Introduction
The word “Kopano” means coming together.
And that’s exactly what this project stands for: young people united in one spirit and one goal: to build a better country, a better environment, and a stronger community.
Kopano brings us back to where everything begins, the soil.
By growing crops, we support our community with food while caring for our environment. Every seed planted helps reduce carbon emissions in our township, tackles hunger, and strengthens food security. But Kopano goes beyond farming.
We use music as a tool for awareness, to raise our voices, share our struggles, speak against injustice, and inspire change.
Through the land and through music, we plant seeds of hope, justice, and transformation.
Addressing Hunger and Dignity
In our township in Orange Farm in Johannesburg, South Africa, hunger remains one of the toughest challenges. Many families cannot afford daily meals, and children suffer the most.
Through Kopano, we grow crops and prepare community soups, warm, nourishing meals that feed those in need.
Soup is simple but powerful.
It warms, nourishes, and brings people together.
Our community soup gatherings are about more than food; they’re about restoring dignity, showing care, and creating safe spaces where no one is left behind.
Why farming and music?
We chose farming because we see the struggles that many people in our township face every day. Hunger is a reality for too many families, and we believe that change starts with the soil beneath our feet. Through farming, we want to inspire our community to start their own backyard gardens so they are not entirely dependent on outside help. This initiative shows that hunger can be overcome, that with our hands and the earth, no one in our community needs to go without food.
We chose music because South Africans love it; it’s in our spirit, our culture, and our way of expressing life. Right now, Amapiano is especially popular, bringing people together across all walks of life. Music is what people turn to for joy, healing, and unity, and we saw that as a powerful opportunity. By using music as a tool for awareness, we can spread our message further, helping more people hear about what we are doing and connect with the heart of our mission.
Together, farming and music form the rhythm of Kopano, nourishing the body and inspiring the soul.
Our South African ambassadors in action
The Kopano project aims to inspire the youth to rise above every situation they encounter.
African Youth Goal 12: Climate Change & the YVA Kopano Project
From an African youth perspective, climate change means more than rising temperatures or unpredictable weather; it represents a daily reality that affects our food, health, homes, and hopes for the future. It is the visible impact of human actions on our environment, but also the invisible weight that young Africans must carry as we inherit the responsibility to protect and restore our planet.
Across Africa, young people see the effects of climate change in failed crops, dry rivers, floods, and heatwaves. But we also see the power within ourselves to act, to transform our communities through innovation, resilience, and unity.
That is why our YVA Ambassadors in South Africa developed the YVA Kopano Project, inspired by African Youth Goal 12: Climate Change.
“Kopano empowers youth to rise above crime and hopelessness. It sets apart a generation to do better, see better, and reach for better, transforming them into leaders of change.”
— YVA Ambassador from South Africa
