Kick4Life

What Kick4Life does

Kick4Life F.C. is a non-profit charity and football club founded in November 2005 by brothers Steve and Pete Fleming in Maseru, Lesotho. It uses football as the primary delivery vehicle for programmes addressing health (including HIV/AIDS education and testing), education (academic tutoring and US college scholarship pathways), gender equality (Champions United, Girls United, Footballers United), and employability (Fit4Work&Play, Climate Enterprise Incubation) for vulnerable children and young people. The portfolio includes a scholar-athlete Academy, senior men's and women's teams competing in the Lesotho A Division and Women's Super League (national champions in 2021 and 2024/25, the latter completed undefeated), and a set of community outreach programmes. Core infrastructure consists of the Kick4Life Centre, the FSC-certified Stadium of Life (Africa's first FSC-certified timber stadium, opened September 2025), and social enterprises including No.7 Restaurant, Hokahanya Inn & Conference Centre, and the IOC-funded Bophelo Gymnasium & Health Club.

There is no commercial product or pricing model; all programmes are delivered free to beneficiaries. The organisation is funded through charitable donations (registered in the UK as No. 1112133, in the USA under 501(c)(3), and in Lesotho as No. 28/404), institutional grants (IOC, Laureus, FSC, Generation Amazing, Commonwealth Foundation, British High Commission, Australian Volunteers Program), high-profile fundraising events (NYC Gala, NY Charity Golf Day), and earned income from hospitality social enterprises. Go-to-market is community-led, using direct programme delivery at the Kick4Life Centre and partner schools, supplemented by international All Stars Tours that bring supporters from the UK, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa and the USA to Lesotho as ambassadors.

The organisation has no parent company, no external institutional investment, and no disclosed financials; it is run by the two co-founder brothers, both appointed MBEs in 2024, alongside a Country Director (Motlatsi Nkhahle) and functional directors for Academy, Community Programmes, HR, Programmes, and Social Enterprises. Strategic partnerships include a flagship twinning with Wrexham AFC (June 2024), the IOC Impact 2024 gymnasium, FSC International naming rights for the stadium, the Common Goal Equal Play Effect Africa hub role, and a Giuseppe Rossi Academy shirt sponsorship for the men's team.

Name

Kick4Life

Legal name

Kick4Life F.C.

Website

https://kick4life.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kick4Life F.C. is a Lesotho-based charity and football club founded in 2005 that uses sport to deliver health, education, gender equality, and employability programmes to vulnerable children and young people, funded by donations, institutional grants, and hospitality social enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sport for Development Non-profit

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK), Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ), Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Sport for development
• Community health education
• Youth football programmes
• Social enterprise hospitality
• Gender equality programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Kick4Life operates as a registered charity accepting donations globally. The organization runs fundraising campaigns, NYC Gala events, and Golf Days to generate charitable contributions. Registered in the UK (No. 1112133), USA under 501(c)(3), and Lesotho (No. 28/404).
2. Social Enterprise Hospitality: Kick4Life operates hospitality social enterprises including No.7 Restaurant and Hokahanya Inn & Conference Centre which generate income supporting the sustainability of charitable activities while providing training and employment opportunities for young people.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kick4Life is a multi-award-winning charity and football club that uses sport to deliver health, education, gender equality, and employability programmes for vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho. The organization operates competitive men's and women's football teams, a scholar-athlete Academy, community outreach programmes, and social enterprises (restaurant, hotel, conference centre, gymnasium) that generate income to sustain charitable activities. All programmes are delivered free to beneficiaries through charitable funding and international donor support.

