FUNDER

Rand Merchant Bank

PARTNERS

Ikamva Labantu is an organisation that is committed to creating sustainable socio-economic change in Cape Town’s township communities. By working hand-in-hand with community members, they seek to empower individuals and communities to become self-sufficient through the provision of training, support and resources.

The Amy Biel Foundation draws breath and inspiration from Amy, the founder and her example. It is a creation of family and friends who loved her in life, and is now extended by many hundreds of new friends – young and old – who want to make a constructive difference in their world and who enjoy doing this in Amy’s name

ASSITEJ South Africa is a registered NPO (066-875), which operates as a networking platform for people working with or interested in theatre for children and young people. It aims to promote and foster high quality theatre for children and young people, to raise standards within the industry, to increase access and awareness, to be an advocate for the right of every child to arts education in schools, and to build relationships within the sector locally, nationally, across the continent and globally.

VPUU is an area-based community development programme that aims at safe and integrated communities, citizenship, pride and the improvement of quality of life for the residents in local neighbourhoods through a comprehensive range of urban improvements and social interventions.

As a trusted catalyst for lifelong learning, Radio Zibonele public broadcasting engages and enriches our community through distinctive programmes and services. Radio Zibonele strives to be the best community radio station in the peninsula region, responsive to community needs and development through public broadcasting.

ABOUT

In 2016, Our Story Your Story harnessed the power of storytelling, an ancient form of creative expression, to bridge intergenerational divides between young people and elders, integrate arts education within existing school curricula by engaging educators in Khayelitsha, Western Cape and conduct an intercultural storytelling workshop with the Mandela Dialogues.  Learners, educators, youth artist facilitators and elders shared their personal narratives through interactive arts education workshops and storytelling performances as a tool for learning and community development.

FEEDBACK FROM BENEFICIARIES & PARTNER

“This OSYS teaches us how to take out what’s inside and express it outside… and then I realised that actually what is going on inside of me, even though I have a disability outside, other people also feel on the inside. When I performed in front of the audience, and heard others tell their own stories, I got that Our Story is Your story. Before that I was a person with a disability… now I’m proud of my ability.”
– Sabelo (name changed for privacy)

“When I was on stage performing my story I could not feel it for myself, but then my niece showed me a video which she took of me while performing, I was amazing! I could not believe that it was me who was doing that amazing job. Usually I’m a shy person but now I believe in myself.”
– Elder Mam’ Miriam

“The story I told is something I’ve always been thinking, something on my mind. I’ve always wanted to share this story especially with the youth as this is the way we grew up during oppression time and they must know how we grew up. But not only the youth in the workshop who heard my story. Things even changed at home. My grandchildren would be like ‘Granny, tell us the story you performed’. My own life story is much more fun than some of the fairy tales I used to tell them. I would mention items which were present in our times which are not now. They would be curious about them and ask ‘What is that granny? Tell us more.’”
– Ntombi (name changed)

“We have this space just for ourselves where we managed to create a small immediate family so quickly in one morning… it’s amazing how we can feel their stories and their empathy like they are with you every step of the way which is so precious – I am really touched to the bones of my being with this experience.”
– Mandela Dialogues participant