Waterford Kamhlaba

Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa is an international secondary school in Swaziland. It was founded in 1963 in opposition to the separate and unequal educational practices of the apartheid era in South Africa, and aims to ensure that gifted children of any race or religion had access to high quality secondary education, regardless of their ability to pay.

Since the end of apartheid, the College has evolved into a pan–African institution with a global outlook. The staff, students and curriculum reflect this shift, and together aim to make a meaningful contribution to addressing the complex and profound challenges facing Africa and the world. Waterford’s commitment is not only to provide an outstanding academic programme, that prepares students to continue their studies at leading universities around the world, but also to nurture in young people the ability and desire to be socially responsible citizens of the world. This is achieved in part through a vigorous and wide–ranging community service programme. Waterford is located in a community where poverty and HIV/Aids have had a devastating impact. Students are encouraged to initiate and develop outreach projects which share skills and resources, and to realise the importance of community engagement and human rights.

Waterford Kamhlaba’s membership of the United World Colleges movement reinforces these values, and provides students with a broader international context. United World Colleges comprises 13 schools around the world, all of which share a common mission and vision: to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.

The College has 570 students from over 50 countries, with 80 per cent from Africa. Scholarship and bursary programmes aim to ensure that students of great potential are able to attend regardless of their financial circumstances.