46 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Lucy Draper-Clarke Promoting a compassionate form of activism Lucy Draper-Clarke at home in Aukland Park, Gauteng Lucy Draper-Clarke is the author of “The Compassionate Activist”, a book which delves into the theories and practices that form her philosophies on reflexivity as a way to transform societies. She believes that one of the most powerful forms of activism is the awareness of our interconnectedness. It is the theory that we have a responsibility to heal ourselves while attending to others. In doing so, we can turn towards suffering, become more compassionate and then engage skilfully in the world around us. Lucy is not trying to change the world swiftly - that would be too overwhelming a task. Instead, she is providing a guide for people to live in a more harmonious way with others, approaching situations with mindful awareness and ease. The activism that she promotes challenges us to ‘do no harm', while caring for the world and the people around us. The book itself is grounded in ancient wisdom traditions, particularly Buddhism, and leans towards the development of an environmental and social consciousness with a focus on community building and personal accountability. These personal shifts come with a benefit for everyone, and it is Lucy’s hope that the book will enable people to forge stronger relationships, allowing them to cope better with disagreements and to live more harmoniously alongside people with different world views. It’s an interesting take on activism. Looking at yourself first and understanding how your own inner calm can resonate outwards. Teach yourself to be more tolerant, patient and kind, and then project that into the world around you. Lucy is not only a writer but also a retreat facilitator, researcher, postgraduate supervisor and yoga instructor who has a PhD in Mindfulness and Teacher Education. Find out more about Lucy and her work at https://www.lucydraperclarke.com or visit our store to buy the book. In Lucy’s words… “The Compassionate Activist is for changemakers, meditators and activists, offering guidance to transform our wounded world from the inside out. What can we do in the midst of uncertainty and overwhelm? Attend to what is within us and around us, moment by moment. This book is for all who see activism as a relational practice built on an ethic of care. It calls for engagement inspired by love, not hate, and the mobilisation of communities through solidarity, not separation.” < Previous Item Next Item >

24 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Jack Msibi Sporting goals to unite the community Jack Msibi at Corinthians Sports Ministry In 2012 Jack Msibi was studying for a business degree from Monash University. His mother owned a building in downtown Johannesburg and the family was financially stable. Everything changed when his mother's building was hijacked and taken over by a fake landlord. Jack had to drop out of university and the family moved from room to room, unable to afford permanent accommodation. With no money and no job, Jack would go out into the park and play football every day. He was a skilled soccer player and soon a few young kids came to practice with him. With nothing else to do, they showed up every day at his door waiting for the training session to begin. Seven years later, the practice sessions in the park have grown into a community sports “ministry” called Corinthians which provides ongoing soccer, cricket and netball coaching to the community of La Rochelle in southern Johannesburg. Jack also started a soccer team there for kids who are blind. The ‘ministry’ part of the programme comes from Jack’s deep Christian faith and is central to the whole purpose of Corinthians. They are not just providing a space for people to come and play sports. They are inviting anyone who needs a refuge, even just for a couple of hours, to attend coaching sessions, and at the same time engaging them in conversations around social issues and self-development. Although it is grounded in the principles of the church, everyone is welcome. “Where else would you get drug addicts and the police playing soccer together?” If a young boy comes to play soccer, they will sign him up and engage him in conversations about his home and school life. They will check in and check up, making sure that he has the support he needs if he is struggling at school or if there