Northern areas initiative Napdi marks 10-year milestone

The Northern Areas People Initiative (Napdi) will usher in its 10th anniversary with its annual Raymond Uren Memorial Lecture at the Dower College Hall, West End, Port Elizabeth, on Thursday evening.

The lecture, titled “Ignite the Calling”, will be presented by Mike Davy, a former Sacos activist from Johannesburg, with the aim of highlighting the complexities of education in communities similar to the northern areas and the important role of educators.

Napdi was established on March 21 2009, with a vision of creating a renewed and caring civil society.

Napdi’s head, Isaac Metembo, said the organisation aimed to bring people and organisations together to share information that would assist the community to collectively address issues.

“The organisation promotes socioeconomic development through lobbying, advocacy and being an enabler of community empowerment especially through education and training projects,” he said.

Each year, Napdi embarks on projects such as the Second Chance matric programme for adults, a past pupil school support programme and the Napedia programme.

Since Napdi was born, its projects had contributed to its credibility and been a foundation for the future, he said.

Napdi’s patrons include Dr Derrick Swartz, Prof Ihron Rensburg and Sophie Williams De Bruyn, and trustees include Metembo, Michael Barry, Paul Geswindt, Dr Jeff Govender, Nadia Domingo, and Tanya Kisten.

Geswindt said Napedia was a “Wikipedia” of the northern areas.

Barry said the organisation had fulfilled many of its objectives in its 10-year existence.

Napdi hopes to be at the forefront of interventions and conversations to build the nonracial society many thousands paid the ultimate price for.

The event will be presented in partnership with the Uren family and Nelson Mandela University’s Centre for the Advancement for Democracy led by Allan Zinn, as well as individuals and the education fraternity.

For more information, contact 041-504-4079.