Our church has been investing in the future of our youth for generations.

The United African Apostolic Church has never treated education as something that happens outside the life of the church. Since 1985, when the late Archbishop Dr EMM Mureri established the UAAC Youth Brigade, our church has worked deliberately to nurture young people — spiritually, socially, and academically. Through the Youth Ministry, that vision continues today: helping young people prioritise their studies, develop their talents, and step into adulthood with responsibility, discipline, and faith.

That is not a recent idea. It is part of who we are.

As our young people moved into universities and colleges across the country, the church moved with them. UAAC branches were established at institutions of higher learning so that students did not have to choose between their faith and their education.

The UAAC branch at the University of Venda is one powerful example. Launched in 2013, it grew from students who refused to let tertiary life pull them away from the church they loved. Over the years, branch leaders have invited church leadership to witness what matters most: young congregants crossing the graduation stage. Archbishop IJ Mureri has personally attended these celebrations — honouring achievers and reminding every graduate that their qualification opens doors, but further learning and purpose must still guide their path.

Similar stories have unfolded at other campuses. In 2022 alone, the Archbishop noted graduates from UAAC branches at institutions including the Vaal University of Technology, the University of Johannesburg, and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University — alongside continued success at Univen. Each milestone is celebrated not as an individual trophy, but as fruit of a church that stays present in the academic journey of its youth.

Our investment in youth does not begin at graduation. It begins much earlier.

Each year, the Youth Brigade arranges a career exhibition at church headquarters, inviting advisers from institutions of higher and further learning to guide young people on career choices, bursaries, and tertiary study. Career guidance sits alongside life-skills programmes, youth conferences, and financial support for learners from families who would otherwise struggle to continue their education.

When Archbishop IJ Mureri addresses matriculants, his message is consistent: study hard, choose your path wisely, and do not treat your results as an end — treat them as a beginning. That message echoes through every district, every branch, and every youth gathering in our church calendar.

We also celebrate those who lead by example. Through the Tshikombedze Awards, the church recognises Grade 12 top achievers — young people whose discipline and results honour the values we teach at home, at school, and in the church. Led in the spirit of Musanda Vho-Tshikombedze, herself a former school principal and a leader who has served the church with distinction, these awards remind every learner that excellence is seen, celebrated, and expected within our community.

UAACLearn is not a separate project sitting beside the church. It is the next expression of the same commitment.

For decades, UAAC has gathered young people, guided their choices, celebrated their graduations, and honoured their achievements. UAACLearn now brings that culture of academic excellence into one place — where past papers, study materials, mentorship, and support can reach every learner, in every branch, at every grade.

The platform exists because the church has always believed that our youth deserve more than good wishes. They deserve structure, resources, guidance, and a community that invests in their future — on campus, in the congregation, and now online.