The Grassroots Londolozi Model of African Development: Social Empathy in Action

Aid efforts in Africa often fail, sometimes increasing the very problems they are meant to ease. A grassroots effort we call the Londolozi model is bringing local South Africans out of poverty by restoring their homeland's ecosystem. Based on principles of social empathy to develop local ecotourism, the model demonstrates how it is possible to generate a small, medium, and micro-enterprise economy that creates jobs for the local community. In addition, the Londolozi learning center and the private, not-for-profit Good Work Foundation have worked in partnership with the local community to offer adult literacy training, educational opportunities for children and youth, AIDS education, and other sustainable services necessary to end poverty. The basic precepts of the Londolozi model and principles of social empathy can be used to promote social development in other parts of Africa, as well as in other regions of the world.