60 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Sun Mabengeza Taking permaculture to communities Sun Mabengeza in his permaculture garden Sun’s passion for permaculture comes from his love for the earth, growing food and sharing it with his neighbours. But mostly his passion is for teaching others that you can grow your own food with very little physical work, if you have the space and know what you are doing. He claims that he can teach you everything you need to know in one hour. It has always been in Sun’s blood to move around, to not get too attached to one place or specific items. He moves fluidly between Port Elizabeth, Polokwane and Johannesburg. This nomadic lifestyle complements his philosophy of shared spaces and the freedom to grow food wherever it can be produced. The journey into permaculture started in 2006 when Sun formed a guerrilla gardening crew called the Ambush Garden Collective. They would create wild gardens in dump sites and other forbidden spaces as an awareness campaign, highlighting the importance of greening spaces and living sustainably. As a member of the Bez Valley Agriculture Cooperative, Sun now runs a Permaculture garden called NDAWO ENTLE EZELE Uthando NaturalGrowing Heritage Site and Living Plants Museum. Here he grows a number of different edible wild plants, which he sells to the public from a small shop on site. But his real passion is education. From the garden, he hosts events, festivals and school visits with the intention of demonstrating how easy it is to live in a more sustainable, environmentally conscious manner. The gardens are a zero-waste environmental learning space that also provides the possibility for homeless people and job seekers to learn, grow, eat and create their own small businesses. < Previous Item Next Item >

# PayTheGrants What happens when the help meant for the poorest, is too expensive for them to reach? This is the crisis of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant, introduced in South Africa (SA)during the Covid-19 Pandemic to help many in the face of dire poverty, unemployment and inequality. Yet right now, millions of our people are left excluded. And those who can access it remain struggling. We deserve better; a better grant, a better basic income, a better economy that is built for you. As #PayTheGrants (#PTG), that is what we stand for. We are a community-based organisation and registered NPO (287-115), working across the country. We help our people access the support they deserve, confront corruption, push for better systems and policies, and advocate for basic income. Nothing about us without us. Now, we are taking the government to court in our pursuit for justice. Along with our partner, IEJ, and lawyers, SERI we launched the case in 2023, and now stand ready to be heard in High Court on 29 & 30 October 2024. Our aim? To challenge the many ways in which those in need are excluded from the SRD Grant. It does not end here. There is a long journey ahead. And we are ready. Because what happens here can impact not only the SRD Grant, but the future of social protection in SA; towards a more fair, inclusive, and effective system that sees its people as the most important investment. # PayTheGrants About Us What happens when the help meant for the poorest, is too expensive for them to reach? This is the crisis of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant, introduced in South Africa (SA)during the Covid-19 Pandemic to help many in the face of dire poverty, unemployment and inequality. Yet right now, millions of our people are left excluded. And those who can access it remain struggling. We deserve better; a better grant, a better basic income, a better economy that is built for you. As #PayTheGrants (#PTG), that is what we stand for. We are a community-based organisation and registered NPO (287-115), working across the country. We help our people access the support they deserve, confront corruption, push for better systems and policies, and advocate for basic income. Nothing about us without us. Now, we are taking the government to court in our pursuit for justice. Along with our partner, IEJ, and lawyers, SERI we launched the case in 2023, and now stand ready to be heard in High Court on 29 & 30 October 2024. Our aim? To challenge the many ways in which those in need are excluded from the SRD Grant. It does not end here. There is a long journey ahead. And we are ready. Because what happens here can impact not only the SRD Grant, but the future of social protection in SA; towards a more fair, inclusive, and effective system that sees its people as the most important investment. Budget Cap The SRD is meant for the poorest right? E-e. It is for a few. And Treasury wants it less & less every year. Right now, +16mil qualify, but less than half access. Online-only Access No data? Smartphone broken? Stuck online? Uxolo, the only way to apply is online. SASSA offices are not even trained to help. flawed checks Once you apply, you will be checked against outdated databases. How is that right? everything = income Get help from family? Found a piecemeal job? Sold your stuff to survive? According to SASSA, that counts as “income”. starvation threshold Qaphela. More than R624 in your account = rejected. Kanti, having R625 for the family means we are still starving. fake Appeals Process Rejected, and you want to appeal? Shap. But no evidence is allowed. Baie dankie. No justice in this court.98% failure rate. Payments never made Approved? Halala! But were you paid? Pay dates that never arrive, verification links not sent, money disappeared, the list continues... poverty value received And if you get the R370? It is something, but barely. Our people deserve enough to survive AND to better their lives. The Key Issues The legal challenge highlights several critical issues that undermine the grant’s effectiveness and fairness. These include: Featured Products Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles. Best Sellers Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles. Back in Stock Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles. OUR STORIES The human impact of the injustices in the application and delivery of the SDG grant cannot be overlooked. The following stories are those of communities who have struggled for years to survive on a grant that is designed to fail them. Our Voice In The Media Join Our Facebook Group Visit Our YouTube Channel Follow Us On Twitter Contact US Media & Other Queries: media@paythegrants.org.za Grants Assistance: helpdesk@paythegrants.org.za Facebook: Pay The Grants Twitter: @PayTheGrants *We are not SASSA, & can only assist where able. **Explain any issues fully, but keep your security details safe. ***We are an independent organisation of community activists. Home About Stories Media Contact #Donate

