The FLOW Project
📍Mbazwana, South Africa
Creative education (storytelling, drama, poetry and visual arts) for 500 disadvantaged children in rural South Africa.
Turning survival into expression, confidence and possibility.
Start February 2026, this project will immediately impact 500 children in rural KwaZulu Natal
Led by local facilitator, art educator and community leader Dumsani Ngubane, children will be involved from day 1.
With over 25 years experience in working directly with children through the power of arts, both as a school teacher as well as engaged in non-profit initiatives, Dumsani is a trusted local leader to drive the project forward.
Key to the Survive To Thrive mission is to engage passionate and skilled local facilitators to ensure
sustainable long-term impact.
Come along and be a part of the JOY!
Your contribution will immediately help fund:
art supplies and props for role play
transportation for children in remote areas to participate,
snacks and drinks to ensure energy and avoid empty bellies,
electricity and access to safe spaces,
internet and recording gear so we can stay connected and update you throughout the process.
stipends for local facilitators to keep doing their incredible work changing the lives of the young.
*The video shows empowered girls dancing to the drums by facilitator Dumsani Ngubane during their rehearsals in December 2025.
You are invited!
Being run by a small grass-roots organisation, it’s essentials that you get to following along the journey in real time.
We will continuously update the development of art workshops and engagement with the children throughout the year so that you can see your contributions make an impact first hand.
Youth Empowerment
Teenagers taking the stage and staying away from the streets, carving a new future for themselves empowered with confidence in their abilities.
A little goes a long way
Thank you!
A dream we’ve kept alive for decades
Local facilitator Dumsani Ngubane and Survive To Thrive founder Elin Petronella worked together locally over a decade ago.
Dumsani shared his life-long dream with Elin of building a recreational art centre when they first met in 2012 (see image). The center would work as a community hotspot for opportunity and change, where children get trained and invited to express themselves through creative mediums. This would also ensure getting kids off the streets, fight poverty, reduce teenage pregnancy and avoid drug and alcohol abuse which are just some of the major local issues.
The colleagues worked together closely through 2014-2015, where even after work hours and on personal expense, Dumsani would be tirelessly support children to make drama and storytelling a big part of their way to process experiences and a medium for empowerment. For Elin it was an experience that touched her at her core.
When her contract and visa to stay in South Africa expired, she promised she would one day be back and work with Dumsani to make this a reality.
The perfect time never came so she decided that now, a decade later,
IS THE TIME.
She may not have the financial means to make it happen alone, but she has the privilege of access to build a non-profit structure to invite other warm hearted creatives from around the world to participate in the mission and bring empowerment and long-lasting change to youngsters around the world.
Together we can make a difference.