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PPF provides economic empowerment, educational enrichment and leadership development opportunities for women and youth in the townships of South Africa, and creates community service opportunities for students in the U.S.
Project People Foundation launched its economic and humanitarian programs in 1995 with the goal of making a lasting difference in the lives of South African children and women who faced the bitter legacy of apartheid. For the children it was the gift of black dolls --- for their mothers it was the gift of work. From these initial projects, PPF has grown to encompass programs and partnerships that continue to make a positive difference in promoting economic empowerment for women in South African townships and facilitating access to education for black South African children. Here is a review of our history and major achievements.
The Black Doll Project: For PPF’s inaugural project in 1995, 15,000 new black dolls were distributed to black and brown South African children who, because of apartheid, had never seen dolls made in their likeness. This goal was achieved through PPF’s mobilization of volunteers in churches, synagogues, schools, colleges and community organizations throughout the U.S.
Crafting Social Change: Beginning in 1996 in Cape Town, South Africa, as an outgrowth of the Black Doll Project, PPF worked with a local community organization that trained and employed over 800 township women to produce high-quality handcrafted items, including dolls, stuffed animals, home decorations and beaded jewelry. In 1999, PPF received a $100,000 grant from the World Bank to replicate this successful program in Basadi Pele, outside Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 200 women have since been trained as master sewers and entrepreneurs, and the community is now home to an accredited manufacturing and training facility for other women.
Youth Community Service Programs: PPF mobilized over 850 middle school, high school, and college students nationwide to learn about South African issues, collect dolls and raise funds for the Black Doll Project and other PPF programs, and learn to sew dolls that were distributed to black South African children.
Cause-Based Sales: PPF has sold over 25,000 handcrafted items created by women in South African townships through synagogues, churches, schools, civic organizations, government agencies, colleges and universities, and black professional associations.
U.S.–South Africa Student Exchange Programs: PPF has worked closely with New York City high schools and other organizations, including the Frederick Douglass Academy in Harlem and Face to Face-Faith to Faith, to provide exchange opportunities for Harlem and South African youth. PPF also co-hosted South African students visiting the Frederick Douglass Academy.
Grant-making & Humanitarian Assistance: PPF extends humanitarian support to projects and organizations to increase their sustainability in critical areas of service delivery. Organizations we have supported include: Nkosi’s Haven in South Africa for HIV-positive children and their mothers, the Maru a Pula School in Botswana, and Iris House for HIV positive women in Harlem, among others.
Aid-To-AIDS Campaign: At a reception hosted by the Consul General of South Africa, PPF launched the sale of hand-beaded AIDS pins, a major component of their Aid-To-AIDS campaign. Akin to the AIDS "red ribbon" in the U.S., these AIDS pins were crafted according to South African hand-beading traditions and symbolized the AIDS epidemic in South Africa.
The PPF Youth Alliance: A continuation of PPF’s long tradition of providing community service opportunities for NYC public, private and parochial school students was realized by New York City high school students from the PPF Youth Alliance who organized a gala that educated other youth about South African issues and raised $40,000. These funds were used to purchase school uniforms for students living in South African townships.
Major donors to date include: Avon Foundation, British Petroleum Foundation, Coca-Cola Foundation, Time Warner, World Bank, American Jewish Committee, New York Board of Rabbis, W. K. Kellogg Foundations, Trinity United Church of Christ, and many others. We would like to express special appreciation to the Sister Fund, DDB Needham Worldwide and the Riverside Church for their financial and in-kind contributions and their enthusiastic support.
Rev. Linda Tarry-Chard, President and Founder
Dr. Jo Renee Fine, Co-Chair
Dorothy Tananbaum, Co-Chair
Fred Sanders, Esq., Secretary
Kiron Bloom
Sheree Hairston
Ashley Hufft, Esq.
Nelia Watten
John Monahan
We hope you find this site useful in understanding what we aim to do here at Project People Foundation. We're happy to answer any questions you may have so please leave us your name and email and a brief message and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
460 Park Avenue
21st floor
New York, New York 10022
212-870-6702