71 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Life Esidimeni Justice through documenting a national crisis Christine Nxumalo, Harriet Perlman and Mark Lewis Faced with the bleak future of AI-generated imagery, film, music and almost any other creative endeavour that you can imagine, there is one discipline that should endure...stories of real human experiences. At this time we cannot generate a photograph of a person reflecting on their own life-changing ordeals, we cannot ask AI to dictate the story of a real memory, and we cannot digitally implant empathy into the people who connect with these stories. Not yet anyway. And so, in a world saturated with increasingly artificial content, real human stories are vital. In 2016 the Life Esidimeni psychiatric care hospital was closed down and over a thousand patients were moved to other facilities. Many of the new facilities were ill-equipped to deal with the patients and the process was rushed and dangerously mismanaged. The tragic result was that 144 people lost their lives and over 1,400 patients were exposed to human rights violations. As with any tragedy, it is not just the victims who are impacted. The families of many of the patients suffered horrific trauma when they could not locate their loved ones, having to travel long distances with the hope of finding them and bringing them to safety. Over the years since the tragedy, there have been several court hearings to deal with the impact, including an arbitration case in 2017 which brought about compensation for the families and a criminal inquest in 2021 which is still ongoing. But this story is not about the horrific events of 2016 and the ongoing injustice of reparations. This story is about the need for victims to be seen, represented and remembered in a world that so quickly moves to forget. In 2019 writer Harriet Perlman and photographer Mark Lewis with the support of Cassey Chambers from SADAG teamed up with Christine Nxumalo, who lost her sister in 2016 and was one of the members of the Life Esidimeni Family Committee to produce a series of stories that would maintain the momentum from the arbitration hearing and keep the stories of the victims in the minds of the public. They created a website in partnership with SADAG and SECTION27, that stands as an online memorial to the victims as well as an ongoing resource for information and assistance for those who need it. "I think what came out of it was that all of the families needed a way to express their anger and frustration. Mark and Harriet with Cassey Chambers as a trusted ally represented that group of people who understood their stories and as a result they felt safe and therefore validated what they had gone through." - Christine Nxumalo In creating the project they needed a vehicle to tell the stories of the lives that were lost and the relatives who were left behind. They asked each of the family members to choose a photograph of the loved one who had died and to reflect on the photograph itself, where and when it was taken and what it meant to them personally. "During the arbitration, many families were deeply hurt that they were accused of abandoning their loved ones. We travelled to people’s homes to interview them and take the portraits. It was important, for these stories to provide clarity of where the clinics were located and how far people, often with no resources, had to travel to visit their loved ones.." - Harriet Perlman Through this simple but effective storytelling technique they allowed the heartbreaking stories of loss, anger, betrayal and injustice to come through. "We were reminding people that this tragedy was about real lives lost. But another angle that we mustn’t forget is that Life Esidimeni is an extraordinary story about people fighting back, organising and being helped by civil society." - Mark Lewis This year a book will be published containing the stories that have been made so far, 40 are available on the website. But for Mark and Harriet, it still feels like there is work to be done. They want to find funding to tell the remaining stories, to honour those who died and to keep the events of 2016 in the minds of the South African public, as a way of ensuring that what happened at Life Esidimeni in 2016 can never happen again. This story was created in partnership with Heinrich Böll Foundation < Previous Item Next Item >

