Professor John Ntshaupe Molepo, an Associate Professor at the Tshwane University of Technology and founder of Thusangwanageno (Help Your Brethren), has been quietly transforming lives for over a decade—and making a positive impact on people.
Through various initiatives, his organisation has become a beacon of hope for students and community members alike. In 2019, Molepo received the Presidential Award in the Compassion Category for Thusangwanageno. Molepo is also one of the most quoted political analysts in the country.
"These initiatives are a result of lived experiences and love for the community," explained Molepo. "We have been running Thusangwanageno for over 10 years with various programmes, including assisting students with tuition and registration fees, book covering services, learner's and driver's licences support, school refurbishment projects, donations of mini libraries and operating a community centre."
Volunteers covering books as one of Thusangwanageno free services. Picture: Supplied
The centre is located in Soshanguve, Pretoria, and is the nerve centre of Thusangwanageno, with various free services being provided to the community from there. These include CV drafting assistance, job application support, student application assistance, homework support for learners, printing, scanning, and email services.
Molepo funds these initiatives from his pocket and through donations from supportive individuals. He is known for taking to the streets, dressed in graduation regalia, to ask for donations in areas such as Pretoria, Nelspruit, Polokwane Rustenburg and Potchefstroom, benefitting hundreds of students in the process.
"We have close to 50 dedicated volunteers working across our various projects. Community members can access our services by visiting the centre, where our volunteers are always ready to assist," said Molepo.
For school refurbishments, he said most schools approach Thusangwanageno directly with their needs. "We also actively identify schools with dilapidated infrastructure and request permission to assist with repairs and improvements," he elaborated.
Some of the Thusangwanageno volunteers. Picture: Supplied
With regards to learner's and driver's licences assistance, the organisation provides comprehensive support for applicants. This includes training resources and queue management as well as teaching responsibility and accountability. For those planning to enrol at university, the focus is specifically on helping with tuition and registration fees for students.
Looking ahead, Thusangwanageno aims to expand its reach to more communities across South Africa and increase its impact through additional programmes and services. The organisation welcomes volunteers and donations from individuals and organisations who share its vision of community development and education support.
For more information about Thusangwanageno's initiatives or to get involved, visit the organisation's website.
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Inside the Thusangwanageno community centre in Soshanguve, Pretoria. Picture: Supplied
