Since the very beginning, the annual visit of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Business School that goes back to 2014 has been referred to as the UMASS ‘uBuntu tour’ by DJ du Preez – CEO of Into Africa Safari – the South African tour organizer and host.
DJ knew that the ultimate experience UMASS would enjoy through their annual visit to South Africa with the purpose of having a cultural, wildlife, and service-learning experience through participation in local community projects, would be the Spirit of South Africa… our uBuntu!
Since their first visit to South Africa UMASS have become a valuable partner in and a contributor to a great variety of community projects (such as computer laboratories, vegetable gardens, and Rino anti-poaching to name a few) as their way of ‘giving back’ to South Africa.
Like with countless projects across the globe, the annual UMASS visit to South Africa including DJ’s pioneering plan to include a course on uBuntu for students and faculty members in their tour schedule also came to a halt when covid struck in 2020.
When travel was allowed again and UMASS could resume their annual visit to South Africa in 2023, the group now had the opportunity to learn about uBuntu ahead of their arrival in the country. A first in the Tourism and Travel industry as far as we know, and a great achievement for uBuntu and South Africa!
This year, the uBuntu Civics Academy that was Established to Enable the Reclaiming and the Living of uBuntu and to Cultivate an uBuntu Conscious Society is proud to have eighteen new students do formal learning about uBuntu and the Spirit of South Africa. This is truly wonderful.
This is the UMASS uBuntu Keepers Class of 2025 – the first group on our own new school platform!
And for the second year in a row, repeat students are doing an extra course on uBuntu to obtain their uBuntu Certificate of Excellence that they will receive along with the SEEDS of uBuntu students during the certificate ceremony in Pretoria at the end of their visit to South Africa.
uBuntu operates through reciprocal energy where every partner involved in a project contributes and benefits. Everyone grows and evolves. The annual UMASS uBuntu tour is a real and living example of this energy.
We wish UMASS students and faculty members a wonderful upcoming visit to South Africa. We know that the projects that you are involved in will be strengthened through your presence and efforts here!
uBuntu greetings.
Anna-Mari Pieterse.
