the lady who travelled the world thanks to trash and a change of perspective!
Mama Yandi
‘We work in Waste Management’ she said. And THAT is the kind of perspective that changed everything for Mama Yandi.
Having travelled from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town seeking opportunities for work and education, Mama Yandi is a shining example of what a healthy dose of determination, belief, and positivity can do for you.
Built on a dream of studying in Cape Town and inspired by an advert that she had heard on the radio, Mama Yandi’s journey to the Western Cape was originally fuelled by an opportunity to study at a local university.
Though finding out that this wasn’t an option for her on arrival, her dream of studying swiftly turned into days spent picking up rubbish on the beach in Cape Town for a salary of 35 Rand per day (current value around $1.70 or £1.40).
The power of perception
Why was this happening, she wondered? Why had she been denied the opportunity that she had heard on the radio to educate herself, and why could people say things like this if they weren’t true? As she spent more time in Cape Town, Mama Yandi’s questions continued to grow. Questions like, why was there such a difference in accommodation standards? And how could she make things better not only for herself but for others too?”
It wasn’t only the questions that grew. Mama Yandis dreams were steadily growing too. Her transformation process began at work, where she and her team were told that they were not just ‘picking up rubbish’ but that instead they were working in “waste management.” ‘A manager!’ she excitedly told family and friends back home. What a development!
And with this new-found belief in what she was doing and her constant desire to strive for more, along came an idea. What if she could do something with all of this rubbish? What if she could craft something that would transform this mass of discarded items into something desirable? Something that would catch not only people’s eyes but also their spirits and their hearts?
An astounding success
With the support of ladies on her team, she got to work on a prototype. A brightly coloured, bold piece made from repurposed plastic that she would shyly bring to a local boutique shop. A decision that opened up incredible doors for her—doors that would eventually take her far away from Cape Town.
From here, Mama Yandi’s plastic art production began to boom. Orders were coming in quickly, and her inspirational story was spreading. Mama Yandi was in demand. They now wanted to see and sell her art all the way over in Australia! And that was only the beginning.
With the success of her recycled art business, came the development of a very special project. A dream that was very close to her heart was finally realised: the creation of The Masi Creative Hub. A safe, supportive, and educational environment where local community members can use the power of art to overcome their daily challenges in Masiphumelele. A project that breeds the same determination, belief, and positivity that Mama Yandi had herself into the youths of this local township.
Mama Yandi - Masiphumelele's Superwoman!
Now a qualified art counsellor, director of community liaison at Masicorp, and, of course, founder and head of The Masi Creative Hub, you can imagine that Mama Yandi is one busy lady. But this doesn’t stop her from thinking up and managing new ways to help the local people. From feeding up to 1000 people per day during the COVID crisis from her own pop up food station to the introduction of gardening projects and mentoring young girls through clubs, gatherings, and activities, I cannot think of one single person that I have met in my life that is more inspirational than this lady.
With an unbelievable dedication to the development of the people in Masiphumelele, an incredible mind that continues to dream, innovate, and most importantly, take action, and a warm and inspiring soul that provides one astounding example of community leadership, Mama Yandi is not only a driving force in change and development, but also proof that when you dream those big dreams and you pursue them, you really can make them come true!
As someone who cares deeply about sustainability, I have decided to make a donation per trip to a geographically relevant grassroots organisation.
For Africa trips, all donations will currently be going to Mama Yandi and her powerful work.
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