Build a youth center in South Africa!

This past Spring I had the privilege to visit the children and community members of Lavender Hill, a neighborhood near Cape Town, South Africa, that is afflicted with some of the highest rates of unemployment (60%), gang violence, drug abuse, and gender-based violence in the entire country, a result of systematic racial segregation under Apartheid. Not only was I was deeply touched by the heartbreaking stories from these children, but I was uplifted by the dreams and stories of hope they hold.

I'm fundraising to help Rise Above Development (RAD) build a community center for the arts in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in South Africa. I am humbly asking you to donate to this fundraiser to help us build solar panels to help run the youth center, as rolling blackouts in the area result in a lack of reliable power.

Background on Lavender Hill

Under Apartheid, which afflicted South Africa until the 1990s, the white minority government enforced laws that systematically denied basic human rights for nonwhites, such as the right to vote, the right to own property, and the right to education. Nonwhites were forcibly relocated to "townships" far from city centers, such as Lavender Hill, where local governments provided little to no investment in infrastructure, education, and public transportation.

Many regions of South Africa still bear deep scars from this long-term systematic segregation and discrimination, including Lavender Hill.

Background on RAD

RAD is a youth community center opened in the heart of Lavender Hill in January 2023. The Rise Above Development is driven by a single goal; to uplift, educate and inspire the youth of Lavender Hill. RAD aims to bring arts, education, music and sports programs to the youth of the community to reduce gang recruitment and keep youth away from drugs and violence. RAD currently welcomes around 80 youth a day in their after-school programs.

See below for a short film on RAD and the Lavender Hill community. See here for RAD's website.

Our fundraiser

RAD is looking to raise much needed funds to help the organization through to the end of 2023. Key milestones for 2023 include completion of roofing structures ($25K), construction of a security perimeter fence, and installation of solar panels ($26K) to provide more hours of lighting (the region is subject to rolling blackouts and unreliable grid infrastructure). This fundraiser aims to contribute to the cost of the solar panels ($26,000 USD), although much more is required to get the community center up and running ($145,000 USD) total.