Craig Atkinson trains unemployed youths to protect the environment while earning a living. Atkinson formed the Green Riders, a South African company that promotes environmentally sound transport. Importing e-bikes has been costly for Atkinson, and crime in some communities poses risks to his team. But Atkinson wants to create 50,000 eco-jobs for vulnerable youths in the next 10 years. More

Since she was a teenager, Ayakha Melithafa has fought environmental injustice in Cape Town and beyond. She goes to schools around South Africa to educate high school students on the climate crisis. Melithafa has given up her own schooling for now in order to pursue her cause for climate justice. She is often mocked by some of her peers for “advocating for wrong priorities”. But this does not deter her. More

Philip Nyalungu, a grassroots community activist and journalist, fights austerity, unfair labor practices, corporal punishment, intolerance, and gender-based violence in South Africa. As a result, he has faced resistance and threats from dominant political parties, and his programs have often been infiltrated and hijacked by politicians. Nyalungu has suffered arrests for criticising authorities for failing to fulfill their electoral promises. More

Kashiefa Achmat is a social justice and housing rights activist, fearlessly challenging policies that foster poverty, injustice, and inequality among vulnerable women, children, workers, and the unemployed. She currently leads the Housing Assembly, advocating for proper service delivery, housing equality, and decent accommodations for all South Africans. Achmat has endured police brutality, threats, and gang violence, she has endangered her health, family, and life for the sake of others. More

Colin Arendse, a community anti-eviction activist, has fearlessly challenged the unconstitutional and illegal evictions of the elderly, the aborigine, the homeless, and the poor by Communicare, a local government social housing agency. Arendse has faced threats by police, and his volunteer work has taken a toll on his family life, for he often has to sacrifice his time and resources to support his campaigns. More

12-year-old Romario Valentine manages ocean clean-ups, recycling campaigns, art, tree-planting, publications, and fund-raising in South Africa. Often forgoing holidays, Valentine devotes most of his time to his environmental campaigns. He maintains that despite the challenges he has faced, his mission continues to be the protection of the planet and the leaving of a legacy. More

Joyce Malebo, a South African senior citizen and women's rights activist, organises protests, referrals, and workshops to empower victims of gender-based violence in Gugulethu, South Africa. During protests, the police harass and mock her. But Malebo maintains that none of that will weaken her, adding that neither force nor age will stop her from fighting for the rights of women abused and without shelter. More

Princess Mthombeni, a nuclear energy advocate, provides high-level strategic support to the South Africa government in leading, executing, and ensuring the success of nuclear communication strategies. In 2021, she founded Africa4Nuclear, an advocacy campaign that promotes nuclear energy as a key contributor toward achieving Africa’s Agenda for Sustainable Development. She often sacrifices her own resources to raise awareness, and she has faced isolation and threats for her stands on global energy politics. More

Dr. Shaheda Bibi Omar, a social justice activist, is the Clinical Director of the Teddy Bear Foundation, an organisation that works to prevent and minimize the devastating effects of abuse on children and their families. Omar's journey has not been easy, from facing sexual harassment and exclusion from the mainstream education system to workplace harassment for challenging patriarchy and racism. More

Welcome Witbooi, a former gang boss turned human rights defender, manages campaigns to divert young people from gangsterism, crime, and drugs in the Cape Flats and Johannesburg, South Africa. His work has not been easy: Witbooi renounced his gang membership, which has bloody consequences in the world of gangsterism. Often at risk of revenge attacks from gang leaders, Witbooi vows to continue his work, saying “There is no going back.” More

Angela Witbooi is a human rights activist who initiates development programs and supports victims of human rights violations in the west coast of South Africa. In 2016 Witbooi and her colleagues formed the West Coast Food Sovereignty and Solidarity Forum in order to promote food security and togetherness. She has endured numerous threats as a result of her activism but soldiers on. More

Mzwakhe Mzamo Vilane is a young activist who advocates for sexual reproductive health and comprehensive sexuality education among high-school students in Atteridgeville, a poor neighbourhood southwest of Pretoria, South Africa. Vilane uses his own resources to help under-resourced families and he has challenged the local clinic about its discriminatory practices. Some key public officials are not happy with his advocacy. More

Margaret Ghogha Molomo, a human rights and environmental activist, coordinates the work of the Kopano Formation Committee, a pressure group in Mokopane, Limpopo Province. Her organisation fights climate change, environmental decay, the dearth of culture and heritage, and gender injustice caused by greedy mining companies, politicians, and leaders in government. Molomo continually faces threats from powerful individuals who are against her work. More

