Get to know THE TEAM

Sinovuyo Mcunukelwa 

Director

Born and bred in Zithulele village, she is passionate about community development.  Having worked as a nurse and lecturer at NMU, she decided to bring the charity back at home. Sinovuyo has a BA in Psychology, a PGCE and an Honours degree in Education Psychology all from the Nelson Mandela University. She believes that it indeed does take a village to raise a child, and wants everyone to harness the power of community for social change!

Mike Kent

Campaigns Manager

Mike has a masters in Chemistry and trained as a science teacher in the UK. Embracing his quirky, eccentric side he is often seen sporting a home made bow tie. Mike currently works on the Central Ed team coordinating professional development and coaching of the Axium staff as well as building and creating trackers and tools for the teams to use. Mike is passionate about social justice and giving people the tools they need to realize their potential.

Ayanda Parafini 

Field Organizer and Community Liason officer

Ayanda also Zithulele's own is the community library librarian. She is a community developer at heart and has worked in community events like putting together a drug awareness day and getting the community to donate clothes to those who need them in the community. 

Njabulo Mgcini Mthupha

Arts program coordinator

Mgcini is a Fine artist and Jewellery Designer & Manufacturer with a Diploma from DUT.  He says he always knew he was an artist because he sketched a lot during his high school years growing up eSwatini. He has a passion for teaching and believes that the arts are a big part of the solution to the problems faced by the youth today. He wants to help the youth by giving them extra skills that can help them survive and perhaps thrive. He makes furniture in his spare time!

Danielle Shay

Arts program coordinator and Fundraising Consultant

Danielle  has a background in Fine arts with a Bachelor of Arts from UCT and has experience working for a local NGO in fundraising, research and communications. She is passionate about  all forms of creative expression be it art, drama, music, dance, writing or play. She believes that imagination is a powerful tool for change and for creating healthy communities. She imagines a world where everyone has access to the creative tools they need to discover their voice and make the world a better place. 

Siphosethu Zazela

General Consultant and Policy advisor

Siphosethu is a fellow of the Young African Leadership Institute - Southern Africa and a graduate of Law and Political Sciences from the Nelson Mandela University. He is driven by his vision of a South Africa driven by an empowered and capacitated youth. 

Sivuyisiwe Tywabi

Media and Communications Director

Sivu currently works as a TV News Producer and has worked as Sub Editor, Proofreader, Translator and Independent writer/Journalist & news researcher . 

She has worked in the news production space for over 10 years first as a reporter and producer, news writer for a digital news platform, a senior news researcher and a spokesperson for a women’s right organization. In addition, she has led the coordination, commissioning and production of the Eastern Cape Municipalities Publications(e.g. reports and other generic materials, newsletters, project-specific reports as well as their annual reports)