are issues at home. But back to the soccer team for people with visual impairments. It started with two boys who were hassling Jack about wanting to play soccer. He didn't think it was possible but the more they hassled him, the more interested he became. He did some research and he found out that it was already an established game. He approached the local school for the blind, a boarding school that accepts learners from all around the country. They managed to put together a team of eight people who now train two times a week. One of the most exciting things for Jack is that the kids are starting to express an interest in becoming coaches and introducing blind soccer to different places around the country. This is what Corinthians is all about to Jack, bringing young people together through sport and providing them with a space where they can start to imagine a future. < Previous Item Next Item >

25 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Manti Maifadi Healing through reconnecting with nature Manti Maifadi at Naledi Farm In 2010 Manti Maifadi wrote a children’s book in Sesotho called Tshimong ya Meroho le Naledi (In the Vegetable Garden with Naledi). She was on maternity leave from her job in the National Department of Health as a Medical Scientist, while expecting the birth of her youngest child, Naledi. The book is a fictional story that centres around a vegetable garden and was self-published in 2012. In the same year, Manti and her husband Sam, decided that they wanted to create a real-life ‘vegetable garden’; a physical space where children could come and “walk into the book”, to learn how food grows, roam around barefoot, and engage with the plants and the land. In 2015 they found some land on the outskirts of Pretoria and moved from their city home to the three-hectare plot that they named Naledi Farm. “The idea was to create a centre for teaching and healing. To get people away from the buzz of the city, to unwind and relax.” They started with a simple ‘Harvest Table’ where friends would come once a month to enjoy the food from their garden and listen to the musings of an invited speaker. This soon grew into a more diverse operation that hosted sustainability workshops, children’s camps as well as an events venue and an artist residency programme. Naledi Farm is a business, and there is no getting away from that, but it is an enterprise that aims to change people’s lives. They advocate for sustainable practices that promote self-care, independence and environmental responsibility. “We provide the space where people can breathe a little before going back to the ever-demanding modern world. Hopefully, we inspire them to start their own little patch and grow a few rows of edible gardens. If we can do it, then anyone can do it…If we can inspire one person then our job is done.” Manti is aware that many people are going through a lot, living behind high walls, bombarded by traffic, noise and other inescapable features of urban life that negatively affect their emotional and mental health. Trapped in this concrete jungle, with little to no chance of breaking free. It is the experience and values of her childhood growing up in QwaQwa, in the Free State, that she wants to extend to others. “I don’t remember a day we had to buy vegetables. We were not wealthy but there was always plenty for us to eat from my father’s garden. That was my upbringing.” To advocate for others to have peace in their lives is no small mission, and Manti has made it the centre of her business; a business that wants to heal the world, one busy city dweller at a time. < Previous Item Next Item >

47 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Tshepiso Makoni Using t-shirts to tackle stereotypes Tshepiso Makoni at home in Soweto, Gauteng Art changes the people who engage with it, sometimes in the most subtle ways. Artists find inspiration and meaning in different places, the motivational drive to create is fed by the feeling of making something with purpose. Purpose, to Tshepiso, comes in starting conversations that change the way her community sees themselves, and each other. As one half of the artistic duo Tebo X Emeka, Tshepiso creates T-shirts that fuse photography and graphic design to gently push tired old narratives in a new direction. For their first project, Taxiology, they focused on the taxi industry around Soweto. They wanted to celebrate the industry for its unique