The Rahmqvist Foundation is a long-term project with the goal to create a brighter life and future for children and youngsters in South Africa. To give them a proper start in life so they can grow up as adults who will contribute to the development of their society. To help towards this mission the foundation shall support different projects.
“Together with the supporting community we’ve been able to build a center for children in need, a dream come true.”
— Leif Rahmqvist,
Founder of Rahmqvist Foundation
& Mapungubwe Foundation
MAPUNGUBWE FOUNDATION
The
project
The Mapungubwe Foundation started in January 2013 with the aim to build and run a center in Alldays for children in need.
The center was ready in August 2014 and can accommodate up to 20 children. There are as well showers, a laundry room, a big kitchen, a lounge, an activity room, a study and a library. In addition, there are rooms for mothers and volunteers, and an office.
There is also a skill school that offers young people training in different occupations such as cooking and sewing, with hope they can make a living on and break away from poverty. With more educated people the whole society will flourish and develop.
During the winter 2013/14 we collected furniture, beds and everything else that was needed at the centre from donors, mainly in Scandinavia.
Our work is based entirely on voluntary commitments and financial support. We want to cooperate with companies and organizations that share our values that – all children should know how to read and write and do math and that not even one single child should go to bed hungry or to be alone.
”It has been my greatest opportunity in life to make a change, both for my own satisfaction but mostly
for all the kids.”
NAME: Gunnel Ersson
NATIONALITY: Swedish
Volunteering at the Mapungubwe Foundation Center: Seven month 2014, one month 2016, five weeks 2019 and five weeks 2023.
Our volunteer Gunnel
”My name is Gunnel Ersson and I am a Swedish volunteer at the Mapungubwe Foundation Center. One of my friends had seen on Facebook that the Foundation needed two volunteers coming down here to start up a center, so I applied for it. I met Leif and the other two volunteer’s coming here, Inga Britt and Sandra. Suddenly I was on my way to South Africa. I arrived in April 2014. So I was here at the center when it all began in 2014 but also 2016, 2019 and 2023.
Every day we have activities with the children – everything from planting trees, singing, dancing, painting, netball, playing tennis and working with computers, but most of all we play a lot of soccer. Approximately two hours per day the children get help with their homework. Today (24th of March, 2023) I had breakfast with five children at the center and each day other vulnerable children also come to eat dinner. Sometimes there are ten children and other days we are around 25 alltogether.
You are so welcome to visit us at the center – we need more helping hands. Why not come and be a volunteer, it has been my greatest opportunity in life to make a change, both for my own satisfaction but mostly for all the kids.”
/Gunnel Ersson
”Our ambition is to go back again when the opportunity arises.”
NAME: Marie Ångström
NATIONALITY: Swedish
Volunteering at the Mapungubwe Foundation Center: 2017 & 2019
Our volunteer Marie
My journey to the Mapungubwe Foundation started with my client, Leif Ramqvist. I’ve had him in my hair salon chair for over 20 years. I remember when he first started talking about his vision of a children’s home in northern South Africa.
In the spring of 2017, I was asked if I wanted to go down as a volunteer and hold courses in hairdressing. My colleague and I would be providing training in international hair techniques, while a local hairdresser from Alldays would handle the African hair training.
With sponsorship from several major hairdressing brands, we sent down materials, ranging from scissors to mannequin heads. In the fall of 2017, it was time. After a long journey, we arrived and were greeted by Sarkie and the children. There were big hugs right away. The children were curious and we got help to set up. Already the next day, expectant and eager students arrived. It was exciting and at times challenging as electricity and water do not work as we are used to. The days were filled with work, and in the evenings we had dinner with the children, followed by dancing.
After 4 weeks we could examine 7 students with a diploma.
The experience left us wanting more, and in the spring of 2019, my husband Bobby and I went back to Mapungubwe. My husband would provide training for the maintenance staff. Fix, repair and service things that were needed at the children’s center.
I had planned to follow up with my previous students, but there were 6 new ones waiting for us! So, we held another hairdressing course… This time, we felt more at ease, and it was rewarding to see how the children had grown since our last visit. We had also fundraised so we could spoil them a little extra. They wanted to be involved too, and there was a lot of laughter and fun.
The reward of these weeks is a feeling of appreciation and having done something meaningful. Getting to know these wonderful children and the amazing Sarkie, the heart of the children’s home. Our ambition is to go back again when the opportunity arises.
/Marie Ångström
Rahmqvist Foundation 