Latest News
Bulungula College Achieves a 98% Matric Pass Rate and Earns Top Performing School in Region for the 3rd Consecutive Year!
We are thrilled to announce that Bulungula College has achieved an outstanding 98% Matric pass rate for 2024, with incredible results across all subjects: English: 100% Mathematics: 100% IsiXhosa: 100% Life Orientation: 100% Business Studies: 100% Physical Science:...
A look back at 2024
As we close out 2024, we celebrate another successful year of implementing projects and marking a big milestone: 20 years of impactful work in our community. While this year has brought its share of challenges, these “growing pains” have taught us valuable lessons and...
Across Time and Cultures: Why Giving Endures
Giving is a deeply human act. Across time and cultures, most belief systems—whether religious, philosophical, or cultural—emphasise the importance of sharing with those in need. From traditions like zakat, tzedakah, alms, or dāna, to social...
What a typical week looks like in Bulungula
Our organisation is like a little ecosystem, with 180 staff members working across our various projects in education, health, farming, radio, and extracurricular activities. Each day is buzzing. So, what does a typical week look like? Seedlings, Gardens, and Fresh...
What We are Rich In: Celebrating Traditional Rural Life
Our work focuses on addressing the challenges that impact daily life in our community, and raising awareness about the deep complexities of poverty is an important part of that mission. At the same time, we want to highlight the positive aspects of traditional rural...
Creating a Supportive Organisational Culture: How We Do Our Work Is as Important as What We Do
At the Bulungula Incubator (BI), it feels shallow to describe what we do as simply "work." We are a deeply embedded, place-based organisation with virtually nonexistent boundaries between our work and community. With 130 permanent staff—90% from our community and all...
Happy Heritage Day, South Africa! Learn About Our Community’s Rich Xhosa Heritage
Today, we celebrate South Africa's vibrant diversity. Did you know South Africa has 12 official languages and many ethnic groups, including Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Pedi, and Tsonga? Here on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape, our community proudly carries forward a...
A Display of Resilience and Unity: Updates on Recent Armed Robbery Incident
It has been just over a month since the armed robbery incident involving Réjane Woodroffe and Dave Martin, co-founders of the Bulungula Incubator. Both are making a strong recovery from the injuries they sustained during the attack. They took time away from their...
Trying to crack the tough nut: What we have learned about entrepreneurship
In 2020, we launched the Job Skills and Entrepreneurship Programme (JSEP) at Bulungula College. This programme provides accredited training and paid internships to bridge the gap between education and employment. While JSEP has seen great success in preparing young...
Expanding Our Alcohol and Tobacco Harm Reduction Programme: Integrating Pharmacotherapy and Group Support
Photo: Dr Amanda Saunders and Sibabalwe Goqwana , mental health counsellor, with a patient during enrollment consultation. In our community, as in many others across South Africa, the misuse of alcohol and tobacco presents significant social, physical, and emotional...
Nobody Left Behind: Bulungula Mobile Health Point
Before the Bulungula Incubator opened, our community's health was severely compromised by the inaccessibility of healthcare. In 2006, a survey we conducted found that one-third of babies died from diarrheal diseases, and half of households had lost at least one child....
Bulungula Lodge turns 20!
Situated in the scenic village of Nqileni, overlooking the Indian Ocean with its ancient forests and rolling hills speckled with colourful huts, Bulungula Lodge celebrates two decades of successful community-driven tourism along the rural Eastern Cape coast. At the...
Achieving True Universal Healthcare in Rural Areas: Bringing Healthcare to the Home with Nomakhayas
In our remote rural community, healthcare access has been a significant challenge. The nearest clinic is five kilometres away, but due to the rugged and expansive terrain, this journey can take over three hours round trip. While criticising the government and...
Celebrating Youth Month: The Importance of Positive Role Models for Our Young People
“Being a role model is the most important kind of educating.” - John Wooden Thatha iLiza has been running weekly surf-therapy sessions for youth in our community for nearly five years. We have seen young surfers grow in their skills, confidence, and character....
Implementing a mother tongue literacy project at our government primary schools
Research shows that children acquire literacy skills more quickly and effectively if taught in their mother tongue. Importantly, the literacy and comprehension skills a child learns in their mother tongue are transferable to any other language they learn later. This...
“It Takes a Village”: The Power of Partnerships
Collaboration isn't just a strategy; it's a necessity in the realm of non-profit organisations, particularly those focused on sustainable community development. At Bulungula Incubator, we believe that a coordinated effort can yield more substantial, far-reaching...
From almost dropping out of school to becoming our youngest senior manager: Lihle’s story
Welcome to the second instalment of our series, which is dedicated to celebrating the vibrant and inspiring individuals who are the heart of the Bulungula Incubator. This series shares stories and offers a glimpse into our rich Xhosa culture and the profound sense of...
Special Visit by Minister Angie Motshekga to Showcase Our Holistic ECD Model
Today, we were honoured to welcome the South Africa Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, and Chief Director for Foundations for Learning, Kulula Manona, to Bulungula. This visit was an exciting opportunity to showcase our holistic Early Childhood Development...
![[VIDEO] Resilient Communities Webinar Episode 2: Effective Community Stakeholder Engagement Practices for Sustainable Development](https://bulungulaincubator.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-05-at-10.16.02-400x250.png)
[VIDEO] Resilient Communities Webinar Episode 2: Effective Community Stakeholder Engagement Practices for Sustainable Development
Watch the second episode of our Bulungula Resilient Communities webinar for a discussion on our best practices for community stakeholder engagement with Dave Martin, founding member of Bulungula Incubator and founder of Bulungula Lodge, and Vuyolwethu Jaxa, Deputy...
Bulungula College Matric class of 2024 ‘Tying the Knot’ ceremony
It's that time of the year again: our fourth Matric class at Bulungula College celebrated the annual "Tying the Knot" ceremony. This ceremony, where learners receive their Matric necktie by their loved ones, is more than just a rite of passage into their final year of...