The Bonamelo Melisizwe Foundation’s selection as a finalist for the 2026 CSI Legacy Awards marks an extraordinary milestone for an organisation that, in only three years, has quietly become a lifeline for thousands across township and informal settlement communities. Its nomination in the Best Rising NGO category recognises not only the Foundation’s impressive grassroots impact but also the inspirational leadership of its founder, Bonamelo Moloi — a changemaker whose journey from lived hardship to national recognition embodies the resilience, purpose, and compassion that define the organisation.
Moloi is an internationally certified life coach, youth development advocate, and award-winning civil society leader. Raised in township conditions marked by poverty, limited access, and social exclusion, his lived experience fuels his commitment to empowering young people and restoring dignity within underserved communities. In 2023 he was appointed a Brand South Africa “Play Your Part” Ambassador, and in 2024 he received the Mayoral Youth Legacy Excellence Award from the City of Ekurhuleni. These accolades reflect not only his leadership but his hands-on commitment to practical change: feeding families, developing youth, building partnerships, and using his own home as a digital skills hub for young people hungry for opportunity.
The Bonamelo Melisizwe Foundation was established in 2022 in response to rising poverty, anxiety, and hopelessness in township communities. Since then, it has impacted nearly 15,000 individuals — children, youth, families, and the elderly — through youth development and poverty interventions. Its work centres on two core pillars: youth empowerment, including education support, skills development, and gender-focused empowerment; and poverty relief, including food and water security and community outreach. The Foundation operates on the principle that giving is not an obligation but a passion, and that communities can thrive when dignity and opportunity are restored. Its mission is to help people provide for themselves, build stronger families, and foster responsible, hopeful individuals who can shape better futures.
The programme nominated for the CSI Legacy Awards — Melisizwe Coders — is the Foundation’s flagship initiative and a powerful demonstration of what community-driven innovation can achieve. Launched in December 2023, the programme was born from an urgent need to close the digital divide affecting youth in areas like Ekurhuleni. Many young people in these communities face barriers that prevent them from accessing quality STEM education, reliable digital infrastructure, or mentorship aligned with the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In response, Melisizwe Coders offers free digital upskilling in computer literacy, coding, website development, and digital entrepreneurship. The programme also integrates mentorship, psychosocial support, and personal development — recognising that talent flourishes when emotional wellbeing and confidence are nurtured.
The model is deeply localised and community-rooted. Without formal funding, the programme has already trained nearly 70 young people, both in-school and unemployed. Its outcomes have been remarkable: over 30 new digital enterprises created, youth placed in entry-level digital jobs, and young facilitators emerging from within the programme itself. It also includes learners who have secured three-year sponsored education and wealth-creation opportunities. Melisizwe Coders demonstrates how targeted digital training, delivered within the community and reinforced by mentorship, can unlock economic mobility even in contexts where opportunity is scarce.
Moloi’s personal investment in the initiative is profound. One of the most meaningful milestones of his leadership has been the transformation of his own home into a digital skills hub — a space where young people find not only training but mentorship, psychosocial support, and a sense of belonging. This act reflects his belief that leadership begins with service and that empowering others is a calling, not a profession.
Being named a finalist for the CSI Legacy Awards is a deeply significant honour for both Moloi and the Foundation. It validates the belief that community-rooted initiatives, even those launched without funding, can achieve national impact when driven by purpose, collaboration, and compassion. For the Foundation, the recognition is not merely celebratory; it is motivational, strengthening its resolve to scale its programmes, deepen its partnerships, and widen its reach across South Africa.
At its core, the Bonamelo Melisizwe Foundation represents what can happen when lived experience meets intentional leadership. Its work restores dignity, builds confidence, and opens pathways for young people to thrive. As a finalist for the 2026 CSI Legacy Awards, the Foundation stands as a beacon of hope — proving that resilient communities can rise, that youth can lead, and that even the smallest beginnings can spark profound transformation.