position in South African culture, accepting the perceived view of taxis as inconvenient, noisy and dangerous whilst also celebrating the positive interactions that they facilitate. You can’t find the culture that we have here anywhere else. When you get inside a taxi you have to greet everyone, you combine your money with the other passengers and send it to the front. You tell jokes, you discuss the news. Tebo X Emeka wants to help people see themselves for who they are and who they could be by providing representation of township culture in fashion, using the T-Shirt as an accessible, portable gallery for purpose-driven artwork. More recently Tshepiso has designed and created the disability pride t-shirt, again looking to change the conversation around a subject that has been stigmatised and stereotyped. T-Shirts are a way to begin a conversation, for us to be able to represent people with disabilities. It allows for their voices to be heard and for them to be seen. Her hope is that the t-shirts will start a conversation and become a driving force for action. They want to partner with the government to use disability pride shirts as a starting point to create a new language around disability, public consciousness and acceptance. By creating work that has meaning, and the intention to drive conversation, Tshepiso is planting the seeds of change in her community. To change the way that people view their community and therefore themselves is no small idea. < Previous Item Next Item >

66 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Love Our City Klean Greening & cleaning Joburg inner city Zwelihle and Metsi Magwaza at LOCK in Bez Valley Sometimes being an Actionist isn’t born out of one single brilliant idea. Sometimes it comes from a passion to see change and the dedication to finding a space for yourself in a world that feels like it is determined to work against you. Zwelihle and Metsi Magwaza are open about the bumpy road that they have ridden in their mission to clean up Joburg, whilst also finding a cost-effective and sustainable output for the waste that is collected. It all started when they were living in Marshaltown. They would walk to the Johannesburg Art Gallery and pass by Joubert Park which, at the time, was full of litter. Instead of looking the other way, they decided to do something about it, so they invited their artist friends to help them clean up the park. Over time they had to formalise their cleanup project in order to work with the City and other organisations - they called it Love Our City Klean (LOCK). Since 2016 they have been trying out different ideas to see what works, fully embracing failure as a way of learning and moving forward, never losing sight of the big picture, to clean up the city that they love. Much of the struggle has been in dealing with big corporations that do not benefit financially from the recycling of their products. Several initiatives that LOCK have trialled had to be abandoned as they were seen as not being economically viable, despite providing a more responsible and sustainable environmental footprint. But the ideas keep on coming, and the enthusiasm never wanes. Zwelihle and Metsi have helped to create a community swap shop at Victoria Yards where local residents of Bertrams and Bez Valley are encouraged to collect, sort and clean recyclable items and drop them off in exchange for points which can be used to buy food, clothing and books. In 2021 PIKITUP offered them a space in their Bez Valley garden site. Already established as a recycling drop-off centre, it provides an undercover space to sort and sell items that have more value than standard bulk recycling items such as paper and plastic. From this venue, they want to create a space where artists can come to be inspired, and they are passionate about building a bespoke service for artists who require specific items for collage, sculpture and other disciplines. This is a labour of love for Zwelihle and Metsi, but they cannot do it without help and they understand the power of finding the right partners; responsible business owners who are also passionate about the environment, and the city of Johannesburg. You can find them on Instagram: @weloveourcityklean and Facebook: @loveourcityklean. < Previous Item Next Item >

