Masupatsela

MASIBAMBANE
DIRECTED and EDITED by JEMIMA SPRING
TX 26th April 2010

When you look up ‘trailblazer’ in the encyclopaedia, there should be a picture of Johan Lewin there. That would probably embarrass him though, as this humble, softly spoken, burly man is not one to push himself forward and will always remind you that it’s a team effort. This is exactly his genius: connecting with the right combination of people to get the job done, that makes the Masibambane project and its offspring, the Seeland Trust, in the West Coast village of St Helena Bay, the success stories that they are.

It starts with an idea, maybe something seen on tv or in the newspapers, then follows internet and other research and reaching out to whomever can be found – around the world, or in the surrounding community – who will get involved with or without specialist knowledge. It has led to an international collaboration of athletes to raise awareness around HIV and AIDS, various community celebrations and events, being able to buy a 900-odd hectare farm for the community, a successful brick making project, a tunnel farming project, a wind farm project, a ceramics project … Every initiative is designed for maximum community benefit and sustainability.

This story shows how dogged determination in the face of huge challenges will get you there in the end. Still partially paralysed from a diving accident, Johan hitchhiked a number of times to meetings in Johannesburg – sometimes asking himself what on earth he was doing, standing along the side of the road. Hats off to him and the Masimbambane and Seeland teams! You guys are an inspiration. We’re coming to visit soon, we promise.

TO LEARN MORE OR CONTRIBUTE TO MASIBAMANE OR SEELAND TRUST:
contact Johan Lewin on +27 22 736 1201 or on +27 79 805 7981 or visit the Masibambane Projects web site.

IF YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY FEEL DRIVEN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, FOLLOW JOHAN’S LEAD:
- Johan spoke to as many people as possible in his community to find out their issues and hear their ideas
- he set up a community organisation that could take these ideas forward
- he identified people with energy and enthusiasm for change to work with
- he didn’t allow geographic distance to be a barrier and replicated an international initiative locally
- when he didn’t know something, he linked up with people who did
- he approached local farmers for land for income generation projects
- the community was able to buy a farm by forming a trust and combining their Land Reform grants
- Masimbambane and Seeland Trust have focus on projects that put sustainability and people before profit

SCREEN GRABS FROM THE STORY ON MASIBAMBANE: