The Siyanda Hadebe Foundation exists because inequality in South Africa is not abstract. It is visible, lived, and deeply entrenched in everyday realities. It is seen in widespread food insecurity where households go to sleep hungry. It is seen in unhygienic and unsafe sanitation conditions that strip communities of dignity and expose them to preventable health risks. It is seen in the silencing of survivors of gender based violence, alongside the alarming increase in victims of gender based violence and domestic abuse.

It is also seen in the high absenteeism rate of young girls who miss school because they do not have access to sanitary pads, limiting their right to education and reinforcing cycles of exclusion. Through school based interventions and equipment driven support, the foundation seeks to respond directly to this injustice. Inequality is further reflected in limited access to basic, quality education, where a lack of resources continues to hinder learning, development, and opportunity for many young people.

Within this context, sports and recreation are positioned as a deliberate intervention strategy. These programmes are designed to provide safe, structured spaces that divert young people away from crime, drug abuse, and destructive coping mechanisms. Sport becomes more than recreation. It becomes refuge, discipline, and hope. It offers communities moments of normalcy and belonging, allowing participants to focus on growth rather than the hardships of hunger, health challenges, violence, or educational deprivation.

At the core, the foundation is rooted in the conviction that sustainable change happens when communities are not merely assisted, but actively restored, empowered, and included in shaping their own future.

The Siyanda Hadebe Foundation is a youth led nonprofit profit organisation that is dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged communities through initiatives focused on food security, sanitation, support of gender based violence (GBV), health awareness, education and sports.

The organisation was founded by Siyanda Hadebe on 12 April 2020 during the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, a period marked by acute hunger, social instability, and heightened vulnerability within marginalised communities. Although the vision was established in 2020, the formal development of the organisation was prolonged as a result of limited resources, structural constraints, and the realities faced by a youth led initiative.

In April 2024, the foundation entered its active implementation phase, transitioning from vision to community centred action. On 30 August 2024, the first Board of Directors was appointed, forming part of the founding leadership responsible for stewarding the organisation’s mission and values. The organisation was officially registered on 25 November 2024, marking a critical milestone in its journey.

Since then, the foundation’s work has remained deeply community driven, designed to respond to both immediate needs and long term development. Its history is shaped not by organisational growth alone, but by lived experiences on the ground and the belief that youth leadership is not a future concept, but a present responsibility.

Vision 26 is the foundation’s five year strategic vision spanning from 2026 to 2030. It represents a deliberate period of growth, expansion, and consolidation, guided by purpose rather than visibility. By 2030, the Siyanda Hadebe Foundation envisions becoming a leading youth led non profit organisation in South Africa, recognised for integrity, impact, and community centred development.

This vision focuses on expanding the foundation’s reach across provinces, cities, towns, and regions, ensuring that support is not limited by geography or circumstance. Vision 26 prioritises building sustainable capacity and resource stability, not for accumulation, but to ensure that programmes are consistently delivered and that communities remain the primary beneficiaries of every intervention.

Financial sustainability within Vision 26 is viewed as a tool, not an end goal. Resources are intended to flow directly into communities, strengthening programmes and amplifying impact. The vision is rooted in the belief that growth must always translate into deeper service, stronger outcomes, and lasting change.

This vision is not about scale alone. It is about integrity, consistency, and ensuring that every intervention leaves communities stronger, safer, and more empowered than before. Vision 26 is the foundation’s promise to grow without losing its purpose and to serve without compromising dignity. The work has never been about the organisation itself. It has always been, and will always be, about those who benefit through its efforts.