Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation

31/03/2025

Reflecting on Last Week’s Learning Event!

Last Wednesday, we hosted a Learning Event on the outcomes of the Cities Support Programme National Treasury RSA, UK in South Africa Township Economic Development Project (2020–2025).

Held at the Homecoming Centre, the event brought together urban development practitioners and experts to discuss key insights from the project.

Key Takeaways were:
1. Strong institutions matter – without a capable local government, even the best plans won’t work.
2. Townships are city assets – they should be fully integrated into urban planning, not treated as an afterthought.
3. Policy vs. implementation – bridging the gap between the two remains a major challenge.
4. Collaboration is key – real change happens when government, businesses, and communities work together.

Special thanks to our speakers: Michael Krause, Pete Ahmad, Heinrich Wolff, John Peters, and Thomas Swana.

A big thank you to our partners, the Cities Support Programme National Treasury RSA, UK in South Africa, and everyone who contributed to this project!

14/01/2025

Season’s greetings! 🎉 Here’s a short summary of the TED Project's three-day learning event held from 29–31 October 2024 at The Javett Art Centre at UP. Supported by the Cities Support Programme of the National Treasury RSA, 🇬🇧 UK in South Africa, and World Bank we’re driving real change in South African townships.

We thank our expert speakers and partners for their invaluable insights and ongoing support. Together, we’re turning ideas into action for sustainable growth!

Wishing everyone the best for the upcoming year!

13/12/2024

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas holiday season filled with joy and peace! 🎄✨

Check out our latest newsletter for all the exciting updates and insights!

Greetings from the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation! Welcome to the summer edition of our newsletter, showcasing remarkable milestones and inspiring stories from the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation (SLF). In this issue, we are pleased to share a recent publication on the theme of policy engagem...

13/11/2024

🌍𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 🌍

Watch Santiago Uribe, Medellín’s Chief Resilience Officer, share eight powerful principles for building safer, more resilient communities in South African townships like Delft and Hammanskraal. Drawing from Medellín’s transformative journey, his insights offer practical steps for sustainable urban growth and community empowerment.

“Learn by walking with community leaders, development experts, and community members,” he says. Community participation is key and giving people a voice is essential for lasting change and sustainable growth.
🎥 Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqrCM-z7KuU

05/11/2024

31/10/2024

Yesterday was an impactful Day 2 of the Township Economic Development (TED) Learning Event! Thanks to our amazing speakers, Khule Duma from the The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, Stefan Schirmer from the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE), Florian Zech from AMANDLA, and Andreas Bertoldi from the Rebel Group, for their invaluable insights into the development context within townships.

We are grateful for the ongoing support from the UK in South Africa, World Bank , and the Cities Support Programme within National Treasury RSA, whose commitment transforms ideas into concrete strategies for township growth.

Today, we begin our final day – moving from knowledge to action for the future of township development!

30/10/2024

Its nearly time! Please join us for this showcase of our book Township Economy, and to meet the authors in Tshwane on Thursday!

29/10/2024

Day 1 of the Township Economic Development (TED) Learning Event has wrapped up! Huge thanks to our insightful keynote speakers, Ayabonga Cawe and Ivor Chipkin, for sharing their expertise on the mandates underpinning township development, and to our partners, UK in South Africa and the World Bank for their ongoing support.

Tomorrow, we move forward with Day 2, focusing on strengthening municipal capabilities to drive meaningful development. Let’s keep the momentum going!

29/10/2024

The TED Learning Event kicks off today, our first speaker from the Josephine Hetherington sharing her experience on leveraging growth and urban resilience.

25/10/2024

🎉We are pleased to announce the upcoming Township Economic Development (TED) Learning Event from 29-31 October 2024 at the The Javett Art Centre at UP , University of Pretoria!

Event Breakdown:
Day 1 (29 October 2024): Township Economic Development: The Institutional and Political Mandate (Closed session for invited participants)
Day 2 (30 October 2024): Strengthening Municipal Capabilities for Township Economic Development (Closed session for invited participants)
Day 3 (31 October 2024): From Knowledge to Action (Open session for all!)

Join us for Day 3 as we explore how to turn knowledge into action and scale township economic development initiatives. Open to all interested in township development and inclusive economies.

We look forward to seeing you there!