WE HARNESS THE POWER OF COLLABORATION AND ACTIVE CITIZENRY TO CO-CREATE THRIVING COMMUNITIES.

Ranyaka was established as a non-profit, urban planning consultancy in 2013 to develop transformative strategies for towns and neighbourhoods. We work hand-in-hand with residents, civil society entities, faith-based institutions, business, all levels of government, academic institutions and local change agents to co-create places where people can prosper – in every sense of the word. By mid-2020, we will be working in 13 communities in 8 towns across 7 provinces in South Africa – implementing the Nedbank Proud of my Town initiative.

PLACE MATTERS. Over ten decades collectively, our team has learnt first-hand 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 issues play out. When the eco-system is broken, well-intentioned investments and efforts fail to yield maximum returns.

PLACE IS NOT ENOUGH. Fixing physical spaces and broken systems is only part of the picture. We need to restore relationships, trust and the belief that things can change for the better. We need to connect the often disjointed efforts of those seeking to make a difference. We need to unlock the immense potential within communities and activate local change agents from within their midst.

PARTNERSHIP IS CRITICAL. We do not work alone – and we do not reinvent the wheel. We work in communities, with communities and alongside all those who are already investing time, energy and money in building resilience and bringing restoration. We believe in the power of active citizenry.

JOURNEY WITH US. South Africa is brimming with opportunity. Our under-resourced neighbourhoods and the local heroes who call them home truly have so much more to offer than the sum of their perceived brokenness.

We believe that together, restoration, resilience and growth are possible.