East London-based non-profit Ripples for Change is helping rural communities build better prospects through programmes including beekeeping courses, book drives, flood relief and youth empowerment initiatives.
Founded by Galit Cohan in 2013 and officially registered a year later, Ripples for Change now reaches more than 6,000 people across SA through five core initiatives, all designed to bring economic inclusion and dignity to under-resourced communities.
At the heart of its work is a simple but powerful idea: rural communities should not be left behind in SA’s development.
“If SA continues focusing and relying on urban areas there will be growth,” Cohan said.
“But if we include the rural areas, there will be no limit to the growth of our country.”
The 55-year-old founder, who also serves as the organisation’s director, works with a small but passionate team including project manager Robyn Mafanya, intern Imameleng Motsileng, and art co-ordinator Yanelisa Belinda Xabe.
The five flagship programmes are targeted at a wide range of age groups:
- Nana Abantwana supports early childhood development, donating books to rural schools, focusing on children up to the age of five.
- A visual arts programme for children aged six to seven fosters brain development and creativity. “We believe that art is not a luxury, but brain and skills development that needs to be encouraged,” Cohan said.
- A youth upskilling programme offers six-month training for 18 to 35-year-olds, to help secure permanent jobs.
- STEM Power, aimed at 18 to 25-year-olds, promotes access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning.
- The Ubuntu beekeeping mentorship, for rural women aged 18 to 65, trains participants in beekeeping, providing PPE and tools, and linking them to markets to sell their honey.
“We train them and when they progress, they are given access to the market to sell their honey,” Cohan said.
“Because they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills, they are even able to start their own businesses.”
For Veder Brown, a beekeeper from Nyara village in the Haga Haga region, who joined the programme in 2023, the results have been transformative.
“I am a beekeeper and I am mentoring 30 up-and-coming beekeepers between Nyara and Ngcizela villages,” she said.
Brown works with an unusual hybrid colony and produces raw honey and related products that “reflect the rich flavours of our region”.
Thanks to Ripples for Change, she now delivers “premium quality honey products that are both delicious and ethically sourced”.
By empowering women such as Brown through co-operatives such as Last Lap Honey, the initiative is creating sustainable livelihoods, protecting bee populations, and fostering environmental stewardship.
“We’ve transformed a personal legacy into a shared purpose-driven mission,” Brown said.
Cohan, who was nominated for a Daily Dispatch Local Hero Award by Phumeza Lusu, said the most rewarding part of her work was witnessing its real-world impact.
“It is nice to sit and plan things; but when you see the work and bring hope to people, it is something else,” she said.
“I work with incredible people all around who are doing well — that makes me happy.”
Lusu praised Ripples for Change as a “nonprofit organisation dedicated to strengthening rural communities by upskilling both individuals and local leaders to create long-lasting social and economic transformation”.
“In addition to working with children, the organisation is deeply invested in promoting food security and improving access to education for young people,” she added.
“This includes launching youth entrepreneurship programmes designed to equip rural youth with practical skills, improve their employability, and help them create sustainable livelihoods.”
The organisation also steps in during times of crisis.
“They played an active role in supporting flood victims in Mthatha, demonstrating their commitment to responding to urgent needs across the province while continuing to build resilience in rural communities,” Lusu said.
Daily Dispatch
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