2023
Chicago robotics
After two years of robotics lessons on Zoom by the Chicago Knights, five of our members travelled
all the way to Chicago to participate in a robotics competition. They competed as the "One Team
Two Continents" robotics team. It was a project by the Global Leading Light Initiatives.
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2023
self-managing team
We replaced our manager with a self-managing team, in order to empower our members by giving them
ownership and responsibility for our organisation.
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2022
UNICEF
UNICEF accepted Nemato Change a Life into their Sport4Development programme. Odwa and Thando were
trained in Durban to offer the sports-based life skills activities for our members.
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2022
new Quantum
Unfortunately, one of our Quantums was hijacked in Gauteng. However, thanks to the incredible
generosity of Alexander van Assendelft, we were able to replace it and upgrade to this latest
model Quantum.
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2021
tanks coding
Coding became a crucial element of our programme with the introduction of the Tanks coding programme by Nelson Mandela University.
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2022
retreats
We have begun offering holiday retreats to assist our members in coping with issues such as trauma and
stress, gender-based violence, and anger.
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2020
lockdown food parcels
During the Covid lockdown, Lunga and Ashley were on the road every day with our two Quantums to help
the community with emergency food parcels.
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2020
greenhouse
We built a small greenhouse at our centre to pilot projects such as fly farming, fish farming, and
herb gardening. All of these projects aim to give our members skills to generate income.
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2018-2019
Germany exchange
Lifa was accepted for an exchange programme with Germany and spent a year volunteering in Göttingen,
here with his German handball team.
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2019
second Quantum
The Mike Thomson Change a Life Trust gave us a second Quantum, to cope with our growing number of
activities and trips.
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2018
opening Nemato Change a Life Centre
The basic construction of the MNemato Change a Life Centre is completed and we started using the centre.
There is still a lot of work to finish everything, most of which will be done by our members.
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2018
solar power
Thanks to many generous donations we were able to get a solar power system installed for free, clean and
load-shedding-proof electricity.
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2016
ECD Association Ndlambe East
After we established the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Association Ndlambe East a year before,
the first Level 2 course was held for free in Port Alfred for township preschool teachers.
Nontsebenzo won the ECD Practitioner of the Year Award during the graduation ceremony.
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2017
start Nemato Change a Life Centre
We started building the Nemato Change a Life Centre, using sandbag technology. The centre is build for us
by the Mike Thomson Change a Life Trust.
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2015
own transport
With the generous support of the Mike Thomson Change a Life Trust and Alexander van Assendelft
this Quantum was make available to us, a real game changer for our organisation.
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2015
first Laureus YES graduation
Lunga was our first member to graduate for the Laureus Youth Empowerment through Sport (YES) programme.
The graduation took place at the Mercedes-Benz South Africa head office in Johannesburg.
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2012
Change a Life as main funder
The Mike Thomson Change a Life Trust came on board as our main funder and we changed our name to
Nemato Change a Life. An impressive presentation by our beneficiary Athenkosi convinced the trust.
In the picture he graduated on a rowing bursary at the University of Johannesburg.
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2013
first Gold President's Award
Ashley Backward is the first Nemato Change a Life member to receive the Gold President's Award.
In a very special event in Cape Town, the award was handed over to him by President Zuma and the
Earl and Countess of Wessex from England.
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2008
first lessons
At Nemato Rowing Club we experiencing the many challenges of our disadvantaged township youth.
We started our youth empowerment programme, with lessons in English and mathematics.
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2009
Nemato Sports Federation
We established Nemato Gymnastics Club and formed Nemato Sports Federation as umbrella
organisation to run our youth empowerment programme. The RDP house on the Matinyana family's erf
was extended for us to run our office and classes.
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