Compassion put into action through African Footprints of Hope initiatives

In the rural town of Alice, now Dikeni, Nolitha Nkomana has quietly built a movement rooted in care, hard work and community spirit.

For over a decade, she has led African Footprints of Hope, a nonprofit organisation she founded in 2008 to support those most affected by poverty and unemployment in the Eastern Cape.

What started as a small effort to help children orphaned by HIV and Aids has grown into a lifeline for many families.

“When we began, our focus was on children who had lost their parents, but over time we saw that the challenges went far beyond that,” Nkomana said.

“Each community faces its own needs and we try to respond as they arise.”

Now African Footprints of Hope partners with organisations such as the Kolisi Foundation, FoodForward SA and the National Lotteries Commission to provide food parcels, baby food, sanitary towels and school uniforms.

The organisation also helps tackle unemployment by offering learnerships and internships through the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) and the Services Seta.

“We currently have 213 unemployed graduates in our programmes, 113 in administration, 100 in financial management and 40 in bricklaying and construction.”

From a converted house that serves as an office, boardroom and storage space, Nkomana and her small team coordinate a range of community projects aimed at improving living conditions and creating opportunities.

One of their most visible initiatives is the Thyume River cleanup and restoration project, launched with support from the National Lotteries Commission.

The campaign has since expanded to include cleaning the streets of Alice, providing work for 30 people while promoting environmental awareness.

In partnership with the Kolisi Foundation, the organisation supplies 66 monthly food hampers and groceries for eight community kitchens, including two in Qonce. These kitchens serve hundreds of people weekly, offering both nourishment and a sense of belonging.

“What keeps me going is the belief that we are here to make a difference, and we are blessed to be a blessing to others.”

Through consistent effort and collaboration, African Footprints of Hope has become more than just a non-profit — it is a community-driven force for change, proving that lasting progress starts with compassion put into action.