young people have learned lessons that extend well beyond winning matches. Teamwork, resilience, discipline, respect and leadership have become life skills that continue to shape futures long after the final whistle.
The annual visits between the United Kingdom and South Africa have become life-changing experiences for everyone involved. Young people return home with new perspectives, lifelong friendships and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Many describe these experiences as among the defining moments of their lives.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Bambisanani's story is the dedication of the people behind it.
Teachers, volunteers, trustees, schools, sponsors and supporters have all contributed countless hours over two decades. Their generosity has enabled the charity not simply to survive but to flourish, adapting to changing circumstances while remaining true to its founding principles.
The greatest tribute, however, belongs to the young people whose lives have been transformed.
Many former participants have become teachers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, coaches and community leaders. They are now inspiring the next generation, creating a legacy that extends far beyond the original projects.
As the Bambisanani Partnership celebrates its twentieth anniversary, it does so with immense pride—but not complacency.
There are still challenges to overcome and many more young lives waiting to be transformed. The need for opportunity, hope and educational support remains as important today as it was twenty years ago.
This anniversary is therefore much more than a celebration of the past.
It is a celebration of every child who found confidence.
Every volunteer who gave their time.
Every supporter who believed in the vision.
Every school that opened its doors.
Every friendship that crossed continents.
And every life that has been changed forever.
Twenty years ago, the Bambisanani Partnership planted seeds of hope.
Today, those seeds have grown into a lasting legacy that continues to inspire communities in South Africa and the United Kingdom alike.
The next chapter promises to be every bit as remarkable as the first.
KZN Cycling and Leeds University Honoured With Joint Award For Transforming Lives
by Tim Whitfield
DURBAN – KwaZulu-Natal Cycling and the University of Leeds will next week jointly receive an international award on behalf of the Bambisanani Partnership for their work teaching young people how to ride and maintain bikes in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
KZN Cycling / Gameplan Media
2026 marks the third time the Bambisanani Partnership – a UK-South Africa charity that uses sport and education to transform lives and strengthen communities – has been named the International Sport and Physical Education Charity of the Year. The 2026 award is based entirely on the work undertaken by KZN Cycling in partnership with the University of Leeds, in teaching more than 12,000 young people how to ride and maintain bicycles in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
The Bambisanani Partnership is a multi-award-winning UK-based charity that began as a collaboration between St. Mary's Catholic School in Yorkshire, England, and Mnyakanya High School in rural KwaZulu-Natal in 2006 – two schools separated by 9,500 kilometres. Run entirely by volunteers, the partnership has grown to include more than 60 schools, colleges and universities across the United Kingdom and South Africa, using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, leadership and global citizenship.
KZN Cycling / Gameplan Media
In South Africa, the partnership operates in the Nkandla region, where Bambisanani has partnered with KZN Cycling's internationally-recognised development programme to expand cycling opportunities in some of the country's most remote and disadvantaged communities.
What began as a province-wide cycling initiative by KZN Cycling supported by the KZN Department of Sports, Arts & Culture, now involves The Bambisanani Partnership in Nkandla and has become an internationally recognised programme that is changing lives through practical skills, improved mobility and increased educational opportunities.
KZN Cycling / Gameplan Media
Since joining forces, KZN Cycling and the University of Leeds have developed a sustainable programme in Nkandla that has enabled more than 12,000 young people to learn essential cycling and bicycle maintenance skills, while creating pathways into recreation, transport and sport.
The award recognises not only the scale of the programme but also the strength of a unique international collaboration built on the philosophy of Ubuntu – which means "I am because we are" – where organisations work alongside communities to create lasting opportunities rather than dependency.
The partnership's impact extends far beyond cycling. Since its establishment almost 20 years ago, more than 40,000 young people from the United Kingdom and South Africa have participated in Bambisanani programmes spanning leadership, literacy, numeracy, sport and education. More than £1 million has been raised to support these initiatives, with the overwhelming majority directed towards frontline programmes.
On Thursday, August 13, Alec Lenferna, Chief Executive Officer of KZN Cycling, and Suzzi Garnett from the University of Leeds will receive the award on behalf of the Bambisanani Partnership in recognition of their organisations' leadership in developing and delivering the cycling programme.
While celebrating the international recognition, the partners are already focused on the next phase of development. A major priority over the coming three years will be increasing girls' participation in cycling in the rural Nkandla region through research, innovation and targeted interventions.
Research highlighted by World Bicycle Relief, demonstrates the powerful impact that bicycle access can have for girls in rural communities. Girls with access to bicycles are more likely to arrive at school on time, less likely to be absent or drop out, and face fewer safety concerns when travelling to and from school. These findings reinforce the partnership's own experiences at Mnyakanya School, where improved access to bicycles has contributed to better school attendance and broader personal development.
To support this next chapter, the partnership has appointed its first female cycling coach in Nkandla, working exclusively with women, while respected researcher Dr Poppy Bhengu will assist with research and programme development aimed at identifying and overcoming barriers that prevent girls from participating in cycling.
As the Bambisanani Partnership approaches its 20th anniversary, the latest international award stands as recognition of what can be achieved when education, sport and international collaboration work hand in hand. For KZN Cycling, the University of Leeds and the Bambisanani Partnership, it is not simply an acknowledgement of past success, but motivation to continue expanding opportunities for thousands more young people across rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Let’s celebrate 20 years of the Bambisanani Partnership!
We are delighted to announce that tickets are now on sale for this special occasion celebrating two decades of collaboration, global learning, and transformational impact.
This memorable evening will take place at Headingley Stadium, bringing together our alumni, partners, supporters, and friends for a night of celebration and connection.
To register your interest for a seat or table, please contact:
Catherine Chattoe c.chattoe@stmarysmenston.org
or Brogan O’Connor: brogan.oconnor@ncl-coll.ac.uk
Please would you be kind enough to share details of this very special event with any of your friends and colleagues who you think might be interested. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with you.