Ifa Lethu Foundation – 10 year Review & Strategic Plan

Dr Narissa RamdhaniCEO Ifa Lethu Foundation

Setting the Scene for 10 Years

• Development Organisation• 10 years of youth and rural development• Contribution to local economy• Global & National Priorities– Millennium Development Goals– Mzansi’s Golden Economy– National Development Plan– Green Economy

South African – Cultural SceneGovernment & Corporate Support (Global Entrepreneurs Monitor)Catalyst for Economic Development

The Legacy of ApartheidQuality of Cultural ProductsTraining GlutLack of an enabling environmentYouth gaining access to economic opportunitiesFunding

Challenges

Ifa Lethu Foundation – 2005

Repatriation• Founded in 2005 to repatriate South African “lost” heritage

from struggle area• Largest heritage repatriation organization in South Africa• Repatriated over 501 works from 16 countries – ongoing

activities• The Heritage Collection is used to:

• Educate Children & Youth• Achieve Social Healing/Social Cohesion• Overcome Adversity• Global & Local Exhibitions• National Footprint

A Development Path 2008

• Creative Entrepreneurship

• Holistic Community Intervention

• Filling Niche areas – Fashion– Visual Art– Sculpture– Crafts– Fossilised Heritage

• Focusing on:– Youth & Rural Crafters

– Economy– Employment– Sustainability– Skills Transfer

Business Development

• Business Development in line with - Millennium goals; poverty allieviation- National Development plan; Innovation- Mzansi’s Golden Economy; Employment creation- Green Economy plans; environmental responsibility

Needs Analysis• Ifa Lethu assessed the needs in the youth/ community and are

currently addressing them, through the 5 phase programme• Developed in partnership with the School of Entrepreneurship

at the University of Pretoria• Mobile training Vehicle

Development Structure

• Phase I – Product development• Phase II – Business Development• Phase III – Life skills• Phase IV – Business Incubator & Mentorship –

Creative Hands• Phase V – Marketing and distribution model• Other benefits include infrastructure

development eg. Containers, project manager• A total value process – life skills, etc

Case Study 1 – Fossil Casting (Tshwane)

• 2009 First Fossil Casting workshop (sponsor - US Embassy)• 2010 Discovery of Sidiba by Prof Lee Berger• 2010 Second Fossil Casting Workshop• 2011 introduction of the 5 Phase programme• Unique, globally recognised initiative

Fossil Casting• Job creation :— 9 x U. Wits— 4 x Ditsong— “Fossils for Africa”— Social Entrepreneurs

William & Wilfred sold 4000 fossil cast to COP17 within the first month of trading

— A further 2000 for a conference in Germany a month later

— 2000 on order for the tourist shops at SA airports

— Further training for 30 rural unemployed youth

— Shop opened at Cradle of Humankind

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Case Study 2 – Soweto Business Incubator

• 2009 – Visual Arts workshop, with ‘struggle’ artist in the area – transfer skills & mentorship

• 2009 – Creative Entrepreneurship• 2010 – Business Training/ Life Skills• 2010 – The concept of Moxy was born• 2011 – Incubator phase/ Mentoring• 2015 – Marketing and distribution

Case Study 3 – Ngove Village - Limpopo

• Mobile Training• 2011 - 2013 – 5 Phase programme - Start to

successful trading • Recycling and the Green Economy• This group is currently trading internationally• Challenges

Case Study 4 – Clarens

• 2014 – 2015• Excellent Community involvement• Shop to be opened • Business Skills• Creative Skills upskilling to export quality• 60 Learners• Disabled Learners• Transfer of Indigenous

Knowledge

Michael Selekane – Youth Ambassador

• Discovered at Mabopane Workshop 2007

• Africa’s Picasso• BTech in Fine & Applied

Arts funded by Ifa Lethu• Now a Global Youth

Ambassador for Ifa Lethu

• Solo Exhibitions – Grahamstown, Sandton & Pretoria Art Museum,

• Guiding & training other youngsters – special needs, Soshanguve

Ifa Lethu Foundation 2005/2015

• Youth Employment: 2800• Young Business: 800• Ambassadors: 60• Repatriation 510• Entrepreneurship projects 8 pa• Educational Projects (Global & National) 5pa• Building the brand in South Africa and abroad• Business Incubators and Infrastructure development• Distribution model Nationally and Internationally• South Africa’s Largest Repatriation & Creative Entrepreneurial

Development effort

Strategic Business Plan 2015 – 20186 Pillars of Operations

6 Pillars of Operation

1. Employment creation, Community upliftment, and Skills Development: the Foundation’s programmes are primarily aimed at poverty stricken areas, disadvantaged and unemployed youth with strong creative talent, and imparting both creative and business skills

2. Financial Investment: Ifa Lethu will act as a development force for economic growth and financial investment

3. Indigenous knowledge: the Foundation has invested considerable resources in rural areas to ensure the creative and heritage indigenous knowledge of our crafters is not lost, but passed to future generations in perpetuity

4. Advocacy & Outreach: This area of operation includes our own peoples as well as carrying the messages of Human rights and Democracy advocacy arising out of repatriated heritage content. This takes the form of speaking engagements, global collaborations and exhibitions both locally and internationally

5. Education: We have an extensive education programme in both the visual arts and human rights areas and we deliver this from primary to tertiary levels, often using our own emerging artists. It also includes exposure to the repatriated materials, fossil casting and other creative skills. We are particularly involved in an Art as Therapy programme

6. Repatriation: To date, Ifa Lethu has repatriated over 500 art works taken out of the country during the struggle era. These powerful works continue to inspire our youth as well as audiences across the globe.

Vision & MissionVision

•To be a leader in the creative sector in South Africa, and a development force for economic growth, financial investment, employment creation and youth and community upliftment.

Mission

•The Ifa Lethu Foundation promotes partnerships and initiatives that focus on Enterprise Development, Indigenous Knowledge Transfer, Preservation and Promotion of South Africa’s cultural heritage and Human Rights Education.

•This is achieved through the creation of programmes devoted to the economic upskilling of youth and communities in the creative and cultural sectors; and it provides opportunities for the preservation of SA’s future cultural legacy.

Today’s Governance Structure

OBJECTIVES 2015 – 2018•Train approx. 160 individuals per year

•Expand the footprint of Ifa Lethu to all 9 provinces in SA by 2018

•Create 4 new businesses annually

•Reintroduce fashion into the skills training programmes

•Create sustainability in 4 rural communities annually by upskilling , business

training and transfer of indigenous knowledge

•Introduce an indigenous oral history programme by 2016

•Provide 2 Internships at the Foundation per year

•Place 10% of trainees in alternative employment

•By 2018, set up a Creative Entrepreneurship Fund.

Funding

• Current project funders:– Absa– US Aid– Aus Aid– Gauteng Tourism Authority

• Challenges:No funding for core business – admin,

operations, staff.

Dr Narissa Ramdhaninramdhani@ifalethu.org.za

Tel: +27 12 346 2985www.ifalethu.org.za