Our organisation takes it’s name from Ahimsa, a sanskrit word meaning ‘non-violence’. The Trust has been created to promote non-violence, reconciliation and respect for nature and human nature through yoga. According to the Global Peace Index, the two stand-out marks against South Africa relate to violent crime and homicide, which are among the worst in the world.
This is apparent in the societal safety and security category, where South Africa ranks within the bottom 20 in the world – 18th – while the murder rate makes South Africa the 8th most violent country with a rate of 33 homicides per 100,000 people. Mother Earth is also suffering, day-by-day humans are destroying her. Our rivers, lakes, oceans and seas are polluted. Our fields, mountains and skies are polluted. Indeed the most dangerous pollution is mental pollution. How can we hope to achieve nonviolence and live sustainably without first correcting the state of the human mind?
For these reasons Ahim’SA is bringing a greater appreciation of non-violence, living togetherness and respect for nature to informal settlements in South Africa. Communities that otherwise wouldn’t have had access to yoga, and all it’s benefits, are now able to enjoy it and we are already seeing changes beginning to happen. Our pilot project takes place in Imizamo Yethu township, Cape Town, South Africa. The township is lacking important infrastructure; there is minimal water supply, few toilets and no sewerage system at all.
There are many challenges facing the Imizamo Yethu community. Violence is a pervasive and constant presence in many private and some public interactions, stemming from xenophobia, drug-gangs, taxi operator wars, domestic violence, poverty and the feeling of low self worth, and a lack of social cohesion. We hope you will join us in our mission; none of this is possible without you.
