© 2026 Local Village NPC
Honouring Nature & Growing Markets
A non-profit extension of Local Village Africa (Pty) Ltd, established to amplify our social impact and build a