Javaza is a girl with a dream. The 14-year-old from Namibia wants to become a lawyer. “I want to grow up, be somebody, and help other people in return,” Javaza shared.
Mammadu, a non-profit in her home country, is helping students like Javaza get the education they need to pursue their dreams. Mammadu aims to be a safe place for children from the community whose parents might be working, abusing alcohol, or are deceased due to HIV/AIDS. Namibia’s HIV infection...
Megan Gieske
In the South African townships of Gqeberha, communities confront challenges on their way to success. They encounter high unemployment rates, lack of access to quality education, and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. And these challenges are exacerbated due to COVID-19.
The Eastern Cape, the province home to Gqeberha, has the highest unemployment rate in South Africa, a staggering 47.1%. Unlike its Western Cape neighbor, the Eastern Cape is a rural region. It’s far behind in the country’s fight for equal...
In Cape Town, South Africa, NewDay United has stepped up during the pandemic to make sure everyone has access to a bright future. As an after-school program, NewDay United is addressing some of the inequalities exacerbated by COVID-19 and helping children and young adults build a better future. They’re providing both hands-on learning and training, and tackling food security with homegrown solutions.
Here’s a look at how.
Giving students a second chance to learn
Abongile Bono, a 21-year-old from the township of...
Empowering the girls of today can create a better future for everyone, and that’s exactly what Techno Girl is trying to do. Working in collaboration with UNICEF South Africa, Techno Girl is a South African program that supports girls who are interested in pursuing careers in math, science, and technology. The program selects high school girls from disadvantaged communities to take part in mentorships, skills development workshops, and job shadowing in the STEM field.
“Being part of Techno Girl and...
In Cape Town, the team at the Women’s Legal Centre are champions of women’s rights and staunch defenders of women when they’re at their most vulnerable. They are at the forefront of changing South Africa’s legal landscape. And as South Africa’s only African feminist law centre for women’s rights, they are making huge strides, especially for black women.
“We call it ‘feminist activist lawyering,’” Seehaam Samaai, the centre’s director, said. “It’s very important for us to ensure that the courts,...
Every day, almost 20 million people in South Africa go to bed hungry. And every month, 30 million people don’t have enough money, leaving them vulnerable to food insecurity.
In Cape Town, community gardens and nonprofits are fighting this food insecurity by rescuing food waste, encouraging people to grow their own gardens at home, and fostering the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.
On this World Food Day, here’s a closer look at their work.
Bo-Kaap Helpers Garden: Building garden communities during COVID-19
Between...
To see a brighter future, young activists know that they can’t wait until tomorrow to start changing the world. Action has to happen now. In South Africa specifically, seven young girls are doing just that. Through education, climate action, and action against gender-based violence, these girls prove no one is too young to start changing the world.
On this International Day of the Girl, here’s a closer look at their activism.
On empowering girls through education
The afternoon sun shines brightly on...
Sparrow Society’s warehouse opens onto a street, south of the rush of downtown Cape Town, overlooking Muizenberg Mountain. It’s just blocks away from the sea.
The chattering of sewing machines accompanies the buzz of women working behind the shop, which sells 100% responsibly made, female-farmed coffee and African-inspired home goods and apparel. The afternoon light shines through the front windows, lighting the hands of women cutting, sewing, stitching, and packing.
“Just like the sparrow bird of our namesake, women are often...
COVID-19 cases in Africa hit a record high in July. South Africa had the highest officially recorded COVID-19 infections and deaths, with more than 2.5 million confirmed cases over the course of the pandemic, and over 75,000 deaths. In fact, South Africa accounts for almost 40% of all coronavirus-related deaths on the continent.
The blue line refers to South Africa’s total. Visit our Africa Tracker for more data.
The blue line refers to South Africa’s total. Visit our Africa Tracker for...
Megan Gieske is a storyteller and photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa.
With a country-wide unemployment rate of 32.6% and over 2.4 million confirmed cases as of August 2021, COVID-19 has been wreaking havoc on South Africa. And Johannesburg remains the epicenter of the virus’ spread.
In western Johannesburg, however, Queen of Hearts Circle, founded by Mariam Behr, has been stepping up to support community needs during the pandemic, raising awareness and educating the community on COVID-19 safety.
How Queen of Hearts...