𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻, 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮
A MESSAGE FROM BETH EBRAHIMPOUR
Why I founded Awethu Initiative…
In 2019, I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa with the Yale Alumni Service Corps (YASC) and worked alongside other YASC volunteers and members of the Philippi Village. I learned directly from teachers and leaders in the Philippi Village about the disturbing history of Apartheid and saw firsthand its destructive impact on modern-day life in Cape Town, South Africa.
Upon my return to New York, I began the Awethu Initiative with the goal of raising awareness about the adversities that families in the Philippi Village face every day and working remotely with the Philippi youth to achieve their goals. Over these past 5 years, I have expanded Awethu to include various programs that have shown great success among members. To learn more about or to become involved with these programs, check out the “current projects” section!
Thank you…
None of this would be possible without Amandla Development, a non-profit organization located directly in the Philippi Village, and its founder, Scott Clarke. Scott has given many talks on behalf of the Awethu Initiative. Recently, Scott delivered a speech at Trinity School so that students could learn about what inspired Scott to found Amandla Development and how his work has expanded across the globe to include our partnership in New York. Almost 100 students filled a classroom during their lunch period to learn more about the Philippi Village and our partnership with Amandla Development.
To see Awethu Initiative grow from my visit to South Africa in 2019 to now having rooms overfilled with students and teachers expressing interest in the Philippi Village is unreal! I am so thrilled that we have so much interest, and I cannot wait to continue with this momentum and lead a service trip so that other students have the same opportunity to experience the Philippi Village in person.
-Beth Ebrahimpour, Founder and President of Awethu Initiative