Our Journey

Built Through Real Participation.

From one school and one stage to a growing North West opportunity ecosystem.

The Mafikeng High community gathered in the school hall for the talent show

Where the journey began

Mafikeng High School

Chapter One · 2023 to 2024

Before the throne, there was a school hall.

Universe X started its talent journey with Mafikeng High in 2023. The work culminated in a talent show held in the school hall on 14 May 2024—a real stage created with the resources available, before perfect conditions or major funding existed.

Learners performed in front of their school community, gained visibility and experienced what it means for their talent to be taken seriously. The winner received R5,000, and two outstanding runners-up each received R5,000.

14 May 2024

Talent show delivered

R15,000

Total performance awards

3 awards

Winner and two runners-up

Consent-cleared evidence

The first stage in pictures

Explore the gallery

Learners gathered inside the Mafikeng High school hall for the 2024 talent show — A school hall became a stage

Learner performing vocals on the Mafikeng High stage — Young voices were heard

Two learners performing together during the talent show — Confidence through performance

Solo performer participating in the Mafikeng High talent show — A platform for individual talent

Learners performing a dance routine in the school hall — Movement, teamwork and discipline

Mafikeng High talent show award presentation with a R5,000 prize certificate — Performance recognised with real value

These photographs are published with confirmed consent. Additional performance videos will be added after upload and media review.

Chapter Two · 2 August 2024

No hall. No barrier. A winning school began in the open.

Sebopiwa Molema Secondary School took the stage on 2 August 2024. Because the school did not have a hall, its open paved area became the performance arena, surrounded by a large and enthusiastic school audience.

That modest beginning makes the result even more meaningful: Sebopiwa Molema went on to become the Battle of the Schools winning school. Their journey proved that facilities do not determine potential—discipline, courage, coaching and consistent performance can carry talent from an ordinary school courtyard to championship recognition.

2 August 2024

School performance stage

Open-area venue

No hall, but a real stage

Winning school

Battle of the Schools

A learner performing in the open school courtyard at Sebopiwa Molema Secondary School before a large audience — An open courtyard became a championship starting point

Learners performing together in the open area at Sebopiwa Molema Secondary School — Teamwork performed before the whole school community

Setumo Secondary School performers preparing before the selection performances — Preparing to represent their school

Learners performing before the Setumo Secondary School community during selections — Talent assessed through real performance

Chapter Three · 5 August 2024

From a school stage to the road toward the finals.

The journey continued at Setumo Secondary School, where learners performed for the opportunity to represent their school in the wider competition.

This was more than a once-off showcase. The strongest performers were selected to carry their school forward through the quarter-finals and, if they continued to advance, all the way to the finals. It demonstrated the structure that would become central to Battle of the Schools: local access, fair selection and a visible pathway to bigger stages.

5 August 2024

School selections

Setumo Secondary

A local stage with purpose

Quarter-finals onward

A pathway—not a once-off event

Chapter Four · 8 August 2024

More schools. More talent. A stronger pathway.

Only three days after Setumo, the journey continued at Batswana Commercial School. Learners took to the stage as the school community gathered and a selection panel assessed the performances.

Each school visit widened access to the competition. Instead of expecting young people to find a distant opportunity, Universe X brought the first stage closer to them—then created a route for selected talent to progress into the wider Battle of the Schools.

8 August 2024

School selection event

Live assessment

Performances judged in person

Wider competition

Selected talent moved forward

Learners performing on stage at Batswana Commercial School during the selection event — The school stage opened to local talent

Selection panel assessing performances at Batswana Commercial School — A visible and structured selection process

The open-air school assembly area at Leteane Secondary School surrounded by learners — An open assembly area became the stage

Learners performing a dance routine in the open assembly area at Leteane Secondary School — Talent transformed an ordinary space

Chapter Five · 15 August 2024

Where there is talent, anywhere can become a stage.

Leteane Secondary School took centre stage outdoors. There was no formal theatre and no elaborate production venue—only an open assembly area, a school community and young people ready to perform.

The day captured an important Universe X principle: opportunity should not wait for perfect conditions. With belief, organisation and participation, an everyday space can become the place where talent is discovered and confidence begins to grow.

15 August 2024

The journey continued

Open-air stage

The school used what it had

Community audience

Talent seen and supported

Chapter Six · 19 August 2024

Every school brought a different stage—and new voices.

