About Us

Mayibuye is a Zulu word from South Africa that means ‘bringing back what was lost’. It evokes a time when everyone was happy and life was simple, filled with singing and dancing. A time before the Apartheid and before the societal destruction inflicted by drugs, alcohol and HIV.

Vision

Mayibuye aims to create generations of young people who believe that a better world is possible and are empowered and enthusiastic about seeing it happen within their life time.

Mission

We are a grass roots organisation that uses performing arts to facilitate educational opportunities for young people, who are vulnerable to negative peer pressures and at risk behaviour.

Our organisation has grown rapidly since its founding 2 years ago. In that time we have recruited over 40 volunteers and are now working on 12 community projects. We are currently established in South Africa and Australia, and are developing an initiative in Cambodia.

We currently have 2 Performance Troupes in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa, consisting of 50 high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The groups perform at various government and community events across the state, spreading a message of hope and promoting Zulu culture through their performances.

We also work in Gippsland, Victoria  where we bring together different groups of youth to celebrate and embrace their cross- cultural differences, whilst promoting understanding, unity and peace. We are developing programs which will run in Melbourne, Cranbourne and also within schools.

We recently launched our first “STAND CENTRE FRONT” Young Performers Conference in partnership with the Australian Youth Forum, which brought together performers of across Victoria to network with industry professionals, learn from diverse range of teachers and to discuss the impact performing arts has on youth development.

Our organization has recently partnered with Elangeni College in South Africa and we are developing an full-time Tertiary Dance and Life Skills course which will start at the beginning of 2012. The course is targeted at young adults who have graduated from secondary school, but are unable to find employment or go on to further study, limiting their options for a brighter future.   Our course will provide opportunities for young people in the community to learn new dance styles and develop life skills, in the areas of business, leadership, nutrition, substance abuse prevention and HIV/AIDS awareness. With these skills, our students can become active leaders of change for their generation and pave the way for a better future.  

Mayibuye has a number of other programs, including Multicultural Youth Development Forums, International Dance Tours and Overnight Cultural Experiences. Mayibuye is run by a volunteer team in both South Africa and Australia. We are young, passionate and devoted to empowering communities with the skills and resources they need to make positive change in their lives, resulting in a brighter future.