By Motshwari Mo Mofokeng
The Inhlakanipho Foundation, founded by businessman and community leader Mr Simphiwe Nhlakanipho Mkhwanazi, has once again made a meaningful impact in rural KwaZulu-Natal through its annual Back-to-School initiative. Mkhwanazi, a former Provincial Secretary of the ActionSA KwaZulu-Natal Youth Forum and current Provincial Executive member of ActionSA in the province, established the foundation to advance education, community development and social cohesion.
This year’s initiative was held in Mtubatuba, Mkhwanazi’s hometown, where he was born and raised. He said choosing Mtubatuba was a deliberate decision to give back to the community that shaped him into the person he is today.
The programme targeted 60 learners from Grade 1 to Grade 12, focusing on orphaned children from child-headed households and those raised by grandparents in rural areas. The initiative seeks to restore dignity and confidence among children who struggle to access basic school necessities such as shoes and school bags due to financial hardship.
Recognising the importance of collaboration, the foundation worked closely with local traditional leadership. Three iziNduna played a pivotal role in identifying beneficiaries within their respective areas: iNduna uMZ Mkhwanazi of the soPhaphasi area, iNduna Khumbulani Mkhwanazi of Baswazini, and iNduna uMkhwanazi of kwaNkombose. Each induna selected 20 deserving children, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 60.
Mkhwanazi highlighted the urgent need to support rural learners, noting that literacy levels among primary school pupils remain alarmingly low. Learners in rural schools often face significant disadvantages compared to their urban counterparts, including limited resources, inadequate learning materials and poor access to the internet.
“We believe that by restoring confidence in a young child, we can make schooling easier and more meaningful for them,” he said.
Launched in 2025, the Back-to-School programme is now in its second year and is set to grow in 2027 to reach even more learners.
The foundation expressed gratitude to the local traditional leaders for their assistance in identifying beneficiaries and thanked guardians for welcoming the support extended to their children.
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