I never expected to be moved to tears by a foundation visit, but that’s exactly what happened when I stepped through the doors of the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation (KMF) in Houghton, Johannesburg, South Africa.
The moment I arrived, I witnessed something extraordinary: young faces from Forte Secondary School in Soweto and Westbury Secondary School lighting up with possibility as they experienced technologies many had never seen before.
Gugu Motlanthe, the foundation’s Executive Trustee and wife of former President Kgalema Motlanthe, greeted me warmly. “What drives us,” she told me, her eyes reflecting both determination and compassion, “is bridging the educational divide in our nation. We are intentional about empowering our youth who have been left behind.”
As I walked through the bustling facility, I saw Grade 11 students hunched over robotics kits, their fingers dancing across keyboards as they learned coding principles that could transform their futures. In another room, teens who had never imagined themselves as content creators were learning podcast production, their voices finding strength with each word they spoke into professional microphones.
One young girl caught my attention. Her hands trembled as she adjusted her headphones in the podcast studio. When her turn came to speak, she began confidently but suddenly stopped, overcome with emotion. Tears streamed down her face as she explained that she never believed she would have such an opportunity – to be heard, to learn skills that seemed reserved for those in privileged schools across town.
This is the reality of South Africa that former President Mbeki once described as “one country, two economies” – one white and affluent, the other black and struggling. The KMF stands firmly at this divide, building bridges through technology, education, and genuine care.
At lunchtime, I watched as healthy meals were served to every student – a simple act that recognises the harsh truth that for many, one meal a day is a luxury, not a given. The nourishment was both physical and spiritual, fueling bodies and dreams simultaneously.
Behind the main building, I discovered digitised vegetable gardens and a small poultry project. “Nothing goes to waste here,” explained a staff member. “The eggs and vegetables go to families in need. This isn’t just about teaching skills – it’s about sustaining communities.”
The pinnacle of the day came when former President Motlanthe himself appeared, moving quietly among the students without ceremony or fanfare. The unassuming dignity with which he greeted each young person – shaking hands, posing for photos, asking questions about their projects – spoke volumes about the foundation’s ethos: every young South African deserves to be seen, heard, and empowered.
As I prepared to leave, Ms. Motlanthe shared exciting news: “We’re developing curriculum for Solar and Wind Energy training for unemployed youth.” In a country plagued by both energy insecurity and youth unemployment, this initiative offers not just skills but relevant solutions that could transform individual lives and contribute to national challenges.
What struck me most about the KMF wasn’t just the impressive technology or the comprehensive programs – it was the atmosphere of possibility. In a nation where township and rural children often first encounter cutting-edge technology at university (if they make it there at all), the foundation offers early exposure that levels the playing field and says unequivocally: these opportunities belong to you too.
As I drove away from the foundation, the image that stayed with me wasn’t of computers or drones or garden beds – it was of Ms. Motlanthe and the former President, working tirelessly without fanfare, building a bridge toward the South Africa that was promised in 1994 – a place where opportunity isn’t determined by postal code or family history, but is available to all who reach for it.
The KMF doesn’t just offer skills; it offers something far more precious: the belief that every young South African deserves a place at the table of opportunity, and the tools to claim that seat with confidence.
