Lelethu [It's Ours]
Ubunye's Vision for 2021-2026
Where Communities Lead
in pursuing Sustainable Development that builds Resilience to Climate Change
Communities Lead
Communities are central to the planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes. They manage programmes with Ubunye through the Community Advisory board and Programme Working Groups
Community leadership is in-built into the structure of Ubunye. All our programmes include both community members and staff in Programme Working Groups. Their role is to identify and prioritise what projects Ubunye will focus on, then guide implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Support Sustainable Development
All Ubunye’s programmes are centred on the Sustainable Development Goals. With communities, Ubunye works to ensure that all programme activities contribute to the longevity and vitality of life in these rural areas.
Our programmes are linked to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each programme is monitored and evaluated using the same Sustainable Development Goal indicators - contributing to the global endeavour.
Resilience to Climate Change
Running through all Ubunye’s Programmes is managing and mitigating the challenge of climate change. Each activity considers and acts against potential negative impact on the environment
Together, Ubunye builds ‘green’ businesses, fosters knowledge and care of the environment among youth and ensures a focus on healthy living of all community members.
Context & People
Ubunye works with communities in the
Ngqushwa and Makana Muncipalities of
South Africa’s Eastern Cape province
Ubunye Foundation works alongside communities in Nqgushwa Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Nqushwa is bounded by the Great Fish River to the East and the Indian Ocean to the South and comes under Amathole District.
Ubunye started working with communities in the Ndwayana village area in 2002, supporting women who wanted to set up local childcare facilities. Since then Ubunye has grown into a community partnership with rural communities covering 5 wards (Wards 6,7,8, 9 and 10), over 45 ECD centres, more than 80 savings/livelihoods groups and an MOU with the Department of Health centering on community health in 5 Primary Health Care clinics.
Ubunye also works with communities in Fort Brown village of neighbouring Makana Municipality, Sarah Baartman District.
'Leaky Bucket' Financial planning tool
Based on indicators around health , education, living standards and economic activitiy, 12.7% of people in the Eastern Cape are classifeid as living in poverty (878,000 people). The intensity of that poverty is experienced more by people in this province that any other in South Africa (StatsSA 2019)
In Ngqushwa, with a population of around 64,000 people, youth (15-34 years) unemployment was 64.1%, putting it in the top 6 municipalities with rates over 50% in the country (StatsSA Community Census 2016). The institute of Race Relations using a comfort/deprivation index rated Ngqushwa as the 2nd poorest Municipality in South Africa with 90.2% of households earning less than R1600 per month (IRR 2016).
Focus for Sinako
(Savings & Livelihoods)
Focus for Isisekhelo
(Education for Life)
For youth aged between 15-17 years the average annual income only reaches R2 400. 10% of these youth are head of households. Although nearly all children do go to school at some time between 5-17 years, only 59% achieve Grade 9 and a minority of them, 26.7% reach matric. For younger children, education facilities are extremely limited. Recent figures show that over a third of children under 5 years (126,342 children) are unable to access any ECD education in Amatole District (DSD, 2018).
Glenmore Educare Centre learners
Land close to Ndwayana village
Focus for Sinako
(Green Business)
Ngqushwa Municipality have been devastated by a 5-year long drought which has left all the communities dependent on intermittent water supplied by the Municipality via stand pipes and more recently via water tankers. Grazing for domestic cattle, donkeys and even for pigs and goats has mostly been depleted as the land has dried out and land erosion has taken over. As livelihoods and even subsistence farming has become more difficult migration towards urban centres: Makhanda, Port Elizabeth and into the Western Cape has quadrupled leaving only the elderly and the very young behind.
Focus for Masiphile (Health & Wellness)
HIV and TB have devastated communities in South Africa. An estimated 13.5% of the total population, over 7.97 million people are living with HIV. A fifth of South Africa women aged between 15-49 years are HIV positive (StatsSA Mid Year Population estimate 2019). From 2010, the prevalence of HIV has continued to rise in the Eastern Cape with 13.04% of the popuation now living with HIV. 61% of those diagnosed with HIV are on treatment and only 48.4% are taking their medication regularly (MacDonell,S. Low, M. 2019)
It is estimated that around 80% of people in South Africa are infected with TB. In 2018, TB remained the leading casue of death with a total of 63,000 people dying of TB, 42 000 of them were HIV positive. In 2015, Sarah Baartman district in the Eastern Cape had the highest TB incidence for the entire country (TBFact.org)
Field Officer Luleka Kondlo and community member, Nomfuso Mashini presenting Ubunye's Health Programme at the Durban AIDS Conference
Ubunye Family Tree
The Tree of Ubunye represents the heart of our organization - our people. Each branch symbolizes one of our key programs, with the dedicated team members who bring them to life. Hover over the leaves to learn more about the individuals behind our work, from program facilitators to management and trustees. Together, we grow, nurture, and strengthen communities.
Isisekelo
(Education for Life)
Masiphile
(Health & Wellness)
Lumka Gedze
Community Facilitator
“I'm Lumka Gedze from Wesley Location, Peddie. I passed my matric in 2006 at Matomela Senior Secondary School. I'm vibrant, curious to learn new things and I'm working for Ubunye for being a light to our communities who are growing to their businesses to become worthy for the future.”
Lime Badu
Training Coordinator
“My name is Lime Badu. I am the Training Coordinator. I'm passionate about
youth, getting to understand how they do things and being able to have impact
in their lives through Life Skills training.”
Bulelwa Ganca
Program Manager & Health Program Coordinator
“I'm Bulelwa Ganca, a Program Manager and a Health Program Coordinator at Ubunye Foundation. I started working for Ubunye Foundation in 2007, my passion is in community development.”
