2024 Fall Campaign
Support a new generation of changemakers in South Africa
Two-thirds of children in South Africa live in poverty and lack access to the educational and health support they need and deserve.
As they transition into adulthood, young South Africans face the highest unemployment rate in the world, constraining their opportunities to build a positive future.
Over the last 20 years, Even Ground has partnered with community-based organizations working to interrupt this cycle through high-impact health, education, and youth empowerment solutions. Our partners programs have reached tens of thousands of young South Africans and their families.
The results of this long-term commitment are tangible in the lives of the children, young people, families, and communities reached by Even Ground’s partner programs. It also shines through the stories of young people who have grown from program beneficiaries to changemakers for other children in their communities.
In 2024, Even Ground’s partners supported 7,066 children and young people.
Two-thirds of children in South Africa live in poverty and lack access to the educational and health support they need and deserve. As they transition into adulthood, young South Africans face the highest unemployment rate in the world, constraining their opportunities to build a positive future.
Over the last 20 years, Even Ground has partnered with community-based organizations working to interrupt this cycle through high-impact health, education, and youth empowerment solutions. Our partners programs have reached tens of thousands of young South Africans and their families.
The results of this long-term commitment are tangible in the lives of the children, young people, families, and communities reached by Even Ground’s partner programs. It also shines through the stories of young people who have grown from program beneficiaries to changemakers for other children in their communities.
These powerful stories of generational impact highlight the importance of long-term support to community-based organizations that foster ripples of change that expand from children to families to communities to societies.
In 2024, Even Ground’s partners supported
7,066 children and young people.
Young Changemakers'
Stories
As teachers, mentors, and leaders of Even Ground partner projects, a new generation of changemakers are amplifying change and fostering community-led and sustainable programs.
Watch their stories here:
The Story of
AUDREY FROM BRAVE
At 25, warm and determined Audery February is one of three powerful young women at the helm of the girl leadership organization Brave, located in one of the most violent communities in South Africa. Ten years ago, while on a Brave retreat, the three made a promise to each other to continue this work for other young women in their community, a commitment they’ve now realized through their active mentorship of more than 100 teenage girls.
Impact Pathway: Youth Development
Young people in South Africa face many adversities that constrain their opportunities in life. These include a poor quality education system and limited opportunities for mentorship, support, and skills development to prepare them for employment. The situation is even worse for young women, who face some of the highest rates of gender-based violence and HIV in the world as well as very high rates of teen pregnancy.
Even Ground supports projects like Brave, Kgololo, and Thanda that help young people to develop the agency and capacity they need to make healthy life decisions and thrive. Brave fosters a girl-led movement that has provided leadership training and skills development to more than 500 girls and young women in the past 13 years. Their impact shines through the increased resilience to trauma, increased self-confidence, and improved school attendance, performance, and attitude amongst the girls they support.
Even Ground has supported Brave since 2019.
The Story of
QINISO FROM THANDA
At just 21 years old, Qiniso Xolisani Cele is a dynamic Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher and skateboard enthusiast who brings boundless energy and creativity to his classroom at Thanda in KwaNzimakwe. Qiniso came to Thanda as a child in need of a space for learning as well as a new vision for his future. Now, in his new role as a young male educator in a field dominated almost entirely by women, Qiniso embraces the opportunity to serve as a role model for other young boys in his community.
Impact Pathway: Early Childhood Education
By age five, 90% of a child’s brain is already developed, so ensuring that children attend a preschool for ages 3-5 is essential for supporting their learning development. Unfortunately, only 40% of children in South Africa have access to early childhood development (ECD) programs.
Even Ground supports projects like Thanda that work to ensure high-quality ECD programs are within reach for all children and families in South Africa. In 2024, Even Ground’s partner organizations Thanda, Siyabonga, and True North supported 2,043 children through preschool programs, ensuring they will be on track to start school.
Even Ground has supported Thanda since they began in 2008.
The Story of
NOSIPHO FROM SIYAKWAZI
Nosipho Gasa is a dedicated disability justice advocate and area manager with Siyakwazi, determined to transform perspectives on disability in her community. Growing up in Mzimhlophe, Nosipho’s journey led her back home to work first as a volunteer for children with disabilities. Through working closely with young children with disabilities and their families, Nosipho has become a fierce and committed leader and advocate for children with disabilities in her own community and beyond.
Impact Pathway: Health and Inclusion
In South Africa, more than half a million children with disabilities have been shut out of the country’s education system due to stigma, lack of supportive services, and economic and social inequalities.
Even Ground supports projects like Siyakwazi, where children with disabilities receive therapy, services, and support to enable their holistic development. In 2024, Siyakwazi provided therapy and tailored specialized interventions to address the needs of 144 children with disabilities and their families, doubling the number of children reached in 2022. Siyakwazi staff also conduct more than 3,500 home visits annually for children with disabilities.
Even Ground has supported Siyakwazi since 2018.