Iyana Organization
What does your company do?
We are a youth-centered non-profit based in Nyanga, Western Cape. We promote mental and emotional well-being among children in under-resourced areas, with the belief that lasting change begins with a healthy mind. To break cycles of violence, poverty, and emotional neglect, we focus on raising resilient, confident, and emotionally secure children.
We host personal development workshops every second Saturday of the month, teaching emotional regulation, communication, self-discipline, and problem-solving. These are paired with immersive nature conservation experiences designed to reconnect children with the environment. Our goal is to raise young environmental stewards who learn to care for nature while allowing nature to care for them emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Equipping children with tools to manage trauma, build identity, and grow into conscious changemakers. We aim to raise a generation of leaders who uplift their communities and protect the planet.
What is your biggest success?
My greatest achievement has been founding my organization and watching it grow from a dream into a movement changing young lives, despite limited resources. One major highlight was being selected among other organizations and invited to meet Prince William during his visit to Cape Town in November 2024, where I shared the impact of our work on youth mental and emotional well-being and environmental stewardship, it was covered in the UK news. That moment affirmed the value of our mission on a global stage. I also successfully secured a private donor from abroad, which enabled us to scale our workshops and provide more consistent support to children. Partnering with SANParks has been another milestone—allowing us to take children into protected natural spaces where they can heal, learn, and connect with the environment. Seeing children transform like the boy who quit smoking and returned to school after attending our sessions proves that what we’re doing is not only needed but working. It’s a journey of hope, healing, and powerful change.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Our biggest hurdle has been operating with limited resources. We do not have proper stationery for our workshops, yet we continue regardless. We lack office equipment to conduct research, and our founder works solely from her phone, without even a laptop. We often have to cancel workshops because we cannot provide meals and transport for the children. We have no dedicated training space and rely on our home’s living area. We have no external support; our founder covers all costs from her own pocket, and as the founder, I often give from an empty cup. We desperately need volunteers, but it's difficult to recruit them as people expect transportation costs to be covered, at least. Many children want to join our movement, but we turn them away due to lack of resources. Despite these challenges, our founder remains determined, believing that with time and hard work, things will come together.
