WE CO-CREATE STRONGER PLACES AND THRIVING ECONOMIES.
Ranyaka is a South African non-profit organisation and professional Place-Based Practice working with communities, businesses, municipalities, funders and other partners to strengthen the places where people live, learn, work and do business.
Developed over more than a decade of on-the-ground practice, our THRIVE Framework grew from the conviction that lasting transformation requires a different approach: one that puts people, place and collaborative partnerships at the centre. The four pillars of THRIVE, Clubs, Hubs, Networks and a shared Platform, are some of the key mechanisms through which the framework takes shape in practice.
We bring people, knowledge, investment and practical solutions together to strengthen the economic, social and environmental conditions that help places become more productive, resilient and regenerative.
By the end of 2025, our work had reached 38 communities across 15 towns in 8 provinces in South Africa. This includes our role as national implementation agent for the Nedbank-funded Proud of My Town programme.
WE WORK WITH
PLACES
The place is our starting point.
No two places are the same. Every community has its own relationships, assets, businesses, institutions, challenges and opportunities.
We start by understanding the place – bringing together different disciplines, partners and resources around one shared purpose:
HELPING A PLACE FUNCTION BETTER,
WE WORK WITH
PEOPLE
We work with local stakeholders, strengthening change agents, facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration and integrating citizen-led initiatives into the over-arching strategy for the area.
Our objective is collective, as opposed to isolated impact.
THROUGH COLLABORATION, WE TACKLE WHAT IS WRONG AND UNLOCK WHAT IS STRONG.
WE WORK WITH
PIONEERING INVESTORS
We develop smarter ways of investing in societal transformation. Our objective is sustainability, real impact and maximum return on investment.
Nedbank’s Proud of my Town initiative which is a prime example of Ranyaka’s place-based framework and smart investment in action.
SMART INVESTMENT LOOKS BEYOND ISOLATED INTERVENTIONS.
Thinking out loud
Telling the story of why non-profits do what they do can be tricky business. After a while, the explanations seem to lose their impact in between all the jargon. There are only so many words and so many ways in which to string them together. So, sometimes one just has...
Place matters
The places where we live, learn, work and play every day matter. We believe that one cannot tackle deeply-rooted issues such as unsafe neighbourhoods, inequality, intergenerational poverty and rampant crime without starting with the backdrops against which these...
One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world
“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” - Malala Yousafzai Every day, this classroom is the backdrop against which young lives are shaped. Pictured here is one of the Early Childhood Development centres that form part of our programme in...
Do you see me?
Numbers can numb us. We hear big numbers about big problems. Hundreds of thousands victims of abuse, addiction and violence. Hundreds of thousands unemployed, unskilled and desperate. We hear the numbers, but the faces behind those numbers and the stories of those...
Joining forces to protect our children
Over the past few weeks, the Ranyaka team has had the privilege of working with several NGOs in Kayamandi to raise awareness around this year's Child Protection Week. This photo was taken at our first meeting and does not include everyone that now forms part of the...
Building resilience before fire season
Every winter, veld fires threaten lives, property, livestock and wildlife in the Magaliesburg region. This year, our local lead co-ordinator in the town, Ryan Marsden took the initiative to host a pre-fire season fun and training day. The day's programme included...
A boost for Boland Rugby
Last weekend, the community of Klapmuts was buzzing with excitement as 16 talented rugby teams from 11 primary schools across the Boland played their hearts out at the Klapmuts Sports Ground. This was the fourth annual Junior Rugby 7s tournament - established by...
Churches collaborating for change
“Unity creates influence and unity creates a voice. We cannot see transformation happen unless we have influence and a voice.” These powerful words are by Neil Hart, Executive Manager of Mergon Foundation, sponsors for the Church mapping workshop hosted by Ranyaka in...
A sporting chance
Sport unifies, energises and creates a healthy platform for community interaction. Last weekend, 16 cricket teams and 16 netball teams from Lantana participated in a four-day sport tournament organised by a local team of volunteers who are driving a sport programme...
Freedom Day – celebrating 25 years of democracy
"Cities (countries) have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody." - Jane Jacobs (paraphrased) Our participation in a democratic society should extend beyond casting a vote on election days. We...
Klapmuts Bootcamp on the move
Energy, passion, encouragement and plenty of laughter are all part of the experience at the Klapmuts bootcamp! Last week, the Ranyaka team had the privilege to watch this energetic and dedicated group of Klapmuts residents in action when we visited the bootcamp...
Safe spaces
Early Childhood Development is one of the ten programmes that forms part of Ranyaka's community transformation model. Over the next few weeks, Neil Cupido, registered Occupational Health and Safety Officer, will be installing fire extinguishers and safety signage at...
ABOUT US
In 1996, two young town planners from very different backgrounds reported for duty at a local municipality in Gauteng. Only two years had passed since the dawn of democracy in South Africa.
WHAT WE DO
Ranyaka works hand-in-hand with communities, local stakeholders, all levels of government and investors to develop and implement transformation strategies for towns and communities.
WHERE WE WORK
By mid-2020, Ranyaka will be working in 13 towns and neighbourhoods in 9 towns across seven provinces throughout South Africa. We focus mainly, but not exclusively, on under-resourced communities.