Five extraordinary individuals have been honoured at the prestigious annual Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards at the Waterfront in Cape Town today, including a 13-year-old musical protégé, a dairywoman from KwaZulu-Natal and international dance sensation Paul Modjadji.
The gala event, which has established itself as the Oscars of the Philanthropy sector over the past nine years, was initiated by Inyathelo: The South African Institute for Advancement to acknowledge, celebrate and honour those whose personal giving has contributed towards sustainable social change in our country.
The following individuals were presented with awards:
Internationally-acclaimed choreographer, dance sensation and Director of Dare to Dream, Paul Modjadji, is the recipient of the 2015 Inyathelo Award for Philanthropy in the Arts.
Paul’s passion for the arts is matched only by his dedication and commitment to uplifting young talent from the townships across South Africa.
He established the Dare to Dream Foundation five years ago with the intention of empowering young people to follow their own dreams by offering free art, drama and leadership programmes to disadvantaged youngsters in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria where he grew up. Since then, he has reached over 10 000 young people across South Africa.
A two-time world dance champion, Paul was honoured in August this year by US President Barak Obama who presented him with the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship Young African Leaders Award at a ceremony in Washington.
Over the past two years, Paul has been crowned top dancer globally by the New York based Talent America Showcase and he has made history by being crowned the first African dancer to win the European Star Dance Union World Championships.
Paul’s next project is to raise funds to build dance academies in our townships.
13-year-old pianist and community activist, Tyrone Aaron, is the recipient of the 2015 Inyathelo Award for Children in Philanthropy.
Tyrone’s passion for the piano was ignited by his musician father when he was just six. He started on the keyboards and within a few years he was composing his own songs. Just before his 10th birthday, Tyrone heard about the possible closure of an organisation that cares for people with intellectual disabilities. He was so moved by their plight that he asked his mother to organise a concert to raise funds for the home. The concert raised R25,000.
The young musical protégé has continued to hold concerts for children in difficult circumstances. Tyrone has assisted children who suffered during the xenophobia crisis as well as the Marakana mining strikes by providing them with warm clothing and shoes.
Tyrone recently raised over R45 000 for the Sabi Sands Conservation Trust and Rhino SA after reading about the brutal killing of more rhinos by poachers in Mpumalanga. He is due to release a CD of original songs later this year, including a song about the rhinos which he hopes will help create awareness and raise funds for those working to stop the ongoing slaughter.
Howick dairywoman and Founder of the Future Farmers Foundation, Judy Stuart, is the recipient of the 2015 Inyathelo Award for Philanthropy in Economic Development.
It all started nine years ago in 2006 when Judy initiated an informal farming apprentice-placement programme for disadvantaged learners from Zakhe Agricultural College in KwaZulu-Natal. She organises for young people to serve an apprenticeship on a commercial farm and finds placements for the best students on globally competitive farms around the world. On their return to South Africa, Judy assists them to find jobs with local farmers.
Many young people without the necessary resources for further study have benefitted from the ‘earn-as-you-learn’ opportunities created by Judy’s foundation, with many now in senior management positions on large commercial farms both in South Africa and abroad. The young farmers are asked to contribute to the Future Farmer’s programme when they start earning so that the opportunity for learning is available to young people every year.
Human Rights Lawyer and Founder of The X Foundation, Nonkululeko Xulu, is the recipient of 2015 Inyathelo Award for Philanthropy in Education.
Nonkululeko (Lulu) has a passion to uplift and empower disadvantaged youngsters by providing them with bursaries and the necessary resources they need to support their studies. Like many South Africans, she believes education is one of the pathways out of poverty.
Established five years ago, the foundation specifically targets children in Grades 1 to 12 from Umlazi in KwaZulu-Natal where Lulu grew up. Each of her beneficiaries are awarded a bursary that provides for school fees, uniforms and stationery for a whole year.
Lulu also ensures the youngsters get the necessary support they need to succeed and enjoy their schooling years by providing food parcels as well as health, fitness and life skills training and advice.
Life Coach and Founder of Project Ignition, Shamillah Wilson, is the recipient of the 2015 Inyathelo Award for Women in Philanthropy.
Shamillah established the project three years ago to provide leadership training to disadvantaged youngsters between the ages of 16 and 22 in the Western Cape. Her programme aims to help unleash the passion, potential and power of young people who live with the daily realities of hunger, drugs, gangsterism, poverty and violence.
Shamillah uses coaching principles and mentorship as part of her annual skills development programme aimed at giving young people the necessary knowledge and confidence to make a success of their lives. She funds the programme through her own private business coaching consultancy.
Shamillah is also a founding Board Member of the Youth Against AIDS Network, Founding Chairperson of Sonke Gender Justice Network and has been an Advisor to the Global Fund for Women and the African Women’s Development Fund for almost 10 years.
Inyathelo Executive Director Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge says all of the awardees demonstrate initiative and leadership, and have used their personal funds in a strategic way to make a difference. “Philanthropy is dependent on the interest, passion, commitment, generosity and foresight of individuals like those we have honoured today. Our awards seek to inspire others to give by recognising the incredible role models that live and work amongst us. We believe philanthropists play a critical role in effecting real systemic change as they are able to support more innovative and often unconventional solutions to our numerous social, environmental and economic challenges in South Africa,” explains Madlala-Routledge.
Over ninety philanthropists from very different backgrounds have so far been honoured with Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards, including Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu; 10-year-old rhino campaigner Afeefah Patel; Founder of the Hope Warriors Children’s Charity Patrick Mashanda; former Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University Dr Saleem Badat; Paul Bruns who set up a project to rehabilitate convicted offenders; Co-Founders of the Spread Luv Movement, Kgomotso Mokoena and Alice Wamundiya; a former car guard from Rwanda who established an organisation to provide tertiary education for refugees.
Madlala‐Routledge says individual or private giving is now the second biggest source of income for civil society organisations and anchor institutions like universities. “I believe anyone can be a philanthropist. South Africa is a nation of givers. The spirit of Ubuntu is ingrained in us all. It really doesn’t matter how much you give, it’s what you are able to achieve with what you share that really counts. Growing philanthropy in support of our civil society and higher education institutions will help strengthen our democracy and realise its fruits for those who have been excluded and marginalised. We hope the passion, commitment, generosity and vision demonstrated by all our awardees will inspire others in South Africa to go out and make a difference,” says Madlala‐Routledge.
