A community engagement initiative at Nelson Mandela University is helping to improve health and well being across five historically disadvantaged primary schools in Zwide, Gqeberha, South Africa.

The Siyaphakama (“We Are Rising”) Zwide Schools Project, brings together physical activity, nutrition, health promotion, research and community engagement to support healthier school environments. Developed in collaboration with the Kolisi Foundation and partners, the initiative addresses needs identified in schools in the Zwide community, including limited access to sports facilities, malnutrition and insufficient opportunities for Quality Physical Education and physical activity. 

A central element of the project is building the  teachers, coaches and school staff. Through professional development and practical support, teachers and sports coach interns are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to provide meaningful Physical Education and physical activity opportunities within their own school contexts.. As project coordinator Dr Danielle Dolley explains, the aim is not simply to provide more opportunities for sport, but to build sustainable capacity within schools and their communities.

“Healthy teachers inspire healthier schools.”

Health screenings have shown improvements in pupils’ health profiles, while schools have received sports equipment and new opportunities for physical activity. Adults working at the schools are also benefiting from workplace wellness activities, with reported improvements in physical activity levels. Nutrition forms another important pillar of the programme. Community kitchens and vegetable gardens provide practical opportunities for pupils, teachers and food preparers to develop healthier food practices. Recent training in community kitchens has further strengthened this component of the Siyaphakama initiative.

The project is funded by the Kolisi Foundation and brings together expertise from Nelson Mandela University, the University of Basel and Swiss partners, including the UNESCO Chair on 'Physical Activity and Health in Educational Settings'. Researchers and practitioners from the Department of Human Movement Science and the Departmnet ofHuman Nutrition and Dietetics contribute to research training, monitoring and community engagement activities. 

A 2024 master’s study by Mooveshni Dumalingam at Nelson Mandela University, entitled “Fundamental movement skill proficiency, physical activity and body mass index of Grade 1 learners from a low-income community in Gqeberha”, found that many Grade 1 learners showed low proficiency in fundamental movement skills. The findings highlight the need for structured opportunities to develop these skills through Quality Physical Education and underline the importance of equipping teachers with the knowledge and confidence to support children’s physical development: although learners were recommended to engage in around 60 minutes of daily physical activity, many lacked fundamental movement skills. The findings underline the importance of equipping teachers with the knowledge and confidence to deliver meaningful physical activity opportunities in schools.

The Siyaphakama project demonstrates how research and education can translate into practical action. By combining movement, nutrition, teacher development and community engagement, the initiative aims to create healthier school environments that can be sustained beyond the duration of the project. This approach is built around collaboration and sustained local capacity rather than short-term intervention, with the longer-term goal of strengthening and extending practices across school communities in the Eastern Cape.

Further information can be found here.