35 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Tarryn Johnston Reviving the Hennops river Tarryn Johnston at the Hennops River The way that other people talk about Tarryn Johnston is a better indication than any other of her passion for cleaning up the Hennops River. Their faces crease into a smile and they say something like “That woman is incredible”. It is Tarryn’s focused intention about her mission to clean up the waterways and the generosity with which she encourages others along on that journey, that brings people to this conclusion. “We don’t have time to sit around and point fingers…I clean rivers. It’s a popular misconception that it is someone else's job.” In 2018, Tarryn’s life was in a very different place. She was on a mission to end the abusive relationships that had shaped her life, embarking on an introspective journey through prayer and meditation. During one of the workshops that she attended, the facilitator identified that she owed a debt to the ocean and this started her on the journey to the realisation of her responsibility towards the environment, specifically water. In 2019 her twelve-year-old daughter asked her if she could help with a river cleanup project and she jumped at the chance. Tarryn had no idea that this was just the beginning of her healing. On seeing the black, sludgy water she was horrified by the dangerous levels of pollution in the rivers near her home in Centurian, Gauteng. She committed to organising a river cleanup every two weeks and, once she realised that she needed money to do so, she started a not-for-profit company. Over the next few years, extreme weather and Covid 19 distracted from the river clean-up operation, and Tarryn busied herself with emergency flood responses and the sheltering of homeless people during the pandemic. But the Hennops River Revival has continued to grow, and through Tarryns positive determination she now has funding, and a team of 12 people who clean up the river 3 days a week. It’s her ability to bring people together that is so enviable. She has a good relationship with the local government, something that she says comes from not pointing fingers of blame but from offering partnerships and solutions. She also has several big corporates that fund small projects through their CSI initiatives which means that she is single-handedly doing the work of several corporate departments. There is also the acknowledgement that this job will never end and that she will never clean up the Hennops in her lifetime. But that’s all part of being an Actionist for Tarryn, taking on the work for the benefit of future generations. < Previous Item Next Item >

55 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Alfred Mahlole Fighting for justice & infrastructure Alfred Mahlole at the people’s parliament in Thembelihle At 11 years old Alfred found out that the man who was raising him was not his father. He needed a birth certificate for school and he was told that he only had a clinic card because his mother had abandoned him. This started him on a heartbreaking, decade-long journey from statelessness to owning an ID book and being recognised as a South African citizen. This same journey took him to the doors of local councilors, NGOs and finally up in front of a judge who told him that he was a ghost in this country and that he did not exist according to the law. From this experience, he learned everything that he needed to know about activism. He learned to fight for what he needed and he learned that he was going to have to do everything himself if he was going to make any changes in his, or anyone else’s life. “My background was broken, the concrete was cracked. I had this thing in my mind that I do not want to see what happened to me happen to someone else. I know when there is no help what it feels like.” In 2010 Alfred joined the Thembelihle Crisis Committee (TCC), a group of volunteers living in Thembelihle informal settlement who get together to campaign for positive changes in their community. At the time there was no formal infrastructure for electricity, and the township was using an illegal system of informal wiring that was regularly electrocuting people and killing children. Within 5 years the TCC managed to get a legal electricity infrastructure installed, which was opened by none other than then-President Jacob Zuma. This was an empowering moment for Alfred, giving him the confidence to know that with enough hard work, anything can happen. Working with the TCC helped him to realise that he could make a change and so he started to