Transforming communities is not a solo expedition. It takes a team, a shared vision and a willingness to collaborate. In Polokwane, we are excited about the buy-in from community members and local stakeholders – the real drivers of change on the ground.

Earlier this month, the Proud of my Town/Ranyaka team hosted a Polokwane Community Engagement breakfast at the Capricorn District Municipality Council Chamber. 31 stakeholders joined us for an overview of the work done by the Nedbank-funded Proud of my Town (PoMT) programme in Mankweng so far – as well as to envision the road ahead.

The objective is to expand our network of stakeholders in the broader Polokwane area, harness additional local resources and also expand the reach of the PoMT programme outside of Mankweng.

A good mix of stakeholders were in attendance, representing various sectors in the NGO and NPO space, as well as young entrepreneurs, amongst others, social entrepreneurs involved in farming and hosting agricultural workshops for the benefit of their communities.

Several organisations expressed the need to host financial education workshops in the area, following a presentation done by Nedbank’s Gert Adams.

Ranyaka will be facilitating a DNA mapping session in the area to determine which areas outside of Mankweng should be the next focus area moving forward. Support of existing projects will, of course, continue!

Thank you to all the stakeholders who have embarked on this collective journey and who are doing great work in bringing restoration and growth to the communities of Polokwane.