Imbeleko Foundation
We empower talented but socially marginalized rural children in South Africa through holistic quality STEM education & mentorship.
What started with taking 3 talented orphaned girls to Imbeleko Foundation’s Twin Co-Founders’ Alma Mater on scholarships; as a shared oath to pay ‘the benefits they received from scholarships’ forward to the next generations of their rural community - has now grown into a comprehensive holistic organisation serving over 10,000 children across 15 rural areas in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Imbeleko CEO, Sbusisiwe Myeni quit her 15 year Investment Banking career and returned to her home village of KwaNyuswa; in the picturesquare rural Valley of 1000 Hills, in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa - to create a legacy project in honour of a pact she made with her late twin sister, Dr Seni Myeni-Offiah. Imbeleko strives to empower talented, hardworking but socially marginalised rural children made vulnerable by poverty and scarcity – through holistic education support.
Through Imbeleko’s Afterschool STEM Programmes; Scholarship Fund (for Boarding School, Imbeleko Blended School and Universities) – Imbeleko has produced 100s of university graduates in STEM careers – from Medical Doctors, Engineers, Chartered Accountants, Educators, PHD students in the Health Sciences and also created over 100 jobs for local youth and graduates who are alumni.
Imbeleko has curated programmes and expanded the foundation's impact into:
- The launch of a collaboration school with No.1 ranked university in Africa and South Africa, the University of Cape Town Online High School, a first of its kind blended learning model for a rural community in South Africa.
- An Apple recognition and accreditation as an Apple Authorised Training Centre for Education (AATCE) for App Development – a first in South Africa and Africa – a pipeline development of unemployed rural graduates.
Our mission is to empower our children to reach their full potential and become society-contributing and self-sufficient citizens.
Sponsor a Child - Invest in the Global future for talented but marginalised children
A small investment gives an enormous return as we are able to build bridges between America and Africa for these young learners, but also for funders to create global citizens that will ultimately contribute to the global economy.
This valuable opportunity gives these children the opportunity to learn, grow and dream dreams they never imagined possible. We seek support for children who demonstrate academic excellence with these 3 options:
- Boarding School Scholarship Programme: $5000 (Tuition, Accommodation, Meals, Transport, Stationery, and Uniform)
Learn more about our Boarding School Scholarship Programme
- Blended Learning School in collaboration with UCT Online High School: $3000 (Tuition, Stationery, Laptop, Uniform, and Meals)
A story of an Imbeleko Learner
- Digital Afterschool Programme: $1000 (Tuition, Uniform, Stationery, and Meals)
What our partners have to say about us!
There’s no amount too small to support these initiatives, either monthly or annually.
100% of your donation is tax-deductible. Your donation is made to Every.org, a tax-exempt US 501(c)(3) charity that grants unrestricted funds to the American Friends Fund set up for Imbeleko Foundation hosted at Myriad USA.
Fundraisers
Official fundraiser
Support our Rural School: Help us Raise $100,000
Imbeleko Foundation is urgently raising $100,000 to sustain our Hybrid School and AfterSchool Programme — lifelines for rural children pursuing a future in STEM. South Africa’s civil society sectors are facing a silent crisis. Recent geopolitical developments and a sharp shift in funding priorities, has resulted in the withdrawal of key international who have long supported our country’s most vulnerable communities. At the same time, corporate social investment (CSI) into education is declining , with funding being redirected to other sectors especially due the recent defunding of USAID that is impacting the critical HIV/AIDS related support. As a result, community-based organisations like Imbeleko — serving South Africa’s most marginalised youth — are left grappling with sudden and severe funding shortfalls. Why This Work Is Critical: The inequality gap in rural education is not just an education issue — it is a long-term socio-economic crisis. Rural schools are under-resourced, with overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure, and limited access to digital tools. This severely limits learners’ ability to gain foundational knowledge, especially in critical subjects like Maths, Science, and English — the very subjects needed for STEM-related careers. Learners fall behind their urban counterparts, limiting their chances of accessing tertiary education or high-paying jobs. Rural youth are often excluded from formal employment and remain trapped in cycles of poverty. How Your Donation Helps: We are calling on our U.S. and global friends to help us raise $50,000 to bridge this funding gap for the remainder of 2025. Your gift will: Keep 250 vulnerable learners in school at our Hybrid Academy, with daily nutrition, digital access + connectivity, uniforms, and psychosocial care. Sustain Maths, Science, and English teachers delivering our AfterSchool Programme across 20 rural schools, impacting 1,000 learners. Preserve critical education infrastructure and help Imbeleko navigate this funding crisis while we re-strategise for sustainability. If friends and their family can each give $100-$1000, we can stabilise operations and ensure no learner’s future is derailed by forces beyond their control. Why It Matters: Imbeleko equips rural learners to become first-generation graduates, access STEM careers, and lift their families out of poverty. This is how we change the future — one child at a time. Donate today and be part of a global movement closing the rural education gap. Your donation is tax-deductible in the U.S. via our fiscal sponsor, Myriad USA , through the Imbeleko US Friends campaign.
- Raised
- $500
- Goal
- $100,000
2 supporters
DonateDonors
Connie Grazia 1Red Thread supports Imbeleko because they make a difference in many lives. Best of luck to the Dreamers!
Cordell Carter, II Geneva Brown1 Soamoya Rankins1 Rachel Fedde1