Phakamani Ndlovu (whose first name, loosely translated from Zulu, means ‘Rise Up’) began his journey as an activist at the tender age of 15 when, given the choice between taking responsibility for his surrounds or giving in to peer pressure, chose responsibility.
The fateful day began when boys at the cash strapped local high school which Phakamani attended as a young man were asked by the school’s Head Master to clean the boys’ toilets which, like many of the facilities at schools in rural South Africa, were in a state of what could be euphemistically referred to as ‘disrepair’. Resources were scarce and something needed to be done, but boys being boys, the request went unheeded by all… except Phakamani. Having been raised by a single mother who had instilled in him an understanding of the worth of hard work, self-respect and respect for ones surroundings from an early age, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
This small and somewhat random act of courage did not go unnoticed. Phakamani, who was in Grade 8 at the time, was awarded a bursary, organized by his very impressed Head Master, for the remaining four years of his high school career.
The fire had been sparked; soon after high school Phakamani became a volunteer with The Valley Trust, an organization based in KwaZulu-Natal that is dedicated to educating communities in improving their health and quality of life, where he helped monitor the healthcare of children at a primary school level.
Then in 2006, with the small amount of money he had saved up after high school, he started the Phakamani Progressive health hub Organisation, which is dedicated to inspiring the youth in the KwaNgcolosi area to embrace education in all forms and challenge the status quo.
Yet, knowing that actions speak louder than words, Phakamani makes an effort to practice what he preaches; which is exactly how his connection with McCord Hospital came to be. When he found out that McCord Hospital had begun offering free male circumcision – which has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission to men by 60% – he immediately decided to have the procedure done on himself as an example to the young men he has been mentoring. McCord Hospital, which has been at the forefront of the fight against HIV and AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal, the South African province most affected by the disease, began offering male circumcision in February 2011 with the aid of PEPFAR (US Presidents’ Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). The procedure is a small, quick and inexpensive part of the solution to a big problem that is showing good results.
Since then, Phakamani has embraced circumcision and its benefits with much enthusiasm, spreading the message to young men at the schools he tours in KwaNgcolosi. Small things with great consequences… so often courage amounts to so little materially. Yet it is essential to the integrity of society and a light in dark times. A light that Phakamani and Phakamani Empowerment are intent on carrying into the future.
A positive influencer and multi-award-winning public speaker, Phakamani “Mrcondomjwabu” Ndlovu has over 16 years’ experience in the community impact arena, working as a behaviour change activist, radio presenter, MC and Entrepreneur.
Durban-born, Phakamani, has worked in the NPO space since 2008 where he started at Sethani Centre, training youth on how to effectively use a PC from Basic Introduction to End User Computing. He went on to become a youth leader for an educational programme held at five different high schools covering the following topics: vision and goal setting, leadership, sex and relationships, and self-development. He had the incredible opportunity to go to Australia in June 2010 as a part this young project initiative.
Aware of the significant increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affecting sexually active people between the ages of 15 and 49 years in the eThekwini, Phakamani started Phakamani Empowerment Enterprise in 2019 with the goal of increasing sexual health education and advocating from the practice of safe and protected sex.
Phakamani Empowerment Enterprise is a platform for positive behaviour change through raising awareness of all social illnesses. The Enterprise focuses on self-esteem building campaigns, as well as marketing and skills development training.
“We create awareness through social media platforms, print publications, radio, and activations. We market social impact businesses and social responsibility campaigns which allow individuals and communities to be empowered to make informed decisions and, in turn, create a better future for themselves and the province of KwaZulu-Natal,” explains Phakamani.
Phakamani “Mrcondomjwabu” Ndlovu, who is passionate about men’s health, said his passion for the cause started in 2011 when he went for a free circumcision at McCord Hospital. After his experience, Ndlovu was very pleased and even posted on the hospital’s Facebook page to commend the staff for their professionalism and for the good service. “They called me and asked if I would talk about my experience and encourage people at their clinic, and I became an ambassador for medical male circumcision in eThekwini,” he said. He then worked at the hospital in marketing, focusing on medical male circumcision. He says, “And in 2013, when the hospital closed, I carried on in this line of work, moving to the Society for Family Health, an NGO that has a contract with the Department of Health, where I worked as a coordinator for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in the eThekwini District. Since then, I have been in this space,” he said.
