We are reaching out to you with a sincere, heartfelt plea to help save Makhosi Foundation from displacement…

To our friends and community,

In 2022, we at Makhosi Foundation embarked on an ambitious journey to create a sanctuary where initiates and individuals could commune, connect with the land, and immerse themselves in indigenous healing practices. Our unwavering commitment to this heart-led mission has allowed us to overcome obstacles, supporting our cause from our personal finances and with the generosity of a few, dedicated individuals. Despite our growth and impact, our organization has yet to reach financial stability.

As our community has grown, we've recognized the need to expand our team and secure additional funding. Although our fundraising efforts over the past two years have not reached their full potential, we remain passionate and resilient in our pursuit of these dreams. We find inspiration in the transformative experiences and healing we witness among the individuals we serve, driving us to persevere through moments of challenge, burnout, and sacrifice.

As founders, Gogo Ekhaya and I, Gogo Thule, have navigated numerous challenges and made difficult decisions to bring the Makhosi Foundation to life. We've gracefully adapted through cycles of clarity and acknowledged areas where we've fallen short. Recently we've needed to scale back our programs and reimagine our organization in light of these financial challenges and setbacks with limited staffing capacity for program development. We recognize that we are not meant to bear all of the responsibilities we've shouldered and that it's time to become more resourceful.

We’ve shifted from housing rites of passage students/programs full-time, offering one-on-one holistic healing sessions, recording & archiving our medicinal songs in the form of an EP, running an apothecary, offering workshops through a virtual library, managing a board and fundraising activities, hosting ceremonial events for collaborative healers, to surrendering to the core programs which consist of our medicinal songs, plant studies, and motherland journeys offered through seasonal gatherings that take place both in-person and virtually.

Looking ahead, we envision our tree, planted in early 2022, growing stronger and reaching more individuals in need. We aim to increase the accessibility of our programs by reducing participant costs, offering scholarships, and fostering strategic partnerships. Our goal is to support the healing of more communities and more people, particularly BIPOC low-income individuals, and those experiencing mental health challenges or spiritual emergence.

Despite minimal resources and the challenges we have faced, we have kept our doors open and accessible to people in need both virtually and in person. For our efforts to be sustainable over time, we need an economic leap forward.

We are at a critical moment in time. Here is our current plan and how you can support us:

Grant Proposal: May 1st, we submitted a grant proposal that funds cultural organizations in support of operations. We are gracefully awaiting the outcome of that submission in September 2024.
We are diligently seeking additional grants to apply for that meet our unique mission as we continue to expand our grant writing and fundraising approaches and team.
Community-based funding campaign: We are inviting 333 individuals – 11% of our mailing list – to become monthly donors of $25, or more, for at least six months to help us at this time. We could easily stay in operation until December if we meet this goal by May 28th. For those willing to support in this timeline, we’d love to gift with:
- A Quarterly MiniZine - (Volume 1 is freely available for everyone here)
- Access to our Imphepho Virtual workshop

We appreciate the community support we’ve received from so many of you over the years that has come in many forms. The biggest difference you can make for us now comes in the form of contributing $25, or more, per month for the next six months.

Another way to support us is by sharing this fundraising event and/or by sharing our annual report with potential sponsors/donors. Your generosity and your belief in our mission are essential to allowing us to grow and flourish. We are incredibly grateful for your kindness, compassion, and commitment to our shared vision.

With your support, we can save the space that has become a home for so many and ensure the continued growth of our organization.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and dedication to our cause.

With gratitude,

Gogo Thule & Gogo Ekhaya ~ Makhosi Foundation

Sustain Our Roots

We are inviting 333 individuals to become monthly donors of $25