Mupo Foundation - South Africa

Mupo is a local, Venda word meaning “wild” or anything that is not man-made, including even the air or the light of the moon.

In 2006, the African Biodiversity Network (ABN) was introduced to Mphatheleni Makaulule in Limpopo, a dynamic community leader with a passion for the deep knowledge of her elders, the natural environment and the plight of local youth. Mphatheleni was developing a cultural centre to serve her community, and in collaboration with another Gaia Foundation partner and ABN member in South Africa, the SEED Trust, she received training and support, and has had the opportunity to visit projects in other parts of Africa carrying out similar work.

Mupo Foundation (Mupo) was established and registered at the end of 2007 to continue this work with local communities on the protection and preservation of the environment, sacred sites and strengthening of traditional governance institutions.

Mupo received its Certificate of Incorporation on 31st July 2007 (Registration No. 2007/021540/08). A six-person Board oversees the strategic vision, direction, funding and accounts, and meets bi-annually. The organization comprises paid staff - Part-Time Director, Programme Officer,  Secretary, Field Officers - together with unpaid and volunteer youth, women and elders who are actively involved in the field work.

Mupo accompanies five communities - Tshidzivhe, Tshiendeulu, Vhutanda, Mphaila and Phiphidi  - and five local schools. The work directly benefits about 500 people spread across these communities, and ripples into the larger community through the local media as well. 

The broad strategic goal is to ensure food and livelihood security amongst local communities in Limpopo Province, South Africa, whilst ensuring and maintaining environmental health and resilience. Specific objectives are to:

• Enhance the capacity of local communities to assess and respond to their own needs and priorities, relating to environmental governance and livelihood improvement
• Support the recognition and assertion of local communities’ rights to their natural resources
• Strengthen the inter-generational transmission of traditional cultural knowledge and practices amongst local communities
• Revive and strengthen traditional agricultural knowledge and indigenous seed diversity, for food and nutrition securityProtect and restore critical ecosystems, including sacred sites and watershed areas.

Programme Officer: Mphatheleni Makaulule

Contact:
Box 500
Vuwani
Limpopo Province 0952
South Africa
Tel: 0027 15 962 58 46

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