Candice Chirwa, an academic, author, and gender activist, confronts the destigmatisation of menstruation in South Africa. In 2018, Chirwa formed Qrate, a nonprofit organisation promoting the dignity of women and girls by providing menstrual heath and sexual health education. She often faces resistance to her work from conservative elements within society, and she has sacrificed resources, time, and effort. More

Thamsaqa Hamilton Hukwe has committed his life to the struggle for the transformation of the landless, the homeless, the poor, and the working class by fearlessly challenging extractive policies of the regime in Pretoria. Hukwe organises and mobilises workers, students, and citizens to challenge policies that cause suffering. He has faced several assassination attempts and has been threatened, arrested, and tortured. More

Isaiha Mongombe Mombilo, a Congolese immigrant, stands for the rights of vulnerable members of his community through information dissemination, advocacy, and social support in South Africa. In 2012 he founded the Congolese Civil Society, an organisation that aims to facilitate the integration of Congolese immigrants into their host communities in South Africa. More

Peter Monethe challenges oppressive labour practices, and engages in community struggles for land and decent housing in South Africa. He organises protests, community gardens, festivals of the oppressed, soup kitchens, political education classes, environmental health campaigns and social audits on water and sanitation. At one point Monethe was shot at by an unknown gunman, an incident he suspects was linked to his activism. More

Mabhelandile Twani is a grassroots activist who, for over two decades, has committed to fighting injustice and failed political leadership in South Africa.His work has not been easy. Twani's family has faced several threats from those against his work. Twani has also survived six assassination attempts for standing against injustice and corrupt officials. More

Naomi Betana, a gender-justice activist, fights patriarchy, injustice, and austerity through organising, petitioning, and managing empowerment initiatives in Witzenberg, South Africa. As a single mother, Betana sacrifices her time and energy to contribute to the welfare of others. She’s determined to continue her efforts because she believes that it is human to stand for the oppressed. More

Serge Ndnyegamiya, a refugee labour rights activist from Burundi, fights for the rights of refugees and immigrant workers. A victim of xenophobic violence himself, Ndnyegamiya challenges farm and company bosses for unfair labour practices as well as the police and labour officials for discrimination.. Ndnyegamiya’s work is often threatened, and he is continually exposed to risk. More

Vanessa Nelson, a community volunteer and activist, fights gender-based violence by raising awareness and offering support strategies, advocacy, and empowerment programmes in the Cape Flats area of South Africa. A rape survivor herself, Nelson formed Hope for the Future to give support to survivors of gender-based violence and to give hope to community members in distressed conditions. She has lost income and been threatened by criminals—and keeps going. More

Sinegugu Zukulu fights environmental crimes by big mining and construction companies through litigating, documenting, and raising awareness. As Programmes Manager for Sustaining the Wild Coast, he works to amplify the voice of indigenous communities in Eastern Mpondoland and to protect that environment from destruction. Zukulu narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by supporters of the mining companies he opposed. More

Imraahn Mukaddam, an entrepreneur, consumer activist, and whistleblower, uses advocacy and litigation to fight dishonest and greedy corporations, despite financial risks and threats. Mukaddam believes in business for collective good and not for individual profit. His challenging of corporations has come at a cost. He lost his first job, and his business suffered a heavy blow. He's also been stalked by those who do not appreciate his activism.. More

Adeebah Sha takes on challenges in her community such as hunger, drugs, gangsterism, gender-based violence, diseases, and poverty. She does this by raising awareness, organizing protests, and facilitating empowerment programmes. After Adeebah’s mother died of cancer, she and her colleagues formed the nonprofit Moms Who Care. Adeebah’s work is self-funded, and her activities in drug- and gang-infested communities are risky; shootings are common. More

Abie Isaacs began his activism in the fight against apartheid. Today he's a leader in the fight against gangsterism, drug trafficking, and hijacking in the Cape Flats, a community rocked by violence. His aim is to nurture a generation of progressive young people. His work is dangerous but Isaacs is determined. More

Olerilwe Peter Moshosho, a local human rights defender, challenges the persecution of foreign nationals in South Africa. In 2021, at the height of xenophobic attacks, Moshosho helped form “Africa Simunye”, a social movement that helps foreign nationals who have been illegally evicted, received ill treatment or prevented from accessing basic social services. Despite facing threats from anti-immigrant groups, Moshosho soldiers on . More

When Kimberly Mutandiro, a Zimbabwean immigrant and journalist, arrived in South Africa in 2008, she realised that the voices of refugees and immigrants were mostly silenced by the mainline media. Since then, she has written dozens of articles exposing discriminatory practices by government officials against immigrants and xenophobic violence by local anti-immigrant groups. For that, she has endured hate and threats from extremist groups. More

