Program Context

Silent Knowledge supports individuals affected by issues like poverty, crime, unemployment, gangsterism, and drug abuse.

In the aftermath of Apartheid, young men in the cape flats are subjected to a stigma around men and manhood. Labeled as perpetrators, absentee fathers, these young men are left with less opportunity and suffer from a lack of identity and belonging.

Misguided, many become swept up in the culture of gangsterism: the utmost challenge on the Cape flats. This culture is ingrained in society and nonconformists become ostracized. Misguided children form delinquency groups which often evolve into or are co-opted by organized gangs. It is said that in the Cape flats, young people die like flies.

Silent Knowledge provides alternative and unique assistance to children in the program. The program promotes children’s rights under the South African Children’s Act.

Silent Knowledge reconnects indigenous communities with nature, using its healing power to support gang intervention.

During the era of Apartheid's forced removals, indigenous populations were displaced and confined to council flats or plateaus. These residential areas became highly congested, leaving little room for the organic freedom of childhood.

Before these forced relocations, indigenous people lived connected to the land, appreciating the interconnectedness between the waterways, mountains, and landscapes. Unfortunately, these once-natural havens have now been transformed into cities and towns, exclusively accessible to the privileged few. The majority of the remaining natural spaces in South Africa are under governmental ownership, making them largely inaccessible to the general population. In the council estate, there are no trees, and residents, typically descendants of the people displaced in forced removals, live on top of each other in concrete flats.

Throughout the Silent Knowledge program, participants have the opportunity to reconnect with nature through hikes, surfing, and other outdoor activities. Our program uses nature as a means of distraction from gang culture, providing participants with a deeper sense of meaning and community.