Impact Stories: Partnerships and Networks

Difference as Strength

This Seeds4Youth project has given four different organisations from four different countries, the opportunity to host and be hosted, to share learnings and methods and hopes and aspirations and challenges and successes and failures. Each of us works within our home ground to create spaces of opportunity for migrant and displaced youth with entrepreneurial visions to access networks, knowledge and resources to increase their odds of success. This requires much inquiry into what creates a sense of belonging in spaces that historically may have been intimidating, hostile or unfriendly, uninviting at the least. This is ongoing and deeply personal work that requires everybody to look deeply into themselves and ask how their own presence in the room affects the room. If we want to talk about sustainable social enterprise, we need to be prepared to be uncomfortable.

My mind goes back to the first Germany – South Africa exchange we did in 2019. I had sleepless nights trying to justify 18 international flights to learn about sustainability. I remember standing on top of Signal Hill one night with the group, watching Cape Town’s city lights sparkle, a young woman beside me, in tears, because this was the first time she had seen the city from above. Her city. She was born and raised and spent her whole 22 years in the shadow of Table Mountain, in Mitchells Plain, right below us, and this was the first time she was seeing the city. I remember when a young man cried with joy when he received his passport, because he was the first ever in his lineage to own a passport. I remember when his extended family and neighbours all came to the airport to see us off, “You are doing this for all of us” they said, as they danced and sang and waved us goodbye.

Many exchanges later, on South African shores, sitting in the dark after a very emotional day, I watched a young man from Germany quietly come to the realisation that his quality of life back home was directly linked to the injustice and poverty he had witnessed first hand that day. And slowly, slowly, I started to understand all the very many layers of unfolding and learning and healing that take place through such exchanges, and how all the layers of grief and trauma from generations of violence and colonisation are inextricably linked to any conversation about sustainability.

One of the things I have really grown to appreciate is what happens when we come together with our differences. This is a generalisation, but statistically it has proven true on every exchange we have done: the South Africans hold colour and chaos and creativity and innovation and intuition and the ability to dream the impossible, and the Germans bring clarity and structure and order and recipes and methodologies and accuracy, and it is in the marriage of our differences that our greatest potential lies.

In between work sessions we share stories of where we come from. Our spirituality, our foods, our family histories, our hopes and aspirations, our political beliefs and experiences, and these sharings leave all of us richer. They increase our compassion and empathy and ability to hold difference as strength. They increase our ability to navigate the world and our paths within it. They leave us more agile and better equipped. They increase our ability to talk about systemic injustice and inequality and everyone’s responsibility towards changing these systems. They dispel preconceived ideas and open us to “other’ as friend, not foe. This in itself is a fundamental step towards systemic change.

These unions debunk the North-South hierarchy of power we each hold within, as each individual realises their uniqueness is as important and interesting as the others, as we each realise that we have as much to teach as we have to learn. I think it is these learnings that pave the way for truly sustainable social enterprises whose successes are gauged by collective not individual gain.

Amava Oluntu, South Africa

How to build links between Associations

In Muizenberg, we attended a meeting of the various local associations. We also organize this
type of meeting in France, but the approach there was interesting and effective.
First, it was a group aperitif, a gathering of people. The list of participants and associations was listed, and we were able to meet with the chosen professionals.
This convivial event was more structured than in France. The food was plentiful, the speakers‘
presentations were well-prepared, and the welcome was well-structured.
Second, everyone was brought together in the same space to discuss the practices and issues of the organizations. This part seemed even more interesting to me because real connections were made and everyone’s realities were shared.
For my part, I’ve been interested in creating partnerships with several organizations, including an association that uses surfing as an educational tool. I may contact them to develop potential exchanges.

This experience has given L’Engrainé ideas for the October festival. Indeed, the first evening of the festival will be dedicated to welcoming all the region’s partner associations. We will include associations, institutions, schools, libraries, and all organizations working with youth. The idea is to thank them for their involvement but also to create a space for exchange and sharing around a shared meal. Although this is something we already do, the South African experience will modify some of the modalities in the way we host and organize this evening.
We will prepare presentation sheets for the organizations and dedicate a set amount of time to informal exchanges.

Milena Lachmanowits, L’Engrainé, France

Deep fried pizza & chocolate hummus: South African Youth Workers at Gusto del Mondo

In June 2024, three of us—South African youth workers—made our way to Turin, Italy, exploring how food can serve as a community connector. Our landing pad was Gusto del Mondo, a vibrant culinary space where culture, inclusion, and gastronomy come together in a way that gave us a wonderful insight into Italy and local context.

Gusto del Mondo: A Kitchen of kindness

Gusto del Mondo wasn’t just a kitchen—it was a philosophy in action. It was a place where people of all abilities and backgrounds cooked, learned, and ate together. The team welcomed us warmly, inviting us to roll up our sleeves and step into the heart of their kitchen… After enjoying a quick espresso of course!

