PLAY HANDBALL ZA

What PLAY HANDBALL ZA does

PLAY HANDBALL ZA is a South African non-profit sport-for-development organization (NPO 128-844 NPO), founded in 2013 and officially registered in October 2014 by former Bundesliga handball player Nicola Scholl. It uses handball — a sport with minimal colonial-sport baggage and very low equipment requirements — as a delivery mechanism for youth empowerment, life-skills education, and awareness of social and environmental issues in disadvantaged African communities. The core product set comprises the recurring PLAY HANDBALL Supercup (a handball-and-education tournament now in its 6th edition), school afternoon handball programmes, coach and teacher training workshops, equipment donations, and the placement of international volunteers as coaches.

Beneficiaries are children and youth aged 5–18 across 8 South African communities (e.g., Graafwater, Piketberg, Atlantis, Ottery, Lotus River, Lavender Hill, Cape Town City, Benoni), 3 Kenyan communities (Machakos, Nairobi/Juchia, Kisumu), with extended operations in Tanzania and Zimbabwe through partner organizations. Delivery is mediated by two distinct volunteer pipelines: a 12-month BMZ-funded Weltwärts programme (administered by Kultur-Life, partnership since 2015; 40+ volunteers placed to date) and flexible short-term placements of 2+ months through Coach Abroad (a channel spun out of PLAY HANDBALL). Supporting revenue streams include individual donations, Adopt-A-Club recurring sponsorships, birthday-donation fundraising, merchandise sales, and affiliate shopping via WeCanHelp.de. A German registered support association (Förderverein, Oldenburg) handles tax-deductible German donations.

The technology footprint is minimal: a standard WordPress website with conventional third-party plugins (MailChimp newsletter, PayPal payment processing, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Google Maps). No proprietary platform, mobile app, API, or AI/ML capability is disclosed; distribution is relationship-driven through schools, community-based organizations, and federal/national handball federations (SAHF, WPHA, DHB, DOSB). Leadership is concentrated in the founder-director model with a reported headcount of 5, and recent strategic moves emphasize institutional partnership expansion (Handball That Impact, March 2025) and a Kenya–Denmark boarding school exchange planned for 2026 rather than platform or product technology investment.

Name

PLAY HANDBALL ZA

Legal name

PLAY HANDBALL ZA

Website

https://play-handball.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PLAY HANDBALL ZA is a South African non-profit founded in 2013 that uses handball as a sport-for-development tool to deliver coaching, life-skills education, and tournaments to disadvantaged youth in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sport Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Development & Sports Outreach Programs (EDAIAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG)

Keywords

• Sport for development
• Handball youth programs
• Nonprofit sports education
• Community sports coaching
• Youth empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates primarily on donated funds. It receives individual online donations, organizes fundraising campaigns (Adopt-A-Club, birthday donations), and benefits from affiliate shopping via WeCanHelp.de where partner retailers donate a percentage of purchases. Tax-deductible donations are facilitated through its German registered association (Förderverein).
2. Merchandise Sales: PLAY HANDBALL operates an online fan shop selling T-shirts and other branded merchandise, with proceeds supporting the organization's programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PLAY HANDBALL ZA delivers sport-for-development programming that uses handball as a tool to empower disadvantaged children and youth across South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Core offerings include after-school handball programs at disadvantaged schools, coaching workshops for local teachers and coaches, an annual PLAY HANDBALL Supercup tournament combining competitive handball with education on sustainability and social topics, and international volunteer placement programmes delivered in partnership with Coach Abroad and the German Weltwärts programme.

