Gen-E Foundation

Our programmes

Initiatives designed for impact

Five key initiatives that offer real, measurable outcomes. Together they form one pathway from a rural school field to a career.

Young men in school blazers
35% of the foundation's resources and time

Creating educational pathways for tomorrow's leaders

01 The Good School Programme

We provide talented rugby players from rural communities with the opportunity to attend top schools like Grey High School, ensuring their athletic and academic growth. Each bursary covers tuition, boarding and mentorship.

  • Scouting and interviewing prospective candidates
  • Managing bursary partnerships with individual and corporate sponsors
  • Facilitating admission, registration and school placement
  • Monitoring student progress, attendance and well-being
  • Liaising with families, school staff and sponsors

What is the impact?

Scouting gifted young rugby players from rural communities and sending them to prestigious schools opens doors to opportunities that can transform their lives. These students gain access to high-quality coaching and training facilities, and to a diverse social and learning environment that fosters personal growth and resilience. The friendships they form and the experiences they share with peers from different backgrounds cultivate a sense of belonging and teamwork, which are essential traits on and off the sports field.

Exposure to good nutrition and advanced academic resources encourages them to excel in their studies, creating a pathway to scholarships and future careers. Ultimately, this investment in young athletes not only elevates their sporting potential but empowers them to become financially independent, career-driven role models who can inspire future generations.

StartedJanuary 2025, ongoing
WhereEastern Cape, with partner schools across South Africa
Run byProgramme Manager and Recruitment Officer, with school liaison teams
Rugby fields below the mountains
25% of the foundation's resources and time

Building excellence in rugby and beyond

02 Build the Harriers

The Harrier Institute develops and empowers young athletes through advanced rugby training, a fully equipped gym and dedicated learning spaces. Together, we are fostering discipline, teamwork and successful adults.

It is a high-performance rugby and life-skills academy for post-matric young people, built to bridge the gap between school and career, with training, coaching, accommodation and skills development on one campus.

  • Securing property and facilities
  • Renovating spaces for residential and athletic use
  • Recruiting coaching staff, mentors and life-skills facilitators
  • Designing the curriculum, combining rugby with digital and artisanal skills
  • Conducting trials and outreach events

What is the impact?

The Harrier Institute provides a transformative step towards fostering innovation, collaboration and education on one campus. By providing world-class coaching, state-of-the-art facilities and resources, the institute empowers aspiring individuals to explore new ideas and technologies and to develop a full range of competencies and skills.

This hub of creativity and learning broadens opportunities and bridges gaps between disciplines, encouraging new ideas and rewarding careers. Ultimately, the Harrier Institute is not just a physical space; it is a catalyst for growth, inspiring the next generation of thinkers and doers to lead meaningful change in their communities and in broader society.

StartedPlanning from November 2024
WhereGeorge district, Western Cape
Run byFoundation Director and Facilities Manager, with appointed coaches and educators
Students in a classroom
15% of the foundation's resources and time

Preparing athletes for life beyond the game

03 Fit For Purpose

Through skills workshops and partnerships, we equip athletes for careers in business, trades or education. This balanced approach ensures they excel on and off the field.

Very few of them will make a living from rugby. All of them need to make a living.

  • Partnering with training providers and mentors
  • Workshops in digital literacy, basic trades and entrepreneurship
  • Facilitating industry certification where applicable
  • Monitoring attendance, outcomes and placements

What is the impact?

The Fit For Purpose Programme holds the potential to transform the lives of athletes by bridging the gap between sport and professional development. Through targeted skills workshops and strategic partnerships, the initiative equips participants with essential tools and knowledge for successful careers in business, trades or education.

This holistic approach not only fosters athletic excellence but also empowers athletes with the confidence and skills to thrive beyond the field. By prioritising personal growth and career readiness, the programme cultivates well-rounded individuals who are prepared to tackle the challenges of both competitive sport and the professional world, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and fulfilling future.

StartedPilot from Q4 2025
WhereHarrier Institute premises and online
Run byProgramme Manager with external facilitators
Students eating together
15% of the foundation's resources and time

Fuelling dreams with health and nutrition

04 Food For Thought

From personalised meal plans to cooking classes with dieticians, we provide athletes with the knowledge to meet their physical demands and maintain lifelong health.

Neither the education nor the athletics works without it.

  • Developing nutrition plans with registered dietitians
  • Sourcing and preparing healthy meals
  • Assessing the dietary needs of individual students
  • Providing supplementation and wellness education

What is the impact?

The Food For Thought programme is designed to change the way athletes approach their nutrition and overall well-being. By offering personalised meal plans tailored to individual needs, we help athletes fuel their bodies properly, improving performance and recovery.

Our dieticians educate participants on the nutritional value of their food choices. This holistic approach not only helps athletes meet their immediate physical demands but instils lifelong healthy eating habits. Participants improve their athletic performance and build an understanding of nutrition that benefits them well beyond their sporting careers, promoting enduring health for years to come.

StartedLaunches with the academy
WhereOn site, with partner clinics as needed
Run byNutritionist, cooks and Wellness Coordinator
A student at a meal table
10% of the foundation's resources and time

Built to last

05 Sustain the Harriers

Ensuring long-term success through financial and operational stability. This is the work that keeps everything else alive: fundraising, community engagement and operational support for the academy and its students.

  • Hosting donor briefings and presentations
  • Managing communications and newsletters
  • Writing grant applications and reports
  • Engaging alumni and community partners

Why it matters

A bursary is a commitment that lasts years, not a single cheque. The programmes that promise a child a place at school, a bed at the academy and a meal each day only work if the funding behind them is dependable. Sustain the Harriers exists to make sure the promise made at the start of a child's schooling can still be kept at the end of it.

StartedOngoing since early 2025
WhereCape Town, with donor outreach across South Africa and abroad
Run byFundraising Lead and Communications Officer

Impact in action


Measured, reported, adjusted

Our programmes are in a constant state of development to attain their most effective results. We maintain ongoing measures and reports to provide vital feedback to investors and sponsors.

Our ultimate goal is to develop highly skilled and financially independent young adults, playing meaningful roles in their communities and actively contributing to society in general.