How to Become an Ubuntu Man
Ubuntu can mean different things such as togetherness or humanity, but when it comes to our slogan, we think of it as "I am because we are.” We win together and we lose together. A question that may cross your mind is ‘what is an Ubuntu Man?’. An Ubuntu Man is someone who practices what he preaches and no matter what he always makes decisions that are not just beneficial to himself, but to everyone around him as well. It is someone who has integrity, a person who shows compassion towards everyone, someone who treats people right especially when you have nothing to gain from that person. This is extremely hard but with the help of these tips, even you can become the next person to change our country for the better.
We have 5 core values that we believe will change your life. The values are there as guidelines to help you become an Ubuntu Man. There is no absolute way to become an Ubuntu Man, you should definitely make time in your day to create your own values that you feel would help make you an exceptional person. For each value, we will be using alumni as examples to show exactly how you can use the values to change your life for the better.
1) Positivity
Try your best to remain positive in every situation. We are not saying that you should not be sad or that you should always smile. We are human beings, not robots, so that would never be possible. Be optimistic and approach challenges with a positive mindset so that even during the hard times you can persevere. Most importantly, treat people the way you want to be treated. If you decide to greet someone with a smile you might be the reason that they have a positive outlook for the rest of the day.
Vusumzi Plamana
Having a smile on your face all the time is a challenge but Vusumzi Plamana never disappoints. This is to be expected as he has his very own motto, "Success comes with laughter." The quote means that if you push yourself and work hard with a positive attitude, it will eventually lead to success. Once you are successful it fuels you to be happier, so it is a system that helps create mutualistic relationships. The goal is to obtain internal happiness where you are at peace with everything that is happening in your life.
2) Growth
Learning from your mistakes is a necessity. You cannot hit your head against the same wall and expect a different outcome. You need to take a step back, analyze your situation, and work out a solution so that you can overcome any challenge whether it be in your working environment or your relationships.
Jesse Donn
Jesse Donn's story is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring you will ever hear. The center midfielder went from playing in the under 15 B-team to becoming one of the brightest young talents at SuperSport United. If you ask Jesse how he did it, he would say that it takes hard work, dedication, and the ability to accept the need to grow even if it might be painfully humbling. He stated, "I've learned to welcome every opportunity to grow." Growth means striving to be better than you were yesterday and it can be small margins. Those small margins will eventually add up and become a huge difference.
3) Honour
You need to be thankful and appreciate every person or thing that is currently in your life. Do not forget to honour the opportunities that come your way. If you do not treat them with respect they might not be there in the future. Plus if they are beneficial or contributing to your well-being, you would want to keep them in your life for as long as possible.
Ashley Wyngaard
Honouring an opportunity can be a very difficult thing especially if life is not going your way at the moment. Ashley Wyngaard, currently playing in Maritzburg United's MDC team, was in a similar situation when everything changed. He found himself on the field more often than not. This all began when he was subbed in and had an impact that blew the fans away. Ashley came on with his team 3-1 behind. The Ubuntu graduate assisted a goal and then scored himself, helping his team secure a point with a 3-3 draw. Instead of sulking while he was on the bench, he was able to honour the people who believed in him, the opportunity that arose, and most importantly himself. He kept his standard high and continued to treat the chance to play with respect and was rewarded with starting the games that followed.
4) Excellence
Do everything to the best of your ability. No matter the task, make sure you are giving your all. If you are washing the dishes, make sure you are the best dishwasher in your city. People will appreciate your work ethic and will want to be around you because you motivate them to want to do better. Help keep others accountable to do their best as well.
Luke FLeurs
Luke Fleurs, the Ubuntu graduate who made his breakthrough from the NFD side, signed for SuperSport United in the summer of 2018 and is one of the best examples of excellence. However, this was not an easy journey as Luke was forced to grind harder than ever before to make the matchday team. In his first season, Luke was in and out of the squad but was not a regular starter. Instead of dropping his head he was able to push himself, and the next season the center-back was one of the first names on the team sheet. It would have been easy for him to quit in the beginning but instead, he was able to push past all his emotions and deliver by working hard in every training session. When he finally got his chance to play, he did not hesitate but rather jumped at the opportunity.
5) Family
Family combines all of the previous values in one. You need to be positive with your family, to help them to realize that they are allowed to make mistakes but to learn from them, to make sure that you are holding them accountable when they are not doing their absolute best, and you need to treat everyone with love and respect. This final statement does not just refer to your blood relatives or people you hold dear to your heart, but to strangers as well.
Antonio Van Wyk
When it comes to the value of family, everybody in the Ubuntu environment flourishes, but we are going to focus on none other than alumni Antonio Van Wyk. The attacking midfielder stated, "Family is everything to me." The value allows him to be reliable whenever you need him and gives him the ability to mingle with not just part of the club, but the entire club as a whole. Antonio is currently playing in Stellenbosch MDC team.
Ubuntu Football fosters an environment where positivity, growth, excellence, honour, and family are taught, exemplified, and practiced every day. These five values are the guidelines to becoming an Ubuntu Man. With all of these values come responsibility, integrity, and the key to changing the world for the better.