21 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Drama For Life Changing lives through performance activism Hamish and Petro in the Drama For Life building at Wits University In the world of academia, Drama For Life is unique. It exists as a post-graduate programme that provides a space to increase the efficacy of performance-based messaging. Through arts intervention and drama therapy work they tackle public health, mental health, governance and environmental issues. But, alongside this academic course, Drama For Life also runs a series of outreach projects, a theatre company and a programme to promote mental health awareness in schools. Petro Janse Van Vuuren runs the academic programme and Hamish Neill is the director of projects. Together, their approach is focused on making important information more accessible and engaging, continuing the work started by programme founder and fellow Actionist, Warren Nebe. Whilst the academic programme is advertised as a post-graduate degree, the objective is to bring together experts and change-makers from around Africa, and beyond. They understand and embrace the power of expertise that originates from varied levels of education or educational backgrounds and, critically, years of hands-on experience. They offer a range of short, project-based bridging courses and recognise prior undocumented learning, experience and impact that equates to an undergraduate degree. “This is someone who has been doing this for 20 years, to not allow them in because they didn’t have the papers, well that wasn’t their choice…Our education programme is part of our activism. It’s not just about getting in post-grad students and ticking boxes.“ - Hamish Neill Drama For Life started in the early 2000s as a response to the fatigue that had set in around the dissemination of HIV information. There was a sense that important messaging was being lost in the oversaturated world of heavily funded HIV campaigns and that little was actually changing. It evolved into a space for the long-term effectiveness and standards of performance-based activism, and healing, to grow by focusing on facilitating discussions, critical reflection and development through applied theatre practices. They recognise that their role is to bring the right people together and provide the tools and space for them to learn from each other. “Our entire teaching programme relies on facilitating the collective information in the room.” - Petro Janse Van Vuuren It is not often that you come across an entire university department so passionate about creating change, and, rarer still, one that understands their role so clearly as a facilitator of others’ expertise. < Previous Item Next Item >

64 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Siyabonga Ndlangamandla Hydroponic vegetables for the community Siyabonga Ndlangamandla in his hydroponic garden There is a very clear division between the work that Siyabonga does for-profit and the work he does for the community. The two, however, are inseparable. As with most Actionists, there is a clear understanding that if he did not feed himself, then he could not help to feed anyone else. For-profit Siyabonga grows vegetables in a hydroponic garden. He feeds himself and sells the organic produce commercially through Food Lovers Market. For the community, Siyabonga runs a community garden that aims to provide the people of Bez Valley, Johannesburg with an ongoing source of fresh vegetables. In a community where there are often 20 people living in a single household, it is a generous and valuable venture. Not only that but through the garden, he aims to up-skill and enable people from the community to grow their own food at home. “We grew up having enough and it was always important to share. We cannot just be eating whilst someone else, next to you, goes without.” Siyabonga was raised on his grandfather’s farm where, as children, they had to work in the fields. Even though he hated it at the time, as he grew up he realised his passion for farming which came from his grandfather. At a young age, Siyabonga became passionate about food security and sustainability. It was ingrained in him to do something for others and, living in a poor area of Johannesburg, he saw the opportunity to help using the skills that he had. When I asked him what he needs in order to run his operations better he said nothing, but that he would like to donate time to teach at schools about food security. < Previous Item Next Item >

9 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Sibusiso Zulu Collecting sneakers for kids in need Sibusiso Zulu at Victoria Yards, Johannesburg In his own words, Sibusiso Zulu is “an ambassador for creativity and social change” and it all began with Sneakers 4 Change… In 2013 Sibu had one pair of sneakers. They had a hole in the side, so he used to stand with one foot behind the other to hide it from the other artists, musicians and skaters who he hung out with on the streets of Maboneng. As a plan to get new shoes for himself and his friends, Sibu approached a local club owner and proposed the idea of hosting an event where people could pay for entry by donating a pair of old sneakers. They received 38 pairs and, after taking a few for himself and his friends, he decided to clean them up and donate them to Twilight Children’s Home. “I felt like I had done something really amazing and the kids were really grateful.” After seeing the effect this had on the kids, his focus quickly shifted from hosting events, to collecting and redistributing used sneakers. He started emailing schools and asking them to encourage the parents to bring in any old sneakers that their kids had outgrown. From the first school, he received 1,000 pairs. “I had taken public transport to go and collect the shoes but when I got there and saw how many there were I had to go home, hire a bakkie and come back the next day.” Since 2013, Sibu estimates that he has redistributed around 12,000 pairs of sneakers to various beneficiaries. Over the last few years, Sibu has started various new ventures through his partnership with Makers Valley in Victoria Yards, Johannesburg. These include poetry sessions, youth expos, and his newest venture Swyft Lab - a clothing swap shop and customisation company that focuses on sustainability, environmental impact, and the circular economy. It’s a win-win situation, providing people with a fresh wardrobe whilst also using local art, design, and craft to prolong the life of clothing. < Previous Item Next Item >

