A Conversation with Dr. Narissa Ramdhani
Dr. Narissa Ramdhani is a board member and former CEO of Ifa Lethu Foundation, the largest heritage repatriation organisation in South Africa. With a collection of more than 700 works of art from South African artists, the Foundation also runs entrepreneurship and business development programmes for aspiring artists in undeveloped communities across the country.
Born and raised in South Africa, Narissa was an activist in exile during apartheid, when she spent time at the University of Connecticut and at Yale University in the US. She returned to South Africa in 1994, when she became Nelson Mandela’s director for special projects. It was through this role that Narissa became involved in the repatriation of materials of the African National Congress (ANC) from its offices abroad to ensure that these could be preserved.
Throughout our conversation, Narissa emphasised the importance of arts and culture in inspiring individuals to take action and create positive change in their communities, and the role that arts can play socioeconomically for young South Africans.
Narissa will be joining us as a speaker at our Indaba in Bloemfontein this fall to dive deeper into a conversation about the intersection of art and social justice.
Dr. Ramdhani with Nelson Mandela
What does people-powered change mean to you?
Ifa Lethu is a prime example of people powered change. Our collection demonstrates how the human endeavour can overcome even the severest struggles of a nation, and it can assist in efforts such as social cohesion, transformation, and nation building. In the modern world today, we are more interconnected and the impact of events thousands of miles away are felt more immediately than ever before.
We are impacted at every level emotionally and compassionately when we witness war and suffering, whether in Gaza, Israel, or Ukraine. Therefore our work and our collection, which epitomises pain and suffering of our country's oppressed majority, brings the current suffering of others into our lives today. Our work in the arts pays homage to those around the globe, who are victims of physical and mental pain through the universal images of suffering.
What challenges or opportunities in your community motivated you to take action?
A number of factors inspired me to take action and were activated by my early work with Ifa Lethu. I often visited rural areas in South Africa and was deeply inspired by the untapped creative skills I saw there. For instance, once in Soweto, I met an artist selling his work to make ends meet, and I realised that with proper support, these skills just needed honing and professionalising to become a viable business entity. This is where my background in business kicked in, because I saw this as a business opportunity.
The potential I saw in these areas was immense, and I felt that I needed to catapult these skills into the global environment, especially for disadvantaged youth who could turn their art into a global export opportunity. It was a driver to look beyond just our creative educational programmes and see how I could help rural communities.
An example of this effort was a fashion show we organised inspired by my visits to Europe and seeing a link between the fashion and art worlds. Our South African fashion designers used repatriated art to inspire their designs for the Ifa Lethu Heritage Collection, which did really well. Ifa Lethu also participated in South African Fashion Week, where we showcased locally made products as PR gifts which impressed stakeholders internationally. That's when I realised we needed a structured training program supporting marketing and export. The global market for creative products was huge and the possibilities for our youth, in the arts, was endless.
What role can young people play in driving change in South Africa?
Nelson Mandela believed deeply in the power of youth, famously saying the future belongs to them and that they must seek peace, unity, and diversity to achieve lasting goals. His words have always inspired me to harness the power of youth.
The 1976 Soweto uprising and the 2010 Arab Spring show the transformative power of young people. Despite South Africa's shortcomings in supporting its youth, through our development programs in rural areas we aim to integrate young people into the formal economy, which is crucial for driving economic growth, societal development and reducing unemployment.
Globally, countries are encouraging youth to advance SDGs. East Asia, for example, has successfully leveraged its youth demographic to boost GDP and reduce poverty. South Africa should learn from this, given our large youth population and high unemployment rates.
At Ifa Lethu, our creative entrepreneurial programs have formalised youth businesses in the arts, contributing to GDP and fostering innovation. Mandela said that education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. Our non-formal training project addresses this by supporting disadvantaged youth from initial training to product export and market engagement, and has trained 2,400 youth and established 800 successful youth export businesses. Our focus on youth is driven by their potential as catalysts for economic and social change. They need our support, and their contributions are essential for South Africa's progress.
Participants of Ifa Lethu Programmes in South Africa
What role have the arts played in bridging communities and driving social cohesion?
As an arts organisation, we've shown how the arts can drive social and economic change. At Ifa Lethu, we provide a platform for young people to express their ideas and challenge societal norms, promoting diversity, inclusion, and community.
In the first decade of South Africa's democracy, the focus was on addressing material welfare imbalances, but this neglected the reconstruction and development of the soul of the country. This oversight led to high levels of crime, violence, and anger among the youth. Learning from this, we have invested in developmental programs that use the arts as a tool to foster future leadership and social cohesion.
Our programs have transformed sceptical rural communities by empowering youth through art. For instance, young artists who initially lacked confidence gained respect and recognition after successfully selling their work at the National Arts Festival. This shift in perception highlights how art can change communities and foster economic growth. By developing their businesses, these artists create employment and spawn other local businesses such as postal and internet services, benefitting thousands of people. By encouraging them to participate in this new wave of creative entrepreneurship, it means their work can be a greater value-add for growing the economy. We aim to eliminate poverty, reduce social problems, and bring respect to these very artists.
What message do you have for younger generations?
I would advise the younger generation to learn from the past and let it fuel their passions despite any challenges, while always upholding African dignity. Without this foundation, it’s hard to move forward and contribute to societal healing, transformation, social cohesion, and justice. The saying goes, "If you don't know where you come from, you don't know where you're going."
It's concerning when young people say, "let's move on" without understanding the history of suffering and resilience. You cannot truly progress without appreciating what past generations, like Nelson Mandela, endured and achieved for the nation. Understanding this history is crucial for societal healing and addressing today's global issues. This foundation helps prevent repeating the mistakes of past leaders and fosters a more just and cohesive society.
Intergenerational exchange is also an integral part of our work because indigenous knowledge, held by elders, can greatly inspire young people. By bringing these two together you are demonstrating the value of the two generations, and our programs show the importance of both perspectives, highlighting the importance of collaboration. In South Africa, drawing on elders' wisdom helps decolonise education and perspectives. For example, in Bangalore, I saw young people mastering the skills of their ancestors and creating traditional artefacts. They explained that these ancient skills brought them financial benefits and allowed them to honour their elders.
This inspired me to emphasise the financial and cultural benefits of such exchanges in our work at Ifa Lethu. By showing the financial rewards of respecting and preserving indigenous knowledge, we foster respect and collaboration between generations.
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