Harnessing and
expanding community
solutions

Nurturing the vulnerable at every stage of life

Community-based, women-led

In IsiXhosa, Ikamva Labantu means “the future of our people”.
For over 60 years, we have supported young children, adults, and elders within Cape Town’s most vulnerable township communities, whom we believe are inseparable from the future of South Africa.

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.

Empowering communities bound by generational poverty requires collaboration

How does an organisation empower thousands living in generational poverty across vast areas?

Here’s how:

Build strong foundations

Locate change-makers working with vulnerable groups,

Create support networks by bringing change makers together,

Train & employ community-based workers

Where we are now

534

Principals and teachers

Have graduated from our one-year experiential ECD training programme (2017 to 2023).

21,600

Children

Benefit from professionally trained principals, teachers, and preschools who are supported in becoming registered.

1,890

School-aged children

Are reached through our Afternoon Angels programme.

1,940

Older people

Are reached through senior clubs and home-based elderly care programmes.

The lives we change

For over six decades, we’ve worked 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 developing programmes that assist early childhood development(ECD), youth and parenting, and elderly care in the communities we serve.
Early childhood development
Early childhood development

Through our unique experiential training approach, we improve the quality of preschools and daycares in our communities, giving children an equal start alongside their more privileged peers.

Child, youth & parenting
Child, youth & parenting
We provide children safe and nurturing after school care, youth discover purpose through sports and leadership, and parents learn to build stronger families.
Older persons
Older persons
We offer two innovative programmes that ensure dignity and quality of life to the older people we support: one is club-based, and the other is a home care programme.

Real stories of hope from real people

Help us support some of South Africa's most vulnerable communities

Make a donation
Make a donation
Our donors provide hope for a better future by giving children the best possible start and ensuring the older persons we support live their lives in good health and companionship. You can contribute monthly or make a once-off donation; every bit of support goes a long way!
Give a gift of hope
Give a gift of hope
Do you have a special occasion coming up, like a birthday or wedding? Consider asking friends, family, and colleagues to donate to Ikamva Labantu in honour of your celebration. We'll notify the honoree(s) and send them a personalised e-card!
Help us fundraise
Help us fundraise
Are you looking to turn your next event into a tool for meaningful social change? Partner with us by organising a fundraising drive. Proceeds directly support our programmes, helping us create brighter futures for the communities we serve.

The communities we serve

We maintain a continuous presence in several townships around Cape Town.
Our focus is to uplift these communities through various social support programmes.

Khayelitsha
Gugulethu
Crossroads
Langa
Philippi
Nyanga
Dunoon
Wesbank
Delft
Kalkfontein
Show Places
Khayelitsha

Khayelitsha is among the largest South African townships and is well known for several social development challenges, including lack of access to healthcare and social services, high poverty, unemployment, crime, poor infrastructure and service delivery.

Gugulethu

Established in 1958, Gugulethu is among Cape Town’s oldest township communities. Among various other challenges, such as health and safety, the people of Gugulethu lack access to reliable social development workers, often due to the prevalence of crime.

Crossroads

Today, Crossroads continues to grapple with the legacies of Apartheid, suffering from a severe lack of resources and development, which hinders social development.

Langa

Langa is one of Cape Town’s oldest townships. We have a historical connection there, having been involved in community support since the inception of Ikamva Labantu over six decades ago.

Philippi

During apartheid, Philippi was a battleground in the armed struggle. Today, Philippi—historically called ‘Die Duine’ or ‘The Dune’— still faces poverty, unemployment, and overcrowding. This situation exacerbates the lack of social welfare and support available.

Nyanga

Many who have experienced Nyanga for themselves believe it is among the most unsafe townships in South Africa. Regardless, our mission is to reach the people of Nyanga who struggle to access basic human rights and essential social services.

Dunoon

Dunoon faces various socio-economic problems, from crime and a lack of police presence to poverty, unemployment, and a fundamental lack of funding for creches.

Wesbank

In the words of its residents, “Wesbank is like an island”, cut off from the broader economic and social flows of Cape Town. Unemployment, gangsterism, and substance abuse are all significant issues, highlighting the importance of our continued presence in the area.

Delft

Delft is often described as ‘ a place where ordinary people live in fear’. The community grapples with issues of high crime and unemployment, low school attendance rates, crumbling family structures and a lack of adequate social welfare systems.

Kalkfontein

Kalkfontein, like Delft, urgently needs support to ensure safety in its schools and childcare facilities. The area's high crime rate threatens the well-being and development of children and families, creating a hostile environment that stifles learning and growth.

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