Sinako
Asiphe Madoli
Community Facilitator
“I am a Community Facilitator in the Sinako team. I love working for Ubunye Foundation because it brings opportunities, light, and hope to our villages.”
Thozama Mabe
PWG member
“I'm Thozama Mabe from Hlosini. I passed my matric in at Zimlindile high. I became a fashion designer. I became a PWG member because i love planting vegetables very much.”
Nothengeni Miriam Nkune
PWG member
“I'm Nothengeni Miriam Nkune from Ndlovini. Former student at Moyakhe.
I became a PWG member because I promise to work with my team pushing ‘one vision, one goal’.”
Ntombekhaya Gonise
PWG member
“Hello, I'm Ntombekhaya Gonise, residing in Gwalana location. I pursued my higher education at Njokweni and acquired specialized training in sewing. As a dedicated community servant and entrepreneur, selling clothing to locals, I'm honored to have been elected as a member of PWG, where I can further contribute to the community's growth and development.”
Andiswa Rodolo
PWG member
“I'm Andiswa Rodolo - a proud resident of Maxhegweni - with a passion for sewing and community empowerment. I'm thrilled to be part of the PWG team, where I can leverage my skills to drive innovative community development and contribute to meaningful progress.”
Lindiswa Ntlokwana
Assistant Programme Coordinator
“I am Lindiswa Ntlokwana from New Creation, Peddie. After completing my matric, I ventured into entrepreneurship, starting my own small business. Now, I'm proud to work for Ubunye Foundation, driven by a passion to empower rural communities and provide them with constructive support, inspired by my own roots and experiences.”
Nomaphelo Hoyi
PWG member
“I am Nomaphelo Hoyi, I live in Glenmore location. I enjoy drawing, interested in sewing and staying up to date with the latest development in Primary industry. I joined PWG as I wanted to persue my sewing goal.”
Ntombizodwa Kama
PWG member
“My name is Ntombizodwa Kama and I am from Ndlambe Village in Peddie. I am a PWG member for Sinako because I was trained how to run a business and I am now a small business owner.”
Fort Brown
Olwethu Mkalipi
ECD practitioner
“My Name is Olwethu Mkalipi, I was born and grew up in Makhanda). I went to Ntaba Maria Primary School and further went to Nombulelo Senior Secondary School, then chased different opportunities as being a Sales consultant, ECD volunteer, housekeeper etc. I chose working for Ubunye Foundation because it shares the same goals - of achieving a better, friendlier environment and brighter future for kids and adults.”
Thuliwa
Cook
I am Thuliwa. I grew up in Fort Brown Farm and went to school at Fort Brown. I work at Fort Brown, planting vegetables in a huge garden, and now I'm the cook at the preschool for children. I cook for 13 children everyday & make sure veg is always in the planters. I like my work.
Mzo Kleinbooi
PWG member
“I’m Mzo Kleinbooi from Fort Brown farm. I love Environmental Education. I’m working for Ubunye because the organisation is helping communities for skills development.”
Nomatamsanqa Dimaza
ECD practitioner
“My name is Nomatamsanqa Dimaza I grew up in Makhanda. I went to Samuel Ntlebi Primary School and futher went to Ntsika Secondary School, I was a cleaner and then ECD practitioner. I chose working for Ubunye Foundation to help the children to grow, play and learn, nurturing them as if they are my own.”
Vukile Yawa
PWG member
“I am Vukile Yawa. I was born here at Fort Brown. I like work, I like to read. Ubunye is a company that is working close to the people.”
Tamara Maqoko
PWG member
“I am Tamara Maqoko.
I'm living at Fort Brown. I am an easy person, I like to talk with people and tell jokes sometimes. I joined Ubunye Foundation because I have a passion that Ubunye can do whatever I wish for my community to have.”
Nomonde Mdoko
School Governing Board member
“I am Nomonde, a parent who became a meal server at Fort Brown Primary School. Now that Ubunye is working with us it’s doing great things like providing children with fruit everyday in after-school class and doing sport for children on weekends - trying to take them away from doing the wrong things.”
Nomthandazo Mboyi
PWG member
“I am Nomthandazo Mboyi. I am living on Fort Brown Farm. I am an easy person, I like to talk jokes, I like Ubunye Foundation. I needed afternoon classes so I joined Ubunye Foundation.”
Phumla Mani
Fort Brown School, School Governing Board member.
“I am Phumla Mani. I grew up at Fort Brown and started school there. I became SGB member at Fort Brown Primary school. Ubunye works very hard to help our children with homework by doing after-school classes.”
Uthando
Yendella
Nondumiso Qamba
PWG member
“My name is Nondumiso Qamba, a member of Yendella's PWG. I've joined PWG because I'm working at Dragon fruit project, working for Buffalo Kloof helping Yendella to grow. Hoping that the fruit will have a big impact in Yendella community.”
Zithobele Ncanywa
PWG member
“I'm Zithobele Ncanywa, a PWG member at Yendella. I joined PWG because I'm one of the Boar Goats Project members, I joined PWG because I wanted to make Yendella a better community.”
(Savings & Livelihoods)
Board of Trustees
Management
Name?
Finance Manager
I am the Finance Officer for Ubunye. Originally from JHB, I have a finance management and accounting background. My family of 5 moved here in 2015 & bought a piece of land to practice permaculture & live sustainably. After moving here, I was asked to assist Ubunye in the temporary role of a Finance Officer. A year later I was recruited permanently and enjoy the role I play in community education, health and sustainability with the most wonderful team led by Katy Pepper, who encourages personal and social growth. I am forever grateful to be part of the Foundation and look forward to many more years of participation and growth.
Administration Staff
Coming Soon!
Coming Soon!
Coming Soon!