The school journey next reached Sol Plaatjie Secondary School. A smaller, book-lined learning space became an intimate performance area where learners could step forward and be heard.

The setting allowed both paired and individual performances to receive focused attention. It reinforced that the pathway could adapt to the character and resources of each school while keeping the purpose consistent: discover talent, build confidence and create a route into the competition.

19 August 2024

Four days after Leteane

Solo and paired

Different formats welcomed

One pathway

Talent moving forward

Two learners performing together at Sol Plaatjie Secondary School — Performing together, growing together

A learner delivering an individual performance at Sol Plaatjie Secondary School — An individual voice given the room to be heard

Learners performing inside a classroom at Maselwanyane Secondary School — A classroom floor became a live performance space

A learner presenting creative work at Maselwanyane Secondary School — Creativity was given a place to be seen

Chapter Seven · 21 August 2024

Classroom walls could not contain ambition.

At Maselwanyane Secondary School, an ordinary classroom became the next stage in the journey. Learners performed in the space available to them, with classmates and members of the school community close to the action.

The event also created room for creative presentation, showing that youth potential is expressed in different ways. This chapter strengthened the developing Universe X approach: meet young people where they are, recognise what they can do and connect that first moment of visibility to a larger pathway.

21 August 2024

School talent selection

Classroom stage

Available space activated

Different talents

Performance and creativity

Chapter Eight · 22 August 2024

The school visits became a working competition network.

The very next day, Tshidi Borolong Secondary School took its place in the growing journey. Learners performed together while an assessment panel and support team managed the selection process inside the school.

By this stage, the pattern was becoming clear: arrive at the school, create a credible performance space, document participation, assess talent and connect successful learners to the next competition round. Universe X was no longer proving only that young people wanted the opportunity—it was proving that the model could travel from school to school.

22 August 2024

Back-to-back school activation

Group performance

Teamwork given a platform

Visible assessment

A structured selection process

A group of learners performing at Tshidi Borolong Secondary School — A group stepped forward to represent its school

The assessment panel and support team at Tshidi Borolong Secondary School — Selection supported by a visible operations team

A coordinated learner group performing in the covered school courtyard at Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School — Discipline and teamwork took centre stage

Learners delivering an energetic ensemble performance at Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School — An energetic performance brought the courtyard to life

Chapter Nine · 22 August 2024

Two schools in one day showed the model could scale.

On the same day as the Tshidi Borolong activation, Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School also joined the journey. Its covered school courtyard became a live performance space for coordinated group and ensemble presentations.

Reaching two schools on 22 August was an important operational milestone. It showed that Universe X could take the selection pathway into more than one school community in a single day while still giving each group a visible stage and a meaningful opportunity to perform.

22 August 2024

Same-day school activation

Two schools

Growing operational reach

Group talent

Teamwork and performance

Chapter Ten · 14 September 2024

Separate school stages became one shared first round.

The First Round began on 14 September 2024, hosted by Tshidi Borolong Secondary School. For the first time in this part of the journey, learners from several schools came together in one venue to perform beyond their own school communities.

Different cultures, performance styles and school identities shared the same stage. The day carried the energy of competition, but it also created connection: young people could see one another’s talent, celebrate cultural expression and understand that they were now part of something larger than a single school audition.

14 September 2024

First Round commenced

Multiple schools

One shared competition stage

Culture and talent

Different identities celebrated

A traditional group performance during the First Round hosted at Tshidi Borolong Secondary School — Different cultures shared one competition stage

Learners from participating schools gathered for the First Round at Tshidi Borolong Secondary School — Several school communities gathered under one roof

Learners from participating schools gathered for the second First Round fixture at Leteane Secondary School — More schools gathered for their first competitive round

A learner group performing against other schools during the First Round at Leteane Secondary School — The competition grew through live head-to-head performance

Chapter Eleven · 21 September 2024

A second gathering opened the First Round to more schools.

One week after the Tshidi Borolong fixture, the next First Round event took place at Leteane Secondary School on 21 September 2024. It brought another group of schools together for their first competitive performances against one another.

The format was beginning to take shape across different host schools: local venues welcomed participants, school communities formed the audience and performers encountered talent from beyond their own campuses. Each fixture expanded access while moving the competition toward stronger rounds and bigger stages.

21 September 2024

Second First Round fixture

Leteane Secondary

The next host school

Schools competed

First performances against peers

Chapter Twelve · 4 October 2024

The third First Round fixture proved the competition could keep moving.

