From idea to impact

The journey story behind our ‘hero video’

Author: Richard Bennett

In 2011, I took a leap: 22 flights, 10 countries, 7 weeks. I wanted to understand if a rugby-for-good initiative could work in Africa. The response? Overwhelmingly yes! I so admire everyone who entertained my enthusiasm in those early days! Following this and over a 15-year period, Bhubesi Pride Foundation (BPF) became my life.

From driving the length of Africa – three times for me and 8 for BPF as a whole, mostly between Kenya and South Africa – to mobilising up to 40 bold volunteers a year, BPF, a UK charity registered in 2013, grew into an overland expedition, coaching thousands of young people, teaming up with hundreds of inspirational African leaders and engaging global businesses in real community impact… while having a lot of fun along the way! Participating BPF volunteers and partner employees gave over 100,000 pro-bono hours to BPF’s projects.

It evolved further. Malawi became a focal point and, after registering a Malawian NGO in 2017, BPF built a sports and education community centre on 7 acres of land in rural Lilongwe. Here, BPF has empowered local leaders, secured major partnerships and helped to develop a long-term strategy which is increasingly making a difference. Today, led by 12 Malawian staff and 50 local coaches, ‘BPF Malawi’ engages 3,000+ young people in sports and education programs.

Including fantastic contributions from talented media producers I’ve worked with over the years, the video you see at the top of Qaimgo’s website is more than just a highlights reel of my own experiences… It’s a testament to a spirit of adventure we all embody (which can be channelled in different ways) and to three fundamental themes which underpin our philosophy at Qaimgo:

Connection: Discovering what truly matters and surrounding yourself with people who share your passion
Transformation: Pushing through challenges and uncovering the magic – because real impact emerges from perseverance and diving deep
Illumination: Integrating what you – or we – learn, adapting and improving continuously to make lasting change… celebrating along the way

BPF started as an idea to share the power of rugby. It’s hard to believe where it took me and the trail others have since blazed. Now, through Qaimgo, we aim to help you – individuals, teams and organisations – to go on your journeys! Through our talks, team performance workshops, project consultation, coaching and mentoring, and immersive leadership trips to Africa, we’ll make big things happen together.

This is just the beginning. Let’s connect.

Watch the video on our homepage…