OUR PURPOSE
To bring hope and healing to where it’s needed most by activating agency
OUR VISION
To shift overlooked communities from surviving to thriving
OUR VISION
To shift overlooked communities from surviving to thriving
OUR PURPOSE
To bring hope and healing to where it’s needed most by activating agency
OUR VALUES
We light the spark within, inspiring agency and nurturing self-mobilisation and self-led transformation. We galvanise people’s own power to choose, change, and create – one step at a time – so they can rise to their full potential.
Empowering agency
We lead with love, empathy and compassion – healing trauma and reigniting hope. We put genuine care, intentional kindness and meaningful connection at the heart of everything we do. We build people up, respecting their dignity and self-worth.
Radical compassion
We embrace joy, beauty and playfulness as powerful tools for fuelling hope and imagination, inspiring new ways of seeing. We build a forward vision of the future, filled with possibility and potential for a richer and more rewarding life.
Joyful optimism
We are curious, creative and adaptable, and have the flexibility and capacity to evolve and scale. Both responsive and resilient, we innovate strategies and solutions to meet shifting realities in sustainable ways.
Agile sustainability
We are practical and pragmatic, ready to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in. We recognise that real impact requires structure, follow-through, and reliability. And ensure our efforts lead to meaningful, measurable change.
Grounded impact
Meet our Dreamer-in- Chief
Rebecca Lily Oppenheimer
Rebecca, a graduate of Princeton University and LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) is focused on finding unique solutions to the diverse challenges of South Africa, and the wider African continent.
Rebecca is actively involved in enterprises across sanitation, food technology, and emotional wellness, particularly as they pertain to circumstances of people, especially women, living in informal settlements. She has founded uBomi to house these interventions.
She is also the Co-Chair of the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and sits on the board of the Girl Effect.
Meet our Master Builder
Gary Larsen
Gary considers himself an Implementer and Fabricator, with tenure at the University of Okaynowwhat. His introduction to engineering was in the injection molding industry.
He left the drawing board and desk to pursue hands-on interests in high-end woodwork, metal fabrication, custom visual merchandising fixtures for designer brands, and exclusive props for the film industry.
His uBomi work combines his passions for simplicity by design, 3D print innovation, and bringing both smiles and pride to communities in need.
Meet our COO
Nyasha Manjengenja
Nyasha is a social development leader whose life's work has been guided by a single, quietly radical conviction that the greatest gift you can leave behind is possibility for others. She has devoted her professional life to strengthening communities, families and systems across Africa, often in places the world has been slowest to look.
A graduate of the University of the Western Cape, where she earned her PhD in Social Work, a Master's in Child and Family Studies, and her Bachelor of Social Work (Summa Cum Laude), Nyasha is also a qualified Professional Integral Coach. She has worked in 15 African countries, leading programmes and managing multi-million dollar implementation budgets and translating evidence-based research into practical, community-rooted tools for families.
Beyond uBomi, Nyasha serves on the Board of Fountains Academy. She is a passionate advocate for African leadership development and investing in the next generation of leaders.
Meet our Social Worker
Phathutshedzo Tshikororo
Phathutshedzo is a dedicated Social Worker who holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Cape Town, with elective studies in Psychology and Sociology. A two-time recipient of the UCT Dean’s Merit List award and a proud alumnus of the Dell Young Leaders Foundation, he is passionate about empowering young people, strengthening families, and fostering resilient communities.
His work focuses on promoting mental well-being, supporting positive youth development, and helping individuals, families and communities navigate social challenges through a client-centred and strengths-based approach. As a multilingual practitioner, Phathu engages effectively with people from diverse backgrounds ensuring cultural competence while committing to advancing social justice, dignity, and meaningful opportunities for those he serves.
Meet our Dreamer-in-Chief
Rebecca Lily Oppenheimer
Rebecca, a graduate of Princeton University and LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) is focused on finding unique solutions to the diverse challenges of South Africa, and the wider African continent.
Rebecca is actively involved in enterprises across sanitation, food technology, and emotional wellness, particularly as they pertain to circumstances of people, especially women, living in informal settlements. She has founded uBomi to house these interventions.
She is also the Co-Chair of the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and sits on the board of the Girl Effect.
Meet our Master Builder
Gary Larsen
Gary considers himself an Implementer and Fabricator, with tenure at the University of Okaynowwhat. His introduction to engineering was in the injection molding industry.
He left the drawing board and desk to pursue hands-on interests in high-end woodwork, metal fabrication, custom visual merchandising fixtures for designer brands, and exclusive props for the film industry.
His uBomi work combines his passions for simplicity by design, 3D print innovation, and bringing both smiles and pride to communities in need.
Meet our COO
Nyasha Manjengenja
Nyasha is a social development leader whose life's work has been guided by a single, quietly radical conviction that the greatest gift you can leave behind is possibility for others. She has devoted her professional life to strengthening communities, families and systems across Africa, often in places the world has been slowest to look.
A graduate of the University of the Western Cape, where she earned her PhD in Social Work, a Master's in Child and Family Studies, and her Bachelor of Social Work (Summa Cum Laude), Nyasha is also a qualified Professional Integral Coach. She has worked in 15 African countries, leading programmes and managing multi-million dollar implementation budgets and translating evidence-based research into practical, community-rooted tools for families.
Beyond uBomi, Nyasha serves on the Board of Fountains Academy. She is a passionate advocate for African leadership development and investing in the next generation of leaders.
Meet our Social Worker
Phathutshedzo Tshikororo
Phathutshedzo is a dedicated Social Worker who holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Cape Town, with elective studies in Psychology and Sociology. A two-time recipient of the UCT Dean’s Merit List award and a proud alumnus of the Dell Young Leaders Foundation, he is passionate about empowering young people, strengthening families, and fostering resilient communities.
His work focuses on promoting mental well-being, supporting positive youth development, and helping individuals, families and communities navigate social challenges through a client-centred and strengths-based approach. As a multilingual practitioner, Phathu engages effectively with people from diverse backgrounds ensuring cultural competence while committing to advancing social justice, dignity, and meaningful opportunities for those he serves.
We believe lasting change is built together
It takes a village to raise a child. And much more to build a thriving community. Which is why we look to partner with local communities, community-based organisations, local government, the public sector, corporates and funders who share our purpose and commitment to making a meaningful difference.
We don’t arrive with ready-made answers - we listen to communities and their insights, and learn from those with expertise and experience. By combining local wisdom with scalable, sustainable infrastructure, we co-create safe and joyful spaces that ignite possibilities.
If you want to be a part of building spaces where communities can heal, grow, and lead, we’d love to journey with you.