In a mission to transform the way residents connect, collaborate, and tackle local challenges, ReStory Foundation hosted its third Community Building Workshop in Bhambayi on Wednesday, 18 June.
Youth Development Worker and workshop facilitator, Ernest Mngomeni, compares the differences between these workshops and traditional meetings, where voices can be lost in the crowd, stating that these gatherings are intentionally structured to ensure that every participant is heard.
“These workshops differ from many other community meetings in that they are carefully designed to ensure that all voices are equal, and that all voices and ideas can be heard,” he said. Participants engage in small groups that rotate throughout the session, discussing issues that directly affect their daily lives.
Each workshop follows a thoughtful progression of forging connections, describing problems, taking personal accountability, envisioning a preferred future, and picking actionable steps. “There is no rush in this—The most important goal is the relationship and community building nature of having conversations with such quality and value for each voice,” continued Mngomeni.
The impact of these gatherings is already being felt in Bhambayi. A proof of that includes a story of a woman who lives nearby a tavern; the lady wakes up every weekend to sweep away blood stains and broken bottles, not just for her own family’s safety, but for all the children who walk the path to school. When asked why she bothers, she replies, “I want to ensure the path is safe for all children, not just my own.”
The Durban North-based NPO saw it necessary to host these workshops because of the area’s reputation for crime, political tension, and neglect. Empowerment partner at ReStory Foundation, Natalie Naude, said: “After a particularly violent patch of criminal activity, we wanted to explore how we could ignite change, whilst not being the heroes, but rather empowering local heroes to rise up and change the narrative, and the reality.”
The foundation is hoping to help rewrite this community’s story through fostering genuine connections and empowering residents to take ownership of their shared future.