Sol Plaatjie Secondary School hosted the third First Round fixture on 4 October 2024. The competition again moved into a familiar school space, giving another group of performers the opportunity to compete, be assessed and experience talent from other schools.

Dance and dramatic cultural storytelling shared the programme, reinforcing the breadth of talent that Universe X wanted to recognise. By rotating fixtures between host schools, the emerging model distributed access, shared responsibility and allowed more school communities to experience the competition directly.

4 October 2024

Third First Round fixture

Sol Plaatjie

Competition host school

Diverse talent

Dance and storytelling

A learner dance group performing during the third First Round fixture at Sol Plaatjie Secondary School — Group performance brought energy into the school venue

Learners presenting a dramatic cultural story during the Sol Plaatjie First Round fixture — Cultural storytelling widened the forms of talent on stage

The competition floor inside Batswana Commercial Secondary School during the final First Round fixture — The final opening-round stage was ready

Learners delivering a dramatic performance during the final First Round fixture at Batswana Commercial Secondary School — Live dramatic performance closed the First Round phase

Chapter Thirteen · 5 October 2024

The last First Round fixture completed the opening field.

Batswana Commercial Secondary School hosted the final First Round fixture on 5 October 2024, one day after the Sol Plaatjie event. Performers took to the school hall for the last opportunity in this phase to compete and earn progression.

This fixture completed a First Round delivered across four host-school dates. What began with separate school selections had become a functioning inter-school competition: local venues were activated, different forms of talent were assessed and the opening field was narrowed for the next stage of the journey.

5 October 2024

Final First Round fixture

Four host dates

Distributed school access

Next stage

Opening field completed

Chapter Fourteen · 12 October 2024

The quarter-finals raised the standard and the stakes.

Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School opened the quarter-finals on 12 October 2024. Only one week after the First Round concluded, advancing performers returned to the stage knowing that every routine now carried them closer to the decisive rounds.

The event paired larger coordinated group performances with a visible assessment panel. It marked a clear shift in the journey: participation had earned opportunity, but progression now depended on stronger preparation, teamwork and performance under increasing competitive pressure.

12 October 2024

Quarter-finals commenced

Elimination stage

Advancement had to be earned

Formal assessment

Performance judged visibly

A coordinated learner ensemble performing during the quarter-finals at Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School — Advancing groups returned with greater coordination

The assessment panel reviewing quarter-final performances at Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School — A formal panel assessed who would move forward

A learner group performing during the final quarter-finals at Batswana Commercial Secondary School — Group performers faced the last quarter-final test

A solo dancer performing during the closing quarter-final fixture at Batswana Commercial Secondary School — Individual performers carried the pressure alone

Chapter Fifteen · 19 October 2024

The final quarter-final decided who remained in the journey.

Batswana Commercial Secondary School hosted the closing quarter-final fixture on 19 October 2024. Advancing solo and group performers faced the last test of this elimination phase, with every performance carrying the possibility of progression or departure.

Closing the quarter-finals showed that the competition was no longer a collection of isolated showcases. It had developed a genuine progression system: school selections opened the door, First Rounds brought schools together, and two quarter-final fixtures narrowed the field toward the semi-finals.

19 October 2024

Final quarter-final fixture

Field narrowed

Only advancing talent remained

Semi-finals next

The decisive rounds approached

Official poster for the Battle of the Schools finals at Mmabana Arts and Culture Centre on 2 November 2024

Chapter Sixteen · 2 November 2024

From school stages to Mmabana: the 2024 champions were crowned.

The Battle of the Schools reached its grand finale at Mmabana Arts and Culture Centre. Because the scheduled semi-final period overlapped with school examinations, Universe X protected the learners' academic responsibilities and advanced the qualifying quarter-finalists directly to the finals.

It was a practical, learner-first decision—not a missing stage. After months of auditions, shared stages and elimination rounds, the finalists arrived at a recognised arts venue to compete for a R100,000 podium and bring the first Battle of the Schools journey to a powerful close.

2 November 2024

Finals day

Mmabana

Arts and Culture Centre

R100,000

Total podium prizes

The 2024 podium

Three performances. Three honours. One historic final.

Sebopiwa Molema Secondary School first-place winners performing at the 2024 finals — First place · R50,000
Sebopiwa Molema Secondary School
The open-air school audition became a championship journey.

Batswana Commercial Secondary School second-place winners performing at the 2024 finals — Second place · R30,000
Batswana Commercial Secondary School
A strong school campaign concluded with runner-up honours.

