Phophi Ramabulana

What does your company do?

Vhatanuni Foundation is an NPC founded in 2008 by Phophi Ramabulana. This community empowerment initiative is aimed at benefitting underprivileged residents of Limpopo and South African at large. Our Mission is to meet the needs of the ‘Total Person’, body, mind and spirit, through the provision of supportive, recreational, cultural, sporting and welfare programs. working in partnership with the community, business and government, to strive for excellence in implement a wide range of activities aimed at improving the living standards of children, youths and women the elderly, people with disabilities and society at large. Our Goal is to fight against GBV and Femicide, through offloading sessions, empowering workshops skills transfer.

What is your biggest success?

I have worked on the following Projects at the Department of Social Development National: •Development of Victim Empowerment Programme, •NISIS, National Integrated Social Information System • Child Protection Register and Alternative (Foster) Care Systems. In 2020 I was awarded as a Champion of Caselines South Africa, which is a digital evidence management system that was implemented at the high Courts of Pretoria and Johannesburg. I am an Entrepreneur and Philanthropist. In August 2023 together with the department of education, we transferred ICT skills and donated 90 laptops to the unemployed youth in Lepelle Nkumpi District Limpopo Province. in 2023 I was nominated for the SheAwards Africa 2023. On the 18th of November 2023 I was awarded as a runner up for the she millionaire Africa business awards under the category “community builder of the year” on the 8-11 November 2023, we successfully hosted the first ever Limpopo literature festivals. Im an award winner as CEO/MD of the Year 2023 at the Top 100 executive Award. I have recently been nominated as one of the esteeme Emerge Africa Awards under category Humanitarian of the year.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

s we head deeper into 2024, the issue of youth unemployment remains a significant concern if Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) is anything to go by. South Africa’s young population is severely affected by unemployment and remains disengaged from the labour market. As per Stats SA’s QLFS report for the first quarter of 2023, approximately 10.2 million people aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training, with a concerning 36.1% identified as NEET. The study investigated the socio-economic effects of the youth unemployment on the economy of Limpopo Province. Youth unemployment is rife in the province whereby drugs, alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, and crime affect young people. A great number of these young people are unskilled or semi-skilled and are therefore not able to create jobs for themselves; they rely on government for job creation. Thus, research was conducted in Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, wherein participants were drawn from two municipalities. The two municipalities that were identified for the study were Polokwane and Lepelle-Nkumpi. These municipalities were identified due to the number of active youth programmes that they conduct. A total of 54 individuals participated in the study. They included the municipality officials and the young people. A quantitative research approach was used to collect and analyse data. A Likert scale was used as a research instrument to collect data. Self- administered questionnaires were distributed to the selected participants. Thus, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyse data. The major finding in the research was that unemployment affected all the youth across the entire education spectrum. The study therefore recommended changes in the education system, and rigorous programmes on entrepreneurship. we implement a wide range of activities aimed at improving the living standards of children, youths and women the elderly, people with disabilities and society at large. Our Objectives are to provide support, care and counselling. To afford the opportunity for personal development through the provision of programs that enhance life skills, self-image and vocational motivation. An inclusive environment encouraging participation from all ethnic groups & fostering To assist in any way possible the welfare of the wider community. To provide a preventative and early intervention approach. Provide facilities and programs to meet the needs of our future generations as well as bridging the gap and maintaining the balance of Intergenerational Equity. Develop better integrated and coordinated services. Build community capacity. Develop local solutions to local problems. To provide an opportunity for social interaction.