Product overview

PLAY HANDBALL ZA is a sport and development organization that uses handball as a tool for youth empowerment and social development. The organization operates primarily in South Africa and Kenya with a portfolio of interconnected programs: the core PLAY HANDBALL Supercup (the first Handball & Education Tournament in Africa combining competitive play with education on sustainability and social topics), handball afternoon programs at disadvantaged schools, and handball coaching workshops that build local capacity. Supporting these core offerings are volunteer coach placements via the Weltwärts partnership program, equipment donations, and donation programs including Adopt-A-Club and Birthday Donation. The organization also operates a merchandise shop and partnerships with shopping platforms to generate support funding. The overall approach centers on using handball to impart self-esteem, skills, and knowledge to youth while promoting environmental conservation, social cohesion, gender equity, inclusion, and health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PLAY HANDBALL Supercup The PLAY HANDBALL Supercup is a recurring handball tournament combined with an education curriculum on Sustainable Development Goals, bringing together youth participants from multiple schools to compete while learning about climate, equality, and inclusion.
• Handball Afternoon Programs Afternoon handball programs delivered at disadvantaged schools, providing regular training sessions and volunteer coaching to enable youth participation in the sport.
• Handball Coaching Workshops Educational workshops that train local coaches, teachers, and community leaders on handball fundamentals and pedagogical approaches for working with youth, building sustainable local capacity.
• Volunteer Coach Program Placement of international volunteers as handball coaches in local communities across Africa, providing knowledge transfer, equipment support, and hands-on coaching assistance at partner sites.
• Weltwärts Partnership Program PLAY HANDBALL's partnership with the German federal Weltwärts volunteer program, hosting international volunteers aged 18–27 for 12-month placements in Kenya and South Africa to support handball-for-development initiatives; PLAY HANDBALL has been a Weltwärts partner since 2015.
• Adopt-A-Club Annual recurring sponsorship programme under which donors support the ongoing costs and resources of a specific handball club or community team.
• Fan Shop (Merchandise) Online shop selling PLAY HANDBALL branded merchandise including T-shirts and other items, with proceeds supporting the organization's programmes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 volunteers hosted since 2015 across Kenya and South Africa
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Handball That Impact (HTI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025HTI is a newly established Denmark-based NGO founded by Lene Karsbæk and Søren Østergaard. It was established specifically to support handball-for-development in Kenya in collaboration with PLAY HANDBALL. HTI supports fundraising, capacity-building, and programme development, focusing on the Buruburu and Machakos community centres. A boarding school exchange programme between Kenya and Denmark is planned for 2026.
• German Red Cross in Hesse – VoluntaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025PLAY HANDBALL collaborated with the German Red Cross in Hesse – Volunta to co-host the Weltwärts Partner Conference Southern Africa 2025 in Cape Town (March 2025), gathering 55 delegates from 7 countries.
• Kultur-LifecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKultur-Life is a German sending organization for the bilateral Weltwärts programme. Since 2023, PLAY HANDBALL cooperates with Kultur-Life to place 12-month volunteers in South Africa and Kenya. Kultur-Life recruits, prepares, and supports volunteers (contact: Josephine for Kenya, Katharina for South Africa).
• Coach AbroadcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoach Abroad is a volunteer placement organization that recruits short-term volunteers (from 2 months) for PLAY HANDBALL projects in Africa. It was spun out of PLAY HANDBALL itself and serves as its primary channel for flexible-term international volunteer recruitment. Contact: [email protected].
• Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)coreOthersThe German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) funds the Weltwärts programme, which is the primary mechanism for international volunteer exchange between Germany and PLAY HANDBALL partner countries. PLAY HANDBALL has been a partner since 2015.
• Laureus Sport for GoodminorOthersLaureus Sport for Good is a global sports-for-development foundation. Listed as a partner on the PLAY HANDBALL website, providing credibility and potential programmatic support.
• HIT – Help in TimeminorOthersA German non-profit organization listed as a partner on the PLAY HANDBALL website.
• HVSH – Hamburger Verband für Sport und JugendminorOthersA German sports and youth association listed as a partner supporting PLAY HANDBALL's mission.
• WAST-ED (Waste Education South Africa)minorOthersAn environmental education organization in South Africa aligned with PLAY HANDBALL's sustainability and environmental protection themes.
• DISK – Disability Knowledge and ResearchminorOthersA knowledge and research organization on disability issues, supporting PLAY HANDBALL's inclusion focus.
• JIA – Jugend in AfrikaminorOthersA German organization supporting youth initiatives in Africa, listed as a partner on the PLAY HANDBALL website.
• ICA – Initiative Community AfricaminorOthersListed as a partner on the PLAY HANDBALL website.
• KuluManziminorOthersA South African organization listed as a partner on the PLAY HANDBALL website.
• Go4GoalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA partner organization supporting handball-for-development initiatives in Tanzania. Wolf Meyer-Hagen, an 80-year-old Berlin handball legend, volunteered as a coach through this partnership in Tanzania.
• German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLAY HANDBALL ZA initiated the contact between the DOSB, the German Handball Federation, and the South African Handball Federation, enabling a short-term sport development project financed by the German Federal Foreign Office. Klaus Feldmann (A-license coach) conducted handball workshops across the Western Cape.
• South African Handball Federation (SAHF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAHF is the national governing body for handball in South Africa. PLAY HANDBALL ZA works with SAHF to develop handball structures, access resources for handball development programmes, and support coach training through the DOSB short-term project.
• Western Cape Handball Association (WPHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional handball association in the Western Cape. Partnered with PLAY HANDBALL and SAHF for the DOSB-sponsored handball road-show, hosting workshops in areas including Mitchell's Plain, Ocean View, Franschhoek, Malmesbury, and Grabouw.
• SolarWorld AfricaminorOthersMarket leader for solar energy in South Africa. Provided support for the DOSB handball development project in South Africa.
• Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)minorOthersAcademic institution in Cape Town. Partner in the DOSB handball development project, supporting implementation of handball workshops.
• Ithemba Community Development ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization based in Kayamandi (Stellenbosch). PLAY HANDBALL partnered with Ithemba to host the 'Girls Handball Day – Train with the Pros' event with the SG BBM Bietigheim Bundesliga team. Ithemba chairperson Kwanele Gugushe expressed strong interest in continuing the handball partnership.
• Pendo AmaniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth and community organization based in Juja, Kenya. PLAY HANDBALL initiated a Handball After School Program with Pendo Amani, including community talks and youth engagement through handball.
• Rotary Club Nkubu and Rotary Club EschbornminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nkubu pilot project (Kenya, September–December 2024) was implemented in partnership with Rotary Club Nkubu locally and Rotary Club Eschborn in Germany, supporting a 3-month handball-for-development initiative across 3 schools.
• Engagement GlobalminorOthersGerman development organization. Represented at the Weltwärts Partner Conference Southern Africa 2025 in Cape Town, contributing to programme discussions.
• FRISCH AUF GöppingenminorOthersGerman handball Bundesliga club that donated jerseys to PLAY HANDBALL Kenya, helping children in Machakos feel like professional athletes.
• PASSA SPORTSminorOthersSports equipment company from Cologne, Germany, that donated handballs to PLAY HANDBALL Kenya.
• SCOREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organization in South Africa. Early partner of Nicola Scholl (from 2012) for handball volunteer coordination and community engagement.
• Kultur-Life (Nairobi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLAY HANDBALL's in-country partner in Nairobi, Kenya. Supports weltwärts volunteer coordination and programme implementation in Kenya. Weltwärts volunteers Robin Lorenz and Jonas Ott were placed in partnership with Kultur-Life Nairobi.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Beyond Sport: Global organization that supports and amplifies sport-for-development initiatives worldwide — a broad peer that convenes and funds programmes in the same operating category as PLAY HANDBALL.
• Right to Play: Leading international sport-for-development organization using sport and play to educate and empower children in disadvantaged communities across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — most directly comparable to PLAY HANDBALL's sport-plus-life-skills model and NGO structure.