South African Phoebe Faith Mahlokwane, a young pastor, fights drug abuse among young people in Elandskraal, Limpopo Province. Through her nonprofit company, she carries out anti-drug campaigns and rehabilitation of drug addicts.. The programme, which is largely self-funded, faces threats from drug lords, who demand that Mahlokwane quit her anti-drug campaigns and rehabilitation activities. More

AsnathTeffo began feeding and sheltering abandoned children at her own house in 2001, using her own retirement savings to then set up Dimphonyana Tsa Lapeng, a community organization which provides care and services to orphaned children, children from abusive households, and destitute women within the community of Olievenhoutbosch. Her financial challenges are significant but she soldiers on. More

Mujahid George, a singer and actor, uses entertainment and social media to spread hope, love, and prayers for vulnerable members of his community. Through partnerships with nonprofit organisations and others, George supports orphans, the sick, the elderly, and flood victims. He risks short-changing his family commitments—and he gets threats from some fellow Muslims who think he should focus his charity on his co-religionists. More

Ian Erasmus was working at Sasol, a South African petrochemical corporation, when he saw a leaking valve releasing vanadium—a hazardous heavy metal waste— that was ending up in the Vaal River, affecting millions of South Africans. When Sasol ignored the problem, Erasmus reported the company to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fishery and testified before the South African Human Rights Commission. For this, he's been bullied, harassed, and threatened. More

Zimbabwean human rights activist Ishmael Kauzani was subjected to violence and harassment so many times, he fled to South Africa where he formed a nonprofit to fight poverty. He manages nutrition gardens, environmental campaigns, reproductive health education, support for girls and young women, and educational initiatives. Despite all his contributions, Kauzani is often told to go back to Zimbabwe; there’s a lot of suspicion of immigrants in South Africa... More

Aubrey Robinson is a community activist in Cafda Village, a community rocked by poverty and violence, 21 kilometers southwest of Cape Town. In his efforts to fight gangsterism, youth unemployment, early pregnancy, and violence, Robinson formed the Cape Town Youth Cadet. In addition, he offers free consultancy services to members of his community from an office in his own backyard..More

Rethabile Mosese, a human rights attorney, fights for gender justice by providing free legal services to victims of gender-based violence in Diepsloot, an informal settlement north of Johannesburg. In 2015, Mosese joined the nonprofit organisation, Lawyers against Abuse (LvA), giving up working in a highly paying corporate world in order to serve her fellow women in a remote community ravaged by crime, with limited basic services. More

When COVID-19 broke out in South Africa, Ebrahim Abrahams, a teacher in Kewtown, started using the money he’d saved to buy a car for his daughter as a graduation present to feed the poor and hungry. For him and the family members and community volunteers who help him, that means spending long evenings in dangerous neighborhoods and exposing themselves to the virus as well. . More

Oswald Kucherera, an activist in South Africa, fights for justice half a world away. In his quest for a just world, he leads the Free West Papua Solidarity Campaign, the only such project in Africa, raising awareness of the West Papuan genocide and the demand of the people there for freedom and independence from Indonesia. He continues on despite financial challenges and threats. More

Abdikadir Khalif Mohamed, a refugee from Somalia to South Africa, has defied threats and financial constraints to serve his community and his new home. Through the Somali Association of South Africa in the Western Cape province, an organization which he leads, Mohamed promotes social cohesion, integration, and a culture of self-reliance among immigrants, refugees, and local South Africans. More

Georgia McTaggart, of Cape Town, founded Help Up to protect the environment and create economic opportunities for the poor. Through Help Up, McTaggart organizes clean ups in and around Cape Town, removing unwanted plastic waste that pollutes the environment. McTaggart and her team face risks of falls on slippery river banks and of contracting water-borne illnesses. More

Albert Mpazayabo, a refugee from Rwanda, braves criticism, threats, and lack of finances to promote peaceful coexistence between refugees and locals in South Africa and especially in places with a history of animosity and violence toward refugees. More

Merlin Ekwanza Mosoko uses sports to build social cohesion in the Cape Flats, a region in northern Cape Town rocked by violence, division and teen pregnancies. He starts basketball teams targeting young people to keep them away from drugs and gang violence, to teach life skills and to keep kids in school—promoting a better future. More

Michel Hatungimana is a kind man—and a warrior. He has helped over 150 refugees from his native Burundi with food, and accommodation. He risks his safety to rescue hijacked Burundian commercial drivers. Recently he’s taken on the dangerous role of peacemaker during the upsurge in violence against immigrants in South Africa. More

Qaba Mbola, a social justice activist and an Ashoka Fellow, sticks his neck out to lead efforts towards poverty alleviation, social cohesion, combating crime and drug abuse in South Africa, especially through his Ujamaa community project in Khayelitsha, an informal settlement South East of Cape Town. More