volunteer with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation as a youth club leader. His role is to mentor young people in the community, encouraging them to be more engaged members of society through educational programs and taking them to community events where they can get involved in social, environmental and political issues. “I want to see happiness in people. We have suffered a lot. When I see people smiling, and happy, I get inspired and I feel connected to them. I’m addicted to being around people and coming up with solutions on how we can make a change, how we can solve a challenge that affects everyone.” Alfred was nominated as an Actionist by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. < Previous Item Next Item >

45 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Sesi Mahlangu Restoring dignity with new school shoes Sesi Mahlangu outside her home in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng The butterfly effect describes how one small action can have considerable repercussions. Sometimes it’s the simple ideas that can make a huge impact on another person’s life. Sesi Mahlangu is on a mission to give young learners new school shoes. This is her simple idea. It is the backbone of her organisation, Dream Foundation. She believes that a decent pair of shoes can give a child dignity and pride, changing the way they see themselves and the way that they engage with others. By ticking off one of the many items on the worry list of young learners in Ekhuruleni, she believes that they will engage in school a little more, be bullied a little less and walk a little taller. She understands that many kids also need uniforms, textbooks, transport and food, but a decent pair of shoes is a start. “My dream is for them to focus on what they need to focus on. Not having shoes to wear should not be their responsibility.” Sesi’s parents died when she was very young and she was raised by her older sister and her husband, who she now refers to as her parents. She grew up in a family that supported her in every way that they could. It was the realisation that other kids at her school could not afford a pair of shoes that inspired Sesi and her friend to save their money and buy a pair for one of their classmates. In 2019, at the age of 21, Sesi started Dream Foundation and launched a social media campaign to collect 59 pairs of shoes for school children in her community. The next year they managed to collect 89 pairs. Each year they will approach a school and ask the teachers to identify learners who do not have the means to buy shoes. As well as the shoe drive, they also run yearly workshops, called “I’m Complete”, for 50 girls. The program helps them to deal with issues related to GBV, self esteem and teenage pregnancy. They have also started a boy’s camp that aims to get young men talking openly about their struggles and steering them in the direction of becoming more meaningful members of society. “I just have this fire in my heart for the youth, a love for the youth. What my parents gave me, that’s the inspiration. The love that they gave me I want to put out to others that didn’t receive what I got.” This year Sesi wants to raise 120 pairs of shoes for learners in Ekhuruleni. Shoes can be bought for between R250-R300 and are needed in sizes 1-5. To donate a pair, please visit The Actionists website for more details. < Previous Item Next Item >

CLEANING UP RIVERS & REVIVING DEAD WATERS Willem Snyman UPSKILLING & EMPOWERING THE YOUTH OF KLIPTOWN Thulani Madondo UPLIFTING KIDS THROUGH ROBOTICS AND CODING Keke Malakele FILLING CLASSROOMS TO TACKLE XENOPHOBIA Colin Northmore SALUTING BLACK MALE POSITIVITY Arnold Sibanda UPLIFTING THROUGH INCLUSIVE DANCE Jarryd Watson TAKING MENTAL HEALTH TO THE STREETS Simon Mphela MENTAL WELLNESS FOR KIDS AND TEENS Jess Robus COLLECTING SNEAKERS FOR KIDS IN NEED Sibusiso Zulu NURSING RIVERS BACK TO HEALTH Janet Simpkins MOBILISING YOUTH AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE Otsile Nkadimeng BATTLING AIR, WATER AND LAND POLLUTION Desmond D'Sa A PETITION TO STOP STATUTORY RAPE Kekeletso Khena DRAMA & PERFORMANCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE Bridget Munnik PAVING THE WAY FOR WOMEN WHO FARM Hlobisile Bathabile Yende ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS THROUGH ART Natania Botha RESTORING FREEDOM BY CLEARING CRIMINAL RECORDS Wayne Jean-Pierre CAMPAIGNING FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS Sandile Soxokashe RECYCLING FOR THE COMMUNITY Jesse Naidoo & Tammy Greyling THE CAFE THAT’S FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING Gideon Swart CHANGING LIVES THROUGH PERFORMANCE ACTIVISM Drama For Life CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR SKATER GIRLS Sharne Jacobs THE SECURITY GUARD FEEDING THE HOMELESS Nathi Mazibuko SPORTING GOALS TO UNITE THE COMMUNITY Jack Msibi HEALING THROUGH RECONNECTING WITH NATURE Manti Maifadi 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM Helen Duigan TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE TO SAVE THE PLANET Tamzyn Botha THE TEEN WHO TURNS BULLIES INTO BUDDIES Njabulo Zulu DETOXIFYING SNAKE PARK’S MINE DUMPS Tiny Dhlamini CREATING AN INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM FOR KIDS Clerah Sethole SIX DECADES OF FIGHTING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Coral Vinsen BREAKING THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH Kim Houston DRAMA FOR HEALING AND SOCIAL CHANGE Thokozani Ndaba PADS DESIGNED FOR GIRLS & THE PLANET Sherie De Wet REVIVING THE HENNOPS RIVER Tarryn Johnston DEFENDING RIGHTS AGAINST MINING THREATS Christinah Mdau PROTECTING SURVIVORS FROM SECONDARY TRAUMA Prudence Mabasa PROTECTING JOBURG’S INNER-CITY TENANTS Siyabonga Mahlangu ALEX’S UNWAVERING WATER WARRIOR Sbusiso Malinga CHAMPIONING PERIOD POSITIVITY Candice Chirwa PREVENTING CABLE THEFT AND BLACKOUTS Baba Biblos Lebona LEHAE LIBRARY’S YOUTH CHAMPION Jacques Bona UPCYCLING PLASTIC FOR SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS Diana Musara DEVELOPING AN ECO-FRIDGE FOR STREET VENDORS Luyanda Mazwi RESTORING DIGNITY WITH NEW SCHOOL SHOES Sesi Mahlangu PROMOTING A COMPASSIONATE FORM OF ACTIVISM Lucy Draper-Clarke USING T-SHIRTS TO TACKLE STEREOTYPES Tshepiso Makoni LIGHTS, SHOES AND LESSONS FOR LEARNERS Dineo Baloyi TRANSFORMING DUMPSITES INTO GARDENS Mbongeni Manzini BLOCKING DISABILITY STIGMA WITH EDUCATION Thato Mphuthi ENGAGING COMMUNITIES FOR LASTING CHANGE Faeeza Lok GREENING FUTURES WITH TREES & GARDENS Sipho & Bianca Mabusela MENTORING BOYS TO TACKLE TOXIC MASCULINITY Dudu Makhubo MOBILISING A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS Irfaan Mangera FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE & INFRASTRUCTURE Alfred Mahlole RALLYING YOUTH TOWARDS HEALTH AND HOPE Tshweu Mosedi SUPPORTING WHISTLEBLOWERS FOR JUSTICE John GI Clarke DEFENDING DOMESTIC WORKERS’ RIGHTS Pinky Mashiane SPARKING POLITICAL INTEREST IN YOUTH Vhahangwele Tsotetsi TAKING PERMACULTURE TO COMMUNITIES Sun Mabengeza CRACKING DOWN ON HUNGER IN ALEXANDRA Gcina & Thato BUILDING A LEGACY OF ALTRUISM IN ALEX Linda Twala EMPOWERING WESTBURY YOUTH THROUGH ART Ashby Mo HYDROPONIC VEGETABLES FOR THE COMMUNITY Siyabonga Ndlangamandla ADVOCATING FOR HER RIGHT FOR EDUCATION Yolanda Dyantyi GREENING AND CLEANING THE INNER CITY Love Our City Klean A SAFE SPACE FOR THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY Thato Thabang Mosoeu A FOOD GARDEN FOR THE COMMUNITY Refiloe Molefe PROTECTING THE WILD COAST FROM MINING Nonhle Mbuthuma GROWING A NEW WAVE OF SUBSISTENCE FARMERS Phetole Raseropo THE ACTIONISTS INSPIRING STORIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA The Actionists is an ongoing series of stories about people around South Africa who are working to create a more equal, kind and compassionate society. They are the on-the-ground problem solvers, community activists, climate campaigners, and human rights defenders who won’t stop working for the change they want to see in the world. They are the ones that challenge the narrative that nothing is being done. All Photographs by Thom Pierce Words by Thom Pierce and Jan Bornman CART Log In MENU Home All Projects Join Us Print Store Blog Donate LOG IN About Projects All Projects UDWOSA #PayTheGrants The Price of Gold Join Us Blog Print Store Donate CART