Emerging players

• SALT (Sport for Life and Tourism) Foundation: An emerging niche player in sport-for-development in Africa focusing on youth empowerment; comparable as a smaller-scope peer operating in the same thematic and geographic space as PLAY HANDBALL.

Direct peers

• Kick4Life: Lesotho-based football-for-development NGO using sport to address health, education, and social issues affecting youth in Southern Africa — directly comparable in geography, sport-plus-social-impact model, and African NGO structure.
• EmpowerGirlsPlus: Kenya-based girls' empowerment NGO that partnered with PLAY HANDBALL to host the first county-level handball tournament in Kisumu — same target segment (girls in disadvantaged Kenyan communities) and aligned empowerment-plus-sport programme model.
• Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA): Kenya-based sport-for-development organization linking youth football with HIV/AIDS prevention, gender equity, and community development; operates in the same East African geographies as PLAY HANDBALL Kenya with similar sport-plus-life-skills methodology.
• Coaches Across Continents: Sport-for-development organization that partners with local organizations to deliver coach training and curriculum-based sport programmes for social impact in Africa, sharing PLAY HANDBALL's coach-training-and-local-capacity-building model.
• Sport Without Borders: UK-registered charity using sport to deliver education, health, and inclusion outcomes for disadvantaged children in Africa and Asia — comparable sport-for-development NPO structure and methodology to PLAY HANDBALL.
• Laureus Sport for Good: Global sport-for-development foundation that funds and convenes programmes using sport to drive social change; already listed as a partner of PLAY HANDBALL, making it the most directly comparable institutional peer in the same Africa-focused sport-for-development niche.
• SCORE South Africa: A community sport-development organization in South Africa listed as PLAY HANDBALL's earliest operational partner (since 2012) for volunteer coordination and community engagement — the closest directly comparable South African peer in scope and target population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/play-handball

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 PLAY HANDBALL ZA