At first, we were unsure how to communicate. We didn’t speak Italian, and some of our hosts spoke only a few words of English. But food became our common language. With gestures, laughter, and the unspoken rhythm of chopping, stirring, and tasting, we found connection.

We were in the action, the beats of music kept us on the missions and all kinds of deliciousness was being co-created in talian and Piedmontese style. There was no sense of hierarchy—just a shared purpose and an anticipation of tasting.

We learnt about cooking in jars, making pizzas, gnocchi, frittata, ragu and as we went, we realized that the act of cooking together was more than just a skill—it was a methodology for inclusion. There were no labels of „helper“ and „helped“—just people coming together to create something beautiful.

Meals That Meant More

As the days passed we got to know the rhythm: when the food was ready, we remixed the space and set the table so that everyone could gather at a communal table, the heart of Gusto del Mondo’s philosophy. Newcomers arrived having happily accepted their invitation to lunch. This wasn’t just a meal—it was a lesson in dignity and belonging. We passed plates of nutrition and taste sensation around and shared stories between bites.

More and more we understood that the people around us weren’t just eating; they were participating in a ritual of connection. We learned that Gusto del Mondo’s mission was to use food as a tool for empowerment—giving differently-abled individuals opportunities to gain independence and confidence through culinary arts.

Lessons We Took Home

Leaving Gusto del Mondo, we carried more than just the memory of an incredible meals. We carried a new understanding of how food can shape community, inclusion, and empowerment.

Back in South Africa, we having been stiring the spirit of Gusto del Mondo into our local community garden and kitchens.:

Food as a bridge: Breaking barriers of language, ability, and background.

Shared meals as a methodology: Using the table as a space for equality and connection.

Cooking as empowerment: Seeing the kitchen as a place of skill-building, independence, and dignity.

Our Italian experience reminded us that food is much more than sustenance—it’s a way to build a world where everyone has a seat at the table. And in our own communities of Muizenberg and Vrygrond, we were ready to set that table wider than ever before.

Claire Homewood, Amava Oluntu, South Africa

Sharing failure and building trust

We are often used to international cooperation settings where exchanges between organizations turn into showcases of results, best practices, and success stories, with a strong emphasis on performance and self-presentation. During this mobility, however, it was possible to move beyond that logic, creating space for a more genuine and non-competitive exchange. No one was there to “sell” their project or to promote an image of excellence: the shared goal was to learn from one another, in a climate of openness and mutual respect. The extended stay—up to three weeks of shared work between organizations—played a key role in building trust and enabling more honest dialogue.

This environment fostered a concrete kind of exchange, where discussions focused not only on what had worked, but also on projects that had not gone as planned. These moments—often arising spontaneously—proved to be some of the most valuable in terms of learning. Sharing what didn’t work, acknowledging missteps or unmet expectations, is never easy, but it became possible thanks to the climate of mutual trust. Conversations about operational difficulties or project management challenges made it possible to collectively analyze underlying causes and, in many cases, identify alternative approaches together, drawing on the experiences of others.

This willingness to question oneself, without fear of being judged, emerged naturally—particularly during long stretches of informal time shared among colleagues. The most meaningful conversations often took place outside the structured programme sessions: over meals, during breaks, or while travelling together. In those spontaneous settings, a horizontal professional community took shape, grounded in active listening, mutual interest, and a shared willingness to reflect critically on one’s work.

The impact of this experience cannot be measured in terms of tools acquired or models to replicate, but rather in the opportunity to rethink one’s own professional approach. It reinforced the idea that sharing difficulties—when done seriously and constructively—can become a real opportunity for growth, both for individuals and for the organizations they represent.

Pietro Speziali, Eufemia, Italy

Context Analysis

Studying the context is essential.
Asking ourselves where we are, what defines the spaces we move through, and who populates them is the first step toward understanding.

In Mannheim, the urge to question every passerby was strong. In people’s eyes, I could see long roads walked and small habits formed, day after day, in this diverse and welcoming city.

Analyzing a context while being immersed in it can be complex, stimulating, and at times disorienting. That’s why we look for frames — reference boxes that help us define boundaries, only to later challenge and go beyond them.

At the TUMO Center in Mannheim, I discovered the evolution of a hands-on, future-oriented initiative. A place where young people explore digitalization through both artistic and scientific lenses, supported by cutting-edge equipment and carefully designed spaces.

The concept originates in Armenia, where the TUMO model was born, bringing with it detailed know-how and methodological guidelines. In Mannheim, it is led by Starkmacher with strong support from public institutions. And yet, each day presents a new challenge: reaching and engaging young people, staying faithful to the original vision while adapting it to a new, specific context.

It’s an ongoing process of analysis — and this is what makes the impact both dynamic and lasting.
Because analysis is not just a starting point — it is a practice that helps us constantly uncover new layers, new voices, and new sparks of light.

Ivana Ristovska, Eufemia, Italy