Company summary:
- BACKGROUND:
Phakamani Empowerment, formed in 2011, is a seasoned agency specializing in transformative initiatives, including social behaviour change communication, self-esteem campaigns, demand generation, marketing, and skills development training. Our strategic approach employs diverse channels such as social media, print publications, and activations to elevate awareness. Our commitment extends to promoting businesses and championing
social responsibility campaigns, fostering skill enhancement, informed decision-making, and positive community contributions.
- HIV prevention strategies:
In response to escalating rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affecting individuals aged 10 to 49 in the eThekwini area, KZN, Phakamani Empowerment proposes a targeted demand generation campaign. Our specialized focus includes social behaviour change communication, self-esteem campaigns, and demand generation, emphasizing sexual health knowledge and advocating for safe practices. Grounded in research, our initiative seeks to address this pressing public health concern.
- In-Store Promotions and Mall Activation
Phakamani Empowerment is a dynamic advertising, promotions, marketing, and brand activation agency with a history of engaging in mall activations and in-store promotions since 2011. In 2015, we initiated a campaign focused on promoting animal welfare and supporting Compass Medical Waste Services through their Compass Cares division. Our involvement included promoting and selling animal calendars at various malls and shopping
centers in and around eThekwini, KZN. We are dedicated to helping you connect with your target audience and achieve your brand archetype.
- Clientele and Collaborations:
Our clientele, including PAC-MED, MMashela Health, THINK, AMG, Usizo Medical Centre, and Rixile Consulting, underscores our commitment to addressing various health awareness issues. Collaborations with Genesis Analytics provided valuable insights into health and socio-research studies, such as PrEP & VMMC landscaping. Our association with Compass Cares allowed us to delve into environmental promotion, animal welfare, and nature conservation.
- Partnerships with South African Government (SAG):
Phakamani Empowerment boasts strong relationships with the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial and District Departments of Health, actively participating in health awareness campaigns and events management.
- Services Offered: Social behavior change communication (Recruitment for Male Circumcision), In-Store Promotions & Mall Activation, Health Awareness Campaigns, Training & Development, Community Dialogues Facilitation and Engagement, Consulting Work, Community Mobilization
- ACHIEVEMENTS to date
Notable campaigns include promoting animal welfare and supporting Compass Medical Waste Services through their Compass Cares division. Our engagements, including successful mall activations, reflect our dedication to connecting businesses with their target audiences and achieving brand archetypes.
Secured a work contract with PACMED, MMashela health, AMG, and THINK for VMMC demand generation, recruitment, and condom (Max and Maxima female condom) distribution.
- PAC_MED – 2017 – 2019 – 5450 clients were successfully recruited and circumcised over 2 years & 3 months.
- MMashela Health 2019 – 2024 6253 clients were successfully recruited and circumcised over the years.
- AMG – 2023 – 237 clients were successfully recruited and circumcised (started from 09 February – 09 March 2023)
- THINK – 80 clients were successfully recruited and circumcised (13 February 2023 to 30 September 2023)
- LCJ Health – 2019 – 2024 212 clients were successfully recruited and circumcised over the years.
- Compass Cares calendar sales since 2015 to date – yearly project – sold 6587 units.
- KZN eThekwini health district condom promotions and distribution since 2017 to date.
- Training & Development – Conducted training on VMMC DG for UKZN Howard college Peer education team, PSI, AMG & SOKA team and Northern star alliance team.
- Spar KwaMashu, Homie flats CBD, Transnet, Isicelo soccer club and eThekwini Municipality Youth office desk, I have executed SBC campaigns and charged them for services – evidence on request.
- VMMC DG training consultant to FPD covered KZN DG Training for RTC team members (April & May 2024).
The projects are managed by the company’s founder & Chief Executive director, Phakamani Ndlovu directly.
Phakamani has tons of experience working doing community work such as HIV&AIDS Community testing and Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision activations and giving health talks, he took part in a personal transformation, leadership and strategic planning workshop and has the necessary skills to lead this project to success.
Phakamani Empowerment is poised to bring impactful, targeted, and transformative initiatives to KZN districts, driving positive change and fostering community well-being.
Details: www.phakamaniempowerment.co.za
