Architect’s global mission
FIKISIWE and Nkosinathi Mtshali miss the sound of their son’s voice echoing through the walls of their home. They miss having a home.
In 2012, the mud structure in Umbumbulu that they once called home, was destroyed during a storm.
They subsequently moved into an outhouse on a friend’s property.
But the following year, Nkosinathi was involved in a taxi accident which left him without the use of his legs and with limited use of his hands.
Sharing a single room between three people became impossible under the circumstances and the couple were forced to make a heartbreaking decision and have their son move in with family friends.
“It’s painful to be away from him,” Fikisiwe says.
She is a soft-spoken woman with a broad smile, which belies the struggle of her daily life.
Nkosinathi is not able to go to the toilet alone or feed himself and Fikisiwe has taken on the role of his carer.
The love between the two is evident and his eyes light up as she squeezes his hand. But the Mtshalis have a hard life.
Hope, however, is on horizon.
Construction on a new, specially-designed home for the family is set to begin next month.
There, Fikisiwe will have a garden she can tend to and a kitchen she can cook in.
A portion of the property will be used as a crèche so they can begin to generate their own income again.
“And my son can move back home,” Fikisiwe beams.
The Mtshalis’ new home is a pilot project of 23-yearold Wandile Mthiyane’s Ubuntu Design Group, which aims ultimately to change social the housing in South Africa and around the world.
Mthiyane himself hails from humble beginnings in KwaMashu, but in 2012 he was awarded a scholarship to study architecture and town planning at the prestigious Andrews University in Michigan, in the US.
Now – midway through his master’s degree and with a list of accolades behind his name – Mthiyane wants to use his talents and skills to change the way some of the most disadvantaged people live.
The Ubuntu Design Group makes professional architecture available to people who would otherwise be forced to live in what Mthiyane describes as “boxes”.
He says social housing – as it is – breeds crime.
And he wants to use architecture to reshape these communities and reflect their culture and shared values, while also providing the residents with entrepreneurial opportunities.
He and some of his classmates from Andrews have been working alongside the Mtshalis, designing their new home for several months and now construction is just about ready to begin.
But while Andrews has donated half of the funds required, they still need to raise the other half.
So they have started #buyabrickbuildahome, which encourages individuals and corporates to purchase a “brick” – at a cost of as little as $10 (R128) – to go towards building the Mtshalis’ new home.
If you would like to contribute to the funding visit iol. io/bbvc4, email info@ubuntudesigngroup.com or wandilemthiyane94@gmail.com for more information.