We’re sorry to see you go..
Where we started
I saw hope and wanted to be a part of that hope.”
In 1963, a 21-year-old speech therapist, Helen Lieberman, ventured into Langa searching for a prematurely discharged patient who had undergone oral surgery. The deprivation and poverty she encountered shocked her, lighting a flame in her heart that drove a sixty-year-long calling to bring about meaningful change for these township communities.
Thirty years later, in 1992, Ikamva Labantu was launched as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation carrying Helen’s vision into the future.
Where we are now
For over six decades, we worked in township communities to improve early childhood development, disability care, AIDS orphan foster homes, homeless shelters, schools, elderly care, micro-enterprises, food security and youth life skills development. Today, we focus on three development programmes: early childhood development, youth and parenting, and elderly care.
Early Childhood Development
We pioneered experiential training for ECD principals and practitioners, as a scalable way to grow quality preschools in communities that need them most. This has given over 21 500 children a foundation to fulfill their future potential.
534 Principals and Teachers
... graduated from our experiential ECD training programme between 2017 and 2023
Child, Youth and Parenting
We provide children with safe, nurturing afterschool care through our Afternoon Angel clubs. Youth can discover their purpose through sports and leadership at the clubs. While parents can access workshops to build stronger families.
1 890 School-aged children
... access safety, nurturing and nutritious meals at our Afternoon Angels Clubs
Older Persons
Our 17 community-led Senior Clubs provide township elders with dignity, improved health, and the potential to earn extra income. While our innovative "Umelwane" project (meaning "Friendly Neighbour") provides community-based rehabilitation care for immobile, frail elders.
1 940 Older People
... access better health and community through Senior Clubs and home-based elderly care