The Story of the Communiversity of South Africa
As South Africa has faced and continues to face a huge educational void that has translated into many forms of social and economic unease, inequity and even desperation, many non-profit and non-governmental organizations have offered their hopeful answers for addressing this nationwide issue.
We are one of them.
With the dedication of its caring and inspiring faculty, management and staff, including some of its own graduates, and supportive classroom monitors from the communities it serves, the Communiversity has grown exponentially -- creating strong partnerships both with the communities and with the local colleges, along with committed benefactors and continuous good will from all who have become part of the Communiversity family.
The two founders, Dr. Melanie Brown and Marcia Abrahams, began the Communiversity of South Africa in 2012 as an optimistic lifeline in an ocean of real need – especially to offer a second chance to some of the vast numbers of young people who may have completed high school or dropped out but who are either sitting home doing nothing or who are desperate for work or are in gangs or drug-related activities – deserving, bright youth without viable access to employment, training, college or university – who constitute the majority of the unemployed in South Africa.
A Brief History
In 2012, the initial Communiversity of South Africa programme was set up as a post-secondary educational opportunity in Vrygrond, a former squatter camp and high-risk community in Cape Town, to provide a college and work preparation programme for Vrygrond’s young people – a potential local access road to a better future. Classrooms were made available in a new local community centre built by the foundations of singer/philanthropists Annie Lennox and Sir Elton John. The Communiversity then moved from Vrygrond in 2017 and brought its programme to a shared facility in the Westlake community and then moved its campus to the YMCA branch in Strandfontein in 2019. In 2021, the Communiversity relocated to a community centre run by Ikamva Labantu in the vast community of Khayelitsha. It has expanded to four more communities since then.
At present, the Communiversity of South Africa is working within direct partnerships in five Cape Town communities: In Khayelitsha, partnering with Ikamva LaBantu, in Hanover Park (Lansdowne) and Beacon Valley (Mitchells Plain), partnering with the Uniting Reformed Church in both communities. There is also a fourth unpartnered campus in Tokai serving neighbouring communities, and a fifth location starting in Masiphumelele in partnership with Masisports. More campuses are envisioned in more communities over the next few years.
The Communiversity has now become a well-trod pathway for young people to prepare for and enter technical colleges and universities or to enter the workplace or training for the workplace or to start businesses. It has proven to be an effective yet low-cost model with dramatic outcomes in tune with national needs that could be replicated throughout South Africa, the African continent and globally - in order to fulfill a universal mandate that all persons, from any community, must have the chance to rise economically and socially, and be able to fulfill their highest personal goals.
A Note from the Founders
"When we started the Communiversity of South Africa in 2012, we had real hope but no real guarantee whether our vision for Communiversity would be of lasting benefit to the students and communities of South Africa or that it would grow into its current success – serving as a significant link between the youth, secondary schools, families, communities, and last but not least, serving as a vital preparation for student entry into the local technical colleges, other colleges and universities and work and training programmes.
We also had no idea that the name we chose –-“Communiversity”-- would so perfectly express what we have now become—-an innovative, high-impact programme with excellent outcomes, emerging as a low-cost model for pre-college preparation and entry with a clear focus on self-development, character-building and higher education access that is wholeheartedly community-based."
Community Campuses
Khayelitsha Campus
Ikamva Labantu Kwakhanya Educare Centre
Lansdowne (Hanover Park) Campus
Uniting Reformed Church Claremont
Beacon Valley Campus (Mitchells Plain)
Uniting Reformed Church Beacon Valley
Masiphumelele Campus
MasiSports
Tokai Campus
Currently unpartnered, but serving all neighbouring communities
The Original 2012 Co-Founding Team and Students
The following people helped to grow the Communiversity, generously supporting the creation of this cooperative enterprise with their time and dedication. We honour their commitment, their compassion, and their unifying vision for a future of possibility, turning into the reality of success for our students and their communities.
Original Management, Staff and Faculty
Listed Alphabetically by Last Name
- Marcia Abrahams Co-Founder, Director of Development
- Lynette Brink Virtuosity Academy, Healthcare facilitator
- Dr. Melanie Brown Co-Founder, Exec. Director, Board of Directors
- Brigid Comrie TM facilitator
- Simon Conradie TM faciltator
- Priscilla David English facilitator
- Gill Connellan Managing Director, Board of Directors
- Fatiema Cornelius Senior Administrator
- Pat Featherstone
- Dr. Colin Firer Board of Directors
- Pearl Firer Cooking facilitator
- Jeanne Karth Self-development facilitator
- Chantel Klinck Program Director, Board of Directors
- Edwina Luck Fielding Program Administrator
- Jo Monson Social development facilitator
- Mike Mwamba Computer Skills facilitator
- Len Nyenes Building facilitator
- Gary Newton Speelman Tech Administrator, Board of Directors
- Jodine Swart Administrative Assistant
- Barry Welsh TM facilitator
- Liz Welsh TM facilitator
- Lisa Wimmers Finance Director
- Wendy Wise Maths facilitator
Past Partners
Listed alphabetically
- 9 Miles Project
- ABSA Bank (Ready to Work Program)
- Alexander Forbes
- AVA Action Volunteers Africa
- Bread Rev
- Builders Warehouse
- Butterfly Arts Project
- Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET)
- Cape Town Science Institute
- Cinnabon South Africa
- Computers4Kids/Russell Pengelly, CEO
- Creda Communications
- Entrepreneurial Hub (False Bay TVET College)
- Expanded Public Works Programme, Cape Town
- FunDza Literary Trust
- GapYear SA
- Golding Foundation (Peter Golding)
- HOSA (Hope Southern Africa)
- ICDL/Jennifer Van Niekerk
- K2S (Knowledge to Share) Foundation, The Netherlands
- The Learning Trust
- National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)
- Omnicor (Colleen Rudnick)
- On The Ball College (computer specialists)
- Peace Jam/Peace Jam South Africa (Brian Kelly & Nobel Laureate Lehmah Gbowee)
- Peak Performance Tutors
- Pick n Pay Cooking School
- Projects Abroad
- Seawinds Sports Grounds
- Snowlene Catering (Gloria Baartman)
- South African Institute for Entrepreneurship (SAIE)
- Surf Emporium (Roxy and Will Davis)
- TETA-Transport Education and Training Authority
- Tore’s Foundation (Debating)
- Tsogo Sun Hotel Cape Town, Jeff Rosenberg
- University of Western Cape Dental Faculty
- Virgin Active Gym, Westlake Branch
- Vrygrond Community Centre Trust
- Vrygrond Taxi Association
- WBHO Construction
- Westlake Community Centre
- Woolworths
- YMCA Achievers Camp/Ricardo De Reuck, Strandfontein
Past Media Group
Listed Alphabetically by First Name
- Brian Smith
- Catherine Aalto
- Diana Keam
- Etienne Mentor
- Eva Gilliam
- Jim Freeman
- Michelle Blumenau
- Nick Johnson, Jr.
- Peter Voigt
- Tim Wege