63 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Ashby Mo Empowering Westbury youth through art Ashby Mo in his studio at Westbury Community Centre Empowering the youth of Westbury wasn’t on Ashby’s mind when he approached the youth centre to find studio space for his art. It just so happened that they offered him a space to work in return for his time volunteering to help teach kids how to read. It was initially a way of paying the rent but it quickly turned into so much more. Sometimes you have to go looking really hard for purpose and meaning, sometimes it finds you. Ashby is a devoted conceptual artist who creates masks and three-dimensional collages that explore issues to do with magic and sorcery. Coming from a community such as Westbury in Johannesburg, he knows how hard it can be to find mentors from within your community, especially in a field such as fine art. Westbury has suffered at the hands of increasing gang violence over the last few years and, even though it is a very small suburb in a very large city, its reputation is growing as one of the most dangerous parts of Johannesburg. Working out of the youth centre gave Ashby a chance to provide the artistic mentorship, that he could never find, to a new generation of upcoming artists in the community; and has solidified his passion for art as a vehicle for social change. Over the last 5 years, in return for his studio space, Ashby has been mentoring a group of local artists through a creative recovering program, providing them with tools and exercises to open up their creativity and use it as a means of self-expression. He is passionate about art and the important place that it holds within society, especially for the youth, and through his program, he hopes to empower the kids from Westbury to go out and confidently pursue their dreams. Alongside his artistic courses, he also runs the reading program and community garden at the youth centre. Find Ashby on Instagram @stdiosba and learn more about the Westbury Youth Centre on their website. < Previous Item Next Item >

73 The Actionists About Partner With Us Contact Us FAQ ____________________ Thom Pierce Studios Menu Close Matilda Tsitsi Fakasi A safe space for survivors in Masiphumelele Matilda Fakasi at her community garden in Masiphumelele Like so many other Actionists, Matilda found her calling through traumatic events in her past. Her values were developed and cemented through her own experiences, together with the motivation and determination that she needed to create lasting change. Matilda was a teacher in Zimbabwe. Passionate about education and children, she worked her way up to the position of deputy head of school. Through the politically turbulent years, she persevered whilst, at the same time, living with an abusive and violent husband who wanted children and would punish her for not falling pregnant. Her parents did not want her to divorce him and, even after waking up in the hospital after being beaten unconscious by the man who claimed to love her, they ordered her to return. But one day her husband announced that he was leaving her for a new woman who was pregnant by him, he offered Matilda the chance to stay on as their maid but when she refused, he dropped her at her parent's house and announced that they had separated. Matilda was left with nothing and, because the teacher's salary was so little, she left her beloved profession. It was only through the kindness of a friend, Linda, that she was saved from the deep depression that she had fallen into. Linda cleaned her house, washed her clothes and gave her $500 to help get back on her feet. 15 years later Matilda’s life is very different. She now lives in the small township of Masiphumelele outside Kommetjie in the Western Cape. She is remarried and runs an early childhood development centre and an NPO called InterVisionary. InterVisionary is all about empowering women, offering a safe space for GBV survivors to get counselling and support, and teaching them about self-sustaining farming practices. “A woman who is not financially independent cannot raise her voice against violence. In many cases, they stay because they depend on them.” Once the 2020 lockdown took place, the focus shifted to the immediate help that was needed at the time. Matilda quickly noticed that with so many people locked in their homes, unable to make money and unable to put food on the table, stress and anxiety were rising, along with incidents of GBV. So, from her home, and with the loving support of her husband, Matilda started a feeding scheme. On the first day, 40 people turned up and within a week they were feeding 400 people a day. Once lockdown was over, they called the community in for a dialogue, to see what was needed and where they could provide a valuable service. The main issue that arose was that of affordable childcare so that parents could get back to work. Before they knew it they were running an ECD centre with 33 children. The GBV program resumed and now includes a healing program, a GBV ambassadors training program and public awareness campaigns. Their focus is still on empowerment, monitoring and supporting a group of 103 women who are survivors of GBV. They aim to help them with seed funding and mentoring to start small sustainable businesses whilst also providing them with the counselling that they need on an ongoing basis. Matilda also runs a small farm just outside Masiphumelele where she grows vegetables to provide the children with a healthy meal and teaches survivors self-sustaining farming practices to implement at home. “Before I die I want to create a big community centre where women and children are safe, with a garden and crops here in Masiphumelele. I see the different parts of the GBV program; counselling rooms, empowerment activity rooms, a pre-school for the children of survivors, and a big hall for our workshops. I see, on the walls, the pictures and stories of the heroes that have played a part in the birth of this organisation.” All of this is achieved through the grit and determination of a woman motivated by the need to help others going through a situation that she knows all too well. As is often the case, funding is sparse and to keep the projects going Matilda is now looking for financial and logistical support. This story was created in partnership with Heinrich Böll Foundation < 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