Batswana Commercial Secondary School drama team performing at the 2024 finals — Third place · R20,000
Batswana Commercial Secondary · Drama
The drama team secured the final place on the historic podium.

A Miss Secondary Schools 2025 participant being crowned on stage — A young participant’s achievement celebrated on stage

Miss Secondary Schools 2025 participants, organisers and supporters gathered after the event

Universe X directors pictured with the photographer at Miss Secondary Schools 2025 — Directors and a developing creative professional behind the story

Chapter Seventeen · 2025

Giving back helped inspire Mr & Miss Diversity X.

Universe X supported Miss Secondary Schools 2025, a youth pageantry event for high-school girls created in support of a young person participating in Miss Mahikeng 2025. The event gave emerging participants a platform for confidence, presentation and recognition.

It also exposed a difficult barrier: many talented young people want to participate in pageantry, but high entry costs, clothing, preparation and access to professional support can place the opportunity beyond their reach. This experience became an early inspiration for Mr & Miss Diversity X—a more accessible Universe X pageantry pathway grounded in inclusion and opportunity.

Skills to Work in action

The photographer pictured with the directors represents the kind of creative journey Universe X wants to grow: from struggling to gain access and recognition to receiving real assignments and eventually photographing recognised celebrities and major events.

Young women

Confidence and visibility

Pageantry pathway

Inspiration for Diversity X

Creative work

Experience behind the stage

Chapter Eighteen · 8 August 2025

Talent was waiting inside a community centre.

Diyatswane Community Centre supports children facing disadvantage and provides meals to young people in its community. When Universe X visited on 8 August 2025, the centre’s open floor became a stage—another reminder that talent does not only live in formal theatres or well-resourced institutions.

It was here that Universe X discovered the gumboots dancers who later progressed to perform at the 2026 finals. Their journey—from a local community hall to a major competition stage—captures a founding belief of Universe X: talent is everywhere; access to opportunity is not.

The next practical need: reliable water access

The centre still collects water using a wheelbarrow while caring for and feeding children. Universe X has identified Diyatswane, alongside Mafikeng High, for a planned JoJo tank support project, subject to resources, site assessment and delivery partnerships.

Youth care

Meals and community support

Talent discovered

Gumboots dancers reached the finals

Planned impact

Water-storage support project

Young dancers performing inside Diyatswane Community Centre on 8 August 2025 — The centre floor became a stage for local talent

Children gathered inside Diyatswane Community Centre — A centre caring for children and providing meals

A group of young performers presenting at Diyatswane Community Centre

Chapter Nineteen · 22 & 30 November 2025

The community competition opened its doors.

The first community audition intake took place on 22 November 2025, followed by a final intake on 30 November 2025 at Mmabana Arts Centre in Mahikeng. Both audition days were assessed equally before the field moved toward the quarter-finals.

Promoted as the Road to R250,000, the campaign invited people who had missed the first intake to claim a fair opportunity—while making clear that existing contestants should not audition twice.

Two audition intakes

22 and 30 November 2025

Mmabana Mahikeng

An accessible arts venue

Equal assessment

One standard across both days

R250,000 journey

A meaningful community prize

Chapter Twenty · 27 June 2026

The journey became a live fan experience at Mafikeng Mall.

One week before the grand final, Universe X joined forces with Mafikeng Mall and FNB for a public activation headlined by Khuli Chana and fellow celebrity guests. Contestants experienced VIP treatment, met recognised artists and saw what disciplined progress could unlock beyond the competition stage.

Fans encountered live performance, exclusive rewards and direct participation in the build-up. The activation demonstrated the pathway Universe X intends to repeat: enter and participate, contribute to community, meet inspiring professionals, then earn the opportunity to reach the finals.

Contestant motivation

A real encounter with established talent.

Public activation

Talent and fans met in a commercial space.

Road to the final

The experience led directly to 5 July.

A finalist performing on the Battle of the Universe stage during the 2026 community final — A community journey reached the main stage

A winner being crowned during the 2026 Battle of the Universe final

A champion receiving recognition during the 2026 Battle of the Universe final

Chapter Twenty-One · 5 July 2026

The community journey ended with a R250,000 celebration of talent.

The Battle of the Universe community final reached the Mmabatho Convention Centre after auditions, knockout stages and the Mafikeng Mall activation. Artist judges brought professional insight, finalists carried months of effort onto the stage and the audience turned the final into a shared celebration.

