“I look back with gratitude and humility at the role played by so many people to get to where I am today. I am a beneficiary of so much generosity, love and selflessness from people who wanted to help me reach my full potential, without regard to fame, fortune or recognition.”
Lincoln Mali
The Lincoln Mali Leadership Foundation was launched on 6th October 2022. It brings together new initiatives and various community development initiatives that Lincoln Mali and his wife Sva Mali have pioneered over the years.
Our mission is to develop the next generation of young leaders to become midwives for Africa’s rebirth. We achieve this through Sports Development, Leadership Development , Youth Development and Feeding Schemes in informal settlements.
Sports Development
Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Tournament
Rugby was introduced to the Eastern Cape in the 1880’s, with the formation of the Union Rugby Football Club, the first black rugby club, in 1887 in Port Elizabeth. Following that, the Orientals Rugby Football Club (The Blues), was established. Lincoln’s father, Mzwandile Mali, played rugby for Cowan High School during the 1950’s, and later for the Orientals RFC. Lincoln was born into this rich rugby tradition and played rugby at Mzontsundu Secondary School, Newell High, and Ithembelihle High School. In 1985, he earned his rugby Provincial Colours when he was selected to represent the Kwaru Colts. Later, Lincoln played rugby for his local club, Springrose RFC, and eventually joined the rugby team at Rhodes University.
Township Rugby was vibrant in schools and clubs until the turbulent times of political strife in the 1980’s. Over time, factors such as inadequate management, limited sponsorship opportunities, and the rising popularity of alternative sports gradually took their toll on township schools rugby in the Eastern Cape.
In response to this, Lincoln and Sva took the initiative in 2019 to establish the Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Tournament, in honour of Lincoln’s late father. This tournament has a twofold objective: to rejuvenate schools’ rugby in townships and to serve as a talent pipeline for club and provincial rugby systems. Besides revitalising the sport, the tournament has numerous other advantages, including the discovery of hidden talent and generating enthusiasm for rugby across the Eastern Cape and even beyond its borders. Additionally, participating boys acquire invaluable life lessons that will accompany them into adulthood.
International Tour
The Mzwandile Mali Schools Rugby Tournament reached a significant milestone when the standout team from the competition received a prestigious invitation from the Sevenoaks Rugby Football Club to participate in a tour of the United Kingdom in 2024. This opportunity, documented by Sevenoaks Rugby (Read More), was set to provide the young athletes with international exposure and the chance to compete on a global stage.
2024 Tournament Recap
The 2024 edition of the tournament aimed to bring together 16 teams representing township schools from Uitenhage, Gqeberha, Grahamstown, and Fort Beaufort. The competition was scheduled to take place in Gqeberha from the 14th of February to the 15th of March 2024, featuring competitive rugby and community spirit. This edition of the tournament marked a continued commitment to providing township youth with a platform to showcase their skills and pursue their rugby dreams.
Read more about the tournament here
Ray Mali T20 Challenge
Leadership Development
Lincoln is passionate about developing young leaders. He is often invited by schools and corporations to deliver keynote addresses on leadership themes. To extend his reach, Lincoln created a website called Conversations with Lincoln, where he writes blogs about leadership, and also shares interviews with leaders. Read more about Lincoln’s Leadership Conversations here HomePage | Leadership Conversations.
More recently, after the launch of his best-seller book Blazing A Trail, Lincoln launched a leadership podcast on facebook live. Catch it every Friday at 7pm (20+) Facebook
Feeding Schemes & Community Development
