Mamelodi Initiative
based in Mamelodi Township, South Africa
Created in 2010, the Mamelodi Initiative in Mamelodi, South Africa provides young people with educational opportunities and resources while building local leadership. The Mamelodi Initiative effectively fosters the curiosity and imagination of the youth it works with -- helping empower them to be change-makers.
Mamelodi’s continued deep grassroots commitment to support the youth it serves, plus its volunteers, staff, and community, has shown meaningful long-term and short-term impacts on the lives of young people. The depth and breadth of Mamelodi’s academic and social programming, produced through community collaboration and offered throughout the year, has positively impacted the lives of many young persons in Mamelodi. Learners demonstrate increases in academic performance, they learn leadership and community organizing skills, and they become better equipped to handle challenging social situations.
In 2025 The Mamelodi Initiative will use its Creativity grant 1) to greatly expand its Youth Leadership Council – increasing the size to 100 students and creating a more expansive curriculum, 2) to continue to grow its computer programs and 3) to rent a physical office space to support the growing efforts of Mamelodi Initiative. The grant will also support two new interns who will be vital in ensuring Mamelodi’s success with grant related initiatives in 2025.
The Mamelodi Initiative was the brainchild of Creativity Foundation Legacy winner Richard Kelley.