Product overview

Kick4Life is a multi-award-winning charity and football club that uses the power of sport to transform the lives of vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho. The organization operates a unified offering combining football club operations with charitable community programmes and social enterprises. The core portfolio includes the Kick4Life Academy (scholar-athlete program), Community Programmes (including Fit4Work&Play, Girls United, Champions United, Lesotho United, and Footballers United), and social enterprises (No.7 Restaurant, Hokahanya Inn & Conference Centre, and Bophelo Gymnasium & Health Club). The organization also operates football teams (Men's team 'Juventude' and Women's team), manages the Kick4Life Centre facility, and is developing the Stadium of Life - Africa's first FSC-certified timber stadium. All components work together to provide a holistic ecosystem supporting education, health, gender equality, and employability for youth in Lesotho.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kick4Life Academy A scholar-athlete programme combining academic support with high-level football coaching and character development for young people in Lesotho, providing pathways to US college scholarships and elite football opportunities.
• Community Programmes Activity-based programmes using football and sport to deliver health education (including HIV/AIDS awareness), academic tutoring, gender equality, and life-skills development for vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho.
• Fit4Work&Play (Kick4Life Assist) A programme supporting players in developing work experience and employability skills, providing traineeships in administrative, hospitality, and other professional roles.
• No.7 Restaurant A hospitality social enterprise restaurant providing training and employment opportunities for young people while generating income to support Kick4Life's charitable activities.
• Hokahanya Inn & Conference Centre A hotel and conference facility social enterprise providing accommodation and event hosting services while generating revenue and training/employment opportunities for young people.
• Bophelo Gymnasium & Health Club A fitness facility developed with IOC support, operated as a social enterprise providing fitness services and employment opportunities.
• All Stars Tour International volunteer tours where participants travel to Lesotho to deliver sports-based health education and life-skills activities while experiencing Kick4Life's work and Lesotho culture.
• NYC Soccer League A football league programme operating in New York City supporting participants and raising funds for Kick4Life's work in Lesotho.
• Stadium of Life (FSC Stadium of Life) Africa's first FSC-certified timber stadium serving as a multi-purpose hub for football, climate change education, gender empowerment, academic tutoring, health testing, and entrepreneurship training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17 student-athletes secured international scholarships to study and play football in the USA
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Giuseppe Rossi AcademycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 October 2024Giuseppe Rossi Academy, founded by former professional footballer Giuseppe Rossi (former Manchester United, Villarreal, Fiorentina, 30 caps for Italy), has become the official shirt sponsor for the men's team for 2025-2026 season. Rossi has been a Kick4Life Ambassador for 12 years.
• Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2024Partnership with SMD to deliver academic, life-skills and football sessions for children at Kao Mine in Butha Buthe district. Kick4Life coaches delivered sessions at the mine site as the first activity under the partnership.
• Wrexham AFCflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024Club twinning partnership between Wrexham AFC in Wales and Kick4Life FC in Lesotho. Aims to foster international cooperation through coaching exchanges, jointly promoting women's football, and co-developing a new 'Football for Good' curriculum covering health, education, social inclusion and employability. Partnership targets 3,000 vulnerable children and young people over three years across both communities. Supported by British High Commission to Lesotho.
• Common Goal - Equal Play Effect AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 April 2024Kick4Life serves as regional hub for Common Goal's Equal Play Effect Africa project. Hosted convening of 10 Sport for Development organisations from across Southern Africa working together on gender equality. Will continue remote collaboration to strengthen gender equality approaches.
• Rise InternationalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRise International partnering on design and construction of Stadium of Life and Biodiversity Stand. Their in loco design and build training programme developed the stadium design featuring 8,584 treated Eucalyptus poles. Also involved in gymnasium container conversion.
• The Health & Fitness InstitutecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupporting the IOC-funded gymnasium project by training and mentoring fitness coaching staff, helping design the gym, and sharing expertise in running fitness facilities. Focus on creating jobs and empowering young women with new skills.
• Valued Citizens Initiative (VCI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African NGO delivering iSIQALO Development Programme on Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Five-day training for 16 Life Skills Coaches, 4 Social Workers, and 40 adolescents from Kick4Life. Supported by Embassy of France.
• Laureus World Sports AcademyflagshipOthersGlobal academy of sporting legends who vote for Laureus Sport for Good Award recipients. Recognized Kick4Life with prestigious 2025 award recognizing sport for social change impact.
• Wrexham Supporters ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLesotho Wrexham Supporters Club launched at Kick4Life's No.7 Restaurant for screenings of Wrexham matches, connecting Lesotho community to the Welsh club.
• Loyalty Brazilian Jiu-jitsuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSleeve sponsor for men's team 2025-2026 season. Jiu-jitsu school dedicated to teaching martial arts foundations with focus on moral and physical development.
• MariememinorGTM or Marketing PartnerSenegalese-American singer-songwriter and Kick4Life USA Board member. Sleeve sponsor who visited Kick4Life in 2023 conducting music workshop. Work blends R&B, jazz and pop with African influences.
• Lesotho Network of the Development of the Blind (LNDB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Activities included walks and sports (football and Goal Ball) promoting disability inclusion.
• Students Entrepreneurial Community Hand (SECH)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStudent organization from Lerotholi Polytechnic providing community service. 40 members assisted with Stadium of Life development including site clearance, weeding and pitch maintenance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Right to Play: Global Sport for Development organization operating in 15+ countries, using sport to educate and empower children in disadvantaged communities. Directly comparable as a peer in the sport-for-development charity category, though materially larger and more internationally diversified than Kick4Life.
• FC Barcelona Foundation: Foundation of FC Barcelona delivering sport-for-development programmes globally, including education and inclusion initiatives. Comparable as an elite football-club-anchored social impact entity, though operating at vastly greater scale and resources than Kick4Life.

Direct peers

• Common Goal: Sport-for-development collective founded by Jürgen Griesbeck mobilizing football industry resources for social impact. Kick4Life serves as the regional hub for Common Goal's Equal Play Effect Africa project, making it a directly overlapping peer.
• PeacePlayers International: NGO using basketball and sport to unite divided communities, particularly in the Middle East, South Africa, and Northern Ireland. Comparable Sport for Development peer with similar theory of change — using team sport for social cohesion and youth development.
• Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: Global foundation supporting Sport for Development programmes worldwide and the body behind the 2025 Sport for Good Award given to Kick4Life. Operates as both a funder and convener in the same SFD space Kick4Life occupies.
• Wrexham AFC: Welsh football club and Kick4Life's flagship twinning partner since 2024, similarly community-focused and now globally visible via Welcome to Wrexham. Directly comparable as a community-rooted football club pursuing social mission alongside competitive play.
• Generation Amazing Foundation: Qatari foundation using football to empower youth globally, currently funding Kick4Life's Wrexham partnership. Operates in the same Sport for Development space with similar football-plus-social-impact model.
• Coaches Across Continents: Sport for Social Impact organization partnering with local coaches to deliver community-based programmes in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Directly comparable methodology (train local coaches, deliver health/gender/life-skills curricula through sport).

Others

• Beyond Sport: Global organization that supports and convenes Sport for Development initiatives, including awards and capacity building. Comparable as an ecosystem convener in the same SFD category Kick4Life operates within.

Regional players

• Mathare Youth Sports Association: Kenyan NGO using football for social development in Mathare, Nairobi — directly comparable grassroots African Sport for Development peer with similar theory of change and operational scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kick4life
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/kick4lifemedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/kick4life
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/571554/admin/feed/posts
• Instagraminstagram.com/kick4lifefc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kick4Life