CLEANING UP RIVERS & REVIVING DEAD WATERS Willem Snyman UPSKILLING & EMPOWERING THE YOUTH OF KLIPTOWN Thulani Madondo UPLIFTING KIDS THROUGH ROBOTICS AND CODING Keke Malakele FILLING CLASSROOMS TO TACKLE XENOPHOBIA Colin Northmore SALUTING BLACK MALE POSITIVITY Arnold Sibanda UPLIFTING THROUGH INCLUSIVE DANCE Jarryd Watson TAKING MENTAL HEALTH TO THE STREETS Simon Mphela MENTAL WELLNESS FOR KIDS AND TEENS Jess Robus COLLECTING SNEAKERS FOR KIDS IN NEED Sibusiso Zulu NURSING RIVERS BACK TO HEALTH Janet Simpkins MOBILISING YOUTH AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE Otsile Nkadimeng BATTLING AIR, WATER AND LAND POLLUTION Desmond D'Sa A PETITION TO STOP STATUTORY RAPE Kekeletso Khena DRAMA & PERFORMANCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE Bridget Munnik PAVING THE WAY FOR WOMEN WHO FARM Hlobisile Bathabile Yende ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS THROUGH ART Natania Botha RESTORING FREEDOM BY CLEARING CRIMINAL RECORDS Wayne Jean-Pierre CAMPAIGNING FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS Sandile Soxokashe RECYCLING FOR THE COMMUNITY Jesse Naidoo & Tammy Greyling THE CAFE THAT’S FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING Gideon Swart CHANGING LIVES THROUGH PERFORMANCE ACTIVISM Drama For Life CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR SKATER GIRLS Sharne Jacobs THE SECURITY GUARD FEEDING THE HOMELESS Nathi Mazibuko SPORTING GOALS TO UNITE THE COMMUNITY Jack Msibi HEALING THROUGH RECONNECTING WITH NATURE Manti Maifadi 30 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM Helen Duigan TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE TO SAVE THE PLANET Tamzyn Botha THE TEEN WHO TURNS BULLIES INTO BUDDIES Njabulo Zulu DETOXIFYING SNAKE PARK’S MINE DUMPS Tiny Dhlamini CREATING AN INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM FOR KIDS Clerah Sethole SIX DECADES OF FIGHTING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Coral Vinsen BREAKING THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH Kim Houston DRAMA FOR HEALING AND SOCIAL CHANGE Thokozani Ndaba PADS DESIGNED FOR GIRLS & THE PLANET Sherie De Wet REVIVING THE HENNOPS RIVER Tarryn Johnston DEFENDING RIGHTS AGAINST MINING THREATS Christinah Mdau PROTECTING SURVIVORS FROM SECONDARY TRAUMA Prudence Mabasa PROTECTING JOBURG’S INNER-CITY TENANTS Siyabonga Mahlangu ALEX’S UNWAVERING WATER WARRIOR Sbusiso Malinga CHAMPIONING PERIOD POSITIVITY Candice Chirwa PREVENTING CABLE THEFT AND BLACKOUTS Baba Biblos Lebona LEHAE LIBRARY’S YOUTH CHAMPION Jacques Bona UPCYCLING PLASTIC FOR SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS Diana Musara DEVELOPING AN ECO-FRIDGE FOR STREET VENDORS Luyanda Mazwi RESTORING DIGNITY WITH NEW SCHOOL SHOES Sesi Mahlangu PROMOTING A COMPASSIONATE FORM OF ACTIVISM Lucy Draper-Clarke USING T-SHIRTS TO TACKLE STEREOTYPES Tshepiso Makoni LIGHTS, SHOES AND LESSONS FOR LEARNERS Dineo Baloyi TRANSFORMING DUMPSITES INTO GARDENS Mbongeni Manzini BLOCKING DISABILITY STIGMA WITH EDUCATION Thato Mphuthi ENGAGING COMMUNITIES FOR LASTING CHANGE Faeeza Lok GREENING FUTURES WITH TREES & GARDENS Sipho & Bianca Mabusela MENTORING BOYS TO TACKLE TOXIC MASCULINITY Dudu Makhubo MOBILISING A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS Irfaan Mangera FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE & INFRASTRUCTURE Alfred Mahlole RALLYING YOUTH TOWARDS HEALTH AND HOPE Tshweu Mosedi SUPPORTING WHISTLEBLOWERS FOR JUSTICE John GI Clarke DEFENDING DOMESTIC WORKERS’ RIGHTS Pinky Mashiane SPARKING POLITICAL INTEREST IN YOUTH Vhahangwele Tsotetsi TAKING PERMACULTURE TO COMMUNITIES Sun Mabengeza CRACKING DOWN ON HUNGER IN ALEXANDRA Gcina & Thato BUILDING A LEGACY OF ALTRUISM IN ALEX Linda Twala EMPOWERING WESTBURY YOUTH THROUGH ART Ashby Mo HYDROPONIC VEGETABLES FOR THE COMMUNITY Siyabonga Ndlangamandla ADVOCATING FOR HER RIGHT FOR EDUCATION Yolanda Dyantyi GREENING AND CLEANING THE INNER CITY Love Our City Klean A SAFE SPACE FOR THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY Thato Thabang Mosoeu A FOOD GARDEN FOR THE COMMUNITY Refiloe Molefe PROTECTING THE WILD COAST FROM MINING Nonhle Mbuthuma GROWING A NEW WAVE OF SUBSISTENCE FARMERS Phetole Raseropo THE ACTIONISTS INSPIRING STORIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA The Actionists is an ongoing series of stories about people around South Africa who are working to create a more equal, kind and compassionate society. They are the on-the-ground problem solvers, community activists, climate campaigners, and human rights defenders who won’t stop working for the change they want to see in the world. They are the ones that challenge the narrative that nothing is being done. All Photographs by Thom Pierce Words by Thom Pierce and Jan Bornman CART Log In MENU Home All Projects Join Us Print Store Blog Donate LOG IN About Projects All Projects UDWOSA #PayTheGrants The Price of Gold Join Us Blog Print Store Donate CART