DP World Clubhouse empowers South African youth through golf

In the vibrant city of Cape Town, a shipping container has been reborn not to carry cargo, but to carry hope. With golf clubs replacing goods, and young dreams replacing commercial freight, DP World’s new Clubhouse Initiative teed off its global grassroots mission in South Africa. Through a powerful partnership with the Sally Little Golf Trust, the initiative is not just introducing sport, it’s delivering opportunity, empowering young women, and reshaping the narrative of access and equity in golf.

Golf has long been considered a sport of privilege—played on manicured greens, behind private gates, and under the banner of exclusivity. But on the sun-drenched coast of South Africa, this tradition is being challenged. In a bold, transformative move, global logistics leader DP World has launched the first of its Clubhouse Initiative containers in Cape Town, turning an industrial shipping container into a beacon of access, learning, and empowerment.

Partnering with the Sally Little Golf Trust, DP World is bringing golf—along with its inherent values of discipline, focus, and integrity—to under-resourced youth communities. More importantly, it’s placing young girls, often excluded from such opportunities, at the center of this vision.

The initiative reflects a remarkable reimagining of DP World’s logistics capabilities and its growing influence as a corporate force for good. The Clubhouse is no ordinary space. Outfitted with modern golf equipment, including clubs, swing aids, and training tools, it transforms a traditionally masculine and elite sport into a tool for education, confidence-building, and community engagement. And the symbolism couldn’t be more apt—using trade infrastructure, like a shipping container, to trade exclusivity for inclusivity.

The first Clubhouse, built in Johannesburg and transported over 1,500 kilometers by road freight to the Maitland community in Cape Town, speaks volumes about the company’s commitment to logistics with purpose. “At DP World, we believe in creating opportunities to empower young people, as they are our future,” said Daniel van Otterdijk, Group Chief Communications Officer at DP World. “The Clubhouse initiative is a brilliant example of how we can leverage our resources and global sports partnerships to open doors for the next generation—bringing golf, and the life skills it teaches, to communities that might not otherwise have access.”

It is no coincidence that the launch took place in partnership with one of South Africa’s most iconic female golfers, Sally Little. A pioneer in women’s golf, her foundation has been instrumental in championing the role of sport in education and gender empowerment. “We are proud to partner with DP World to extend the reach, opportunities, and educational ambitions of the Sally Little Golf Trust development programs,” she said. “Thanks to DP World, our young learners will now have the chance to take their golf skills to the next level with the use of this amazing new driving range facility.”

The choice to begin in sub-Saharan Africa—a region where economic disparity often sidelines sport development—makes the initiative even more meaningful. DP World has already made deep inroads in the region’s sustainability and empowerment space, particularly around youth and women. Esha Mansingh, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for sub-Saharan Africa at DP World, underscored this: “Africa has witnessed a spark of golfing talent over the last ten to fifteen years, and this initiative will allow for more of our grassroots talent, especially young women, to nurture their skills and passion for the game.”

The Clubhouse is not a standalone effort but part of a broader legacy of sport-focused social investment by DP World. This includes the Beyond Boundaries Initiative, launched at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, and their role as Global Logistics Provider for SA20, as well as support for the Lions Cricket franchise, encompassing men’s, women’s, blind, and deaf teams. Their sports ecosystem even stretches across continents, from being the Title Partner of the DP World Tour to serving as Official Logistics Partner of SailGP, and supporting the McLaren Formula 1 Team.

But the Clubhouse Initiative represents something fresh, tactile, immediate, and hyper-local. By using shipping containers, DP World’s “Second Life Container” concept finds new footing. Originally launched in 2022, the initiative began by collecting over 350,000 used and lost golf balls to redistribute to community groups. Now, it’s evolved into something far more profound—a travelling platform for skill-building, life coaching, and mentorship.

This is particularly vital in communities like Maitland, where access to sporting facilities is limited. And while golf may appear at first glance to be an unusual choice, it carries with it a unique blend of mental discipline, patience, and etiquette, offering more than just a physical outlet—it becomes a teacher. For girls in these areas, the introduction of golf could be life-changing, not only for the possibility of discovering the next South African golf prodigy but also in shaping future leaders, professionals, and confident young women.

As the repurposed containers roll out to other countries, each destination will carry its own local partnerships and programming, but the essence remains: using sport to unlock human potential. And thanks to DP World’s global logistics infrastructure, they can scale this quickly and meaningfully. Some Clubhouses will be built and equipped in Dubai, leveraging the firm’s smart logistics capabilities, and then transported to beneficiary markets. Others, like this South African launch, will be constructed closer to the ground they will impact.

From a corporate sustainability standpoint, the Clubhouse Initiative hits multiple markers, youth development, gender equality, infrastructure reuse, and global-local integration. And more subtly, it is a cultural and perceptual shift in how businesses can redefine their footprint, not just by the volume of containers moved but by the lives transformed within them.

As South Africa celebrates the arrival of its first DP World Clubhouse, there’s a sense that this isn’t just about sport or logistics. It’s about a new kind of global leadership, one that balances profitability with purpose, strategy with community, and movement with meaning.

From Cape Town to the world, one container at a time, DP World is swinging for change and driving it home.