This was proof that Universe X could move from school-based delivery into a wider community competition—creating content, commercial activation, celebrity engagement and a credible progression journey around local talent.

5 July 2026

Grand final

R250,000

Community competition value

From proof to platform

How the journey grew

2023 beginning

The Mafikeng High pilot

Universe X began working with Mafikeng High School to test a simple belief: give young people a real stage, take their talent seriously and connect participation to confidence, recognition and a next step.

14 May 2024

The first documented talent show

The journey moved into the Mafikeng High school hall, where learners performed before their peers and experienced a structured talent event in a familiar community space.

Recognition programme

Coach of the Year

Universe X is creating a dedicated award for the teachers, coaches and mentors whose unseen service creates visible futures. Meet founding nominee Kgosi Moyawa and see the evidence-led standard for future nominations.

Read their story →

2 August 2024

Sebopiwa Molema Secondary School took the stage

Without a school hall, learners performed in an open paved area before their school community. Sebopiwa Molema later became the winning school of Battle of the Schools.

5 August 2024

Setumo Secondary School selections

Performances at Setumo Secondary School identified the strongest representatives for the school, connecting local participation to the quarter-finals and the journey toward the finals.

8 August 2024

Batswana Commercial School selections

Three days later, the school-selection journey reached Batswana Commercial School, where live performances were assessed and more learners gained a pathway into the wider competition.

15 August 2024

Leteane Secondary School took centre stage

An open school assembly area became the venue at Leteane Secondary School, proving that talent does not need perfect infrastructure—where people gather and courage meets opportunity, a stage can be created.

19 August 2024

Sol Plaatjie Secondary School took the stage

The journey reached Sol Plaatjie Secondary School, where a smaller book-lined school space became an intimate stage for individual and paired performances.

21 August 2024

Maselwanyane Secondary School classroom stage

A classroom at Maselwanyane Secondary School welcomed live performance and creative presentation, showing again that available school spaces could become gateways to opportunity.

22 August 2024

Tshidi Borolong Secondary School selections

The following day, Tshidi Borolong Secondary School hosted the next stage, combining group performance with a visible assessment process as the school competition network continued to grow.

22 August 2024

Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School performed

On the same day, Ramaina-A-Phethlu Secondary School also took the stage—an important sign that the programme could reach two school communities in one day.

14 September 2024

The First Round brought schools together

Hosted by Tshidi Borolong Secondary School, the First Round brought several schools, cultures and performance styles together on one shared stage.

21 September 2024

The second First Round fixture expanded the competition

Hosted at Leteane Secondary School, more schools came together to deliver their first competitive performances against one another.

4 October 2024

Sol Plaatjie hosted the third First Round fixture

The rotating school-host model continued at Sol Plaatjie Secondary School, giving more young performers a structured competitive stage.

5 October 2024

Batswana Commercial closed the First Round phase

The final First Round fixture took place at Batswana Commercial Secondary School, completing the opening competition phase before progression to the next stage.

12 October 2024

Ramaina-A-Phethlu opened the quarter-finals

Only one week later, the competition advanced into a higher-stakes elimination phase with coordinated performances assessed by a formal panel.

19 October 2024

Batswana Commercial closed the quarter-finals

The final quarter-final fixture tested advancing solo and group performers before the surviving field moved toward the semi-finals.

2 November 2024

The Battle of the Schools finals reached Mmabana

With semi-finals omitted to protect learners during examinations, the advancing field went directly to the finals at Mmabana Arts and Culture Centre, where a R100,000 podium was awarded.

2026 milestone

Battle of the Universe X

The vision expanded beyond a single competition toward a connected ecosystem for talent, practical experience, recognition and opportunity.

2026 proof story

Happy Feet won the throne

From their first audition through the knockout rounds, the dance duo earned every stage before winning the R100,000 grand prize. Their journey now continues toward the Crown of North West.

Read their story →

Current engagement

North-West University

Universe X supported and attended the Inter-Varsity Ingoma cultural gathering at the Mahikeng Campus. Further collaboration remains subject to consultation and formal approval.

Next proof point

Battle of the Universe X 2027 North West

Pre-registration and testing are planned from October 2026, with formal registration and competition phases following consultation, readiness checks and relevant approvals.

This page distinguishes completed activity, current engagement and future plans. Future competitions, university work and corporate participation remain subject to consultation, written agreements, safeguarding and applicable approvals.

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