Author name: Robin Smith

A new R720,000 stadium was opened at Silethukukhanya High School in Dukuduku, Mtubatuba, thanks to a collaboration between Mpilonhle, local leaders, and businesses like Woolworths. The stadium, featuring floodlights and an irrigation system, aims to provide recreational facilities for the community, especially for soccer. The project was supported by organisations such as the Charlize Theron Foundation and Oprah’s Angels. Former football star Lucas Radebe encouraged students to focus on education and avoid the pitfalls of fame, while pupils expressed excitement at meeting their hero.

Hundreds of pupils and community members in the uMkhanyakude district benefited from eye care clinics provided by One Sight and Mpilonhle, which offered corrective eyewear and tested for eye conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma. Over two weeks, 41 ophthalmic professionals from around the world, in collaboration with the KZN Department of Health, treated approximately 16,000 people, with many referred for cataract surgery. This initiative, supported by Oprah’s Angels Network and Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project, highlighted the importance of eye care in improving the health and education of rural communities.

Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project has partnered with American soccer star Lorrie Fair and entrepreneur Don Sheppard’s LAFC Chelsea to bring soccer and educational opportunities to disadvantaged children in the uMkhanyakude district. The initiative aims to improve students’ lives by providing access to soccer, uniforms, and coaching, while also offering education, tutoring, and mentoring to help them excel in school. This partnership, part of the Mpilonhle project, will also help build soccer fields and expand the sport in local communities, benefiting both students and residents.

Silethukukhanya Secondary School in the Dukuduku Forest has grown from 300 pupils in 1998 to over 1,000 students, thanks to a range of sustainable projects funded by local organisations and businesses, including a new soccer field with lighting from the Woolworths Trust. The 18-month project also included the installation of a borehole and water system, providing fresh water for the school and its facilities. With support from Mpilonhle, East Coast Architects, and Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project, the initiative aims to enhance education and community involvement, using sports as a tool for health education and social development.

The Mpilonhle Mobile Health and Computer Unit has launched a program to provide food parcels for 40 child-headed households in rural Zululand, with plans for expansion. Initially funded by Oprah’s Angel Network, the initiative was created in collaboration with local schools and the Department of Social Welfare to support orphans in need. While the program has funding for three months, Mpilonhle aims to secure additional support to continue providing essential services, including health education, HIV/AIDS and TB testing, and computer training for over 3,500 children in the region.

Charlize Theron, through her partnership with Oprah’s Angel Network, created Mpilonhle, a program providing free HIV education and medical care to teenagers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The program includes a mobile health unit offering HIV testing, counseling, and discussions on taboo topics like sex and pregnancy. It also brings mobile computer labs and learning resources to support students. Charlize’s efforts aim to inspire and empower youth, helping them pursue their dreams despite challenging circumstances.

Mpilonhle is a health education and computer-skills training program in South Africa’s Umkhanyakude District, aimed at helping adolescents avoid HIV and live healthier lives. The program uses mobile units equipped with health educators and computer labs to deliver lessons on HIV, sexual health, and life skills to students in remote communities. Since its launch in 2007, Mpilonhle has reached 10,000 young people, providing health counseling, HIV testing, and computer instruction, with support from Oprah’s Angel Network, Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project, and PEPFAR.