AMANDLA's target demographic is youth staying in residential childcare facilities in South Africa. Exact figures on how many youth are currently placed in residential facilities is not available.  However, according to the Children Count ZA institute 18.6% of all children in South Africa are orphaned which does not include children in need of care due to alternative circumstances. 

There are over 30 AMANDLA registered childcare facilities in Cape Town and many more unofficial programmes. Those range from orphanages, children's homes, drug rehabilitation centres, street shelters, places for young offenders and young people struggling to cope within their communities.  These facilities accommodate anywhere from 10 to 200 young people who at times become institutionalized and ostracized by those living outside the walls of their facilities. These young people often have no exposure to sports programmes and team events due to the limitations of both funding and more basic resources such as transport. Very rarely are these young people engaged in the healthy and active pastimes or life styles the way any child should. Having spent one year, living  in Cape Town’s biggest township, Khayelitsha, the co-founders experienced, at first hand, the large number of boys and girls in childcare facilities that are drawn into gangs, crime, drugs or become parents themselves due to a lack of stimulation after school is finished and during the holidays. The AMANDLA Life Skill through Football Programme was created specifically to meet the needs of children in residential childcare facilities working in partnership with the care homes. Through the programme the youth are able to learn invaluable life-skills such as communication skills, teamwork, social awareness, discipline, commitment and responsibility. Their self-esteem is built up quickly to help them gain the necessary confidence and motivation to succeed in life.  AMANDLA fits into a niche as the programme targets this very specific group of young people.  Over recent years AMANDLA has seen high levels of sustainability and quality of programming as well as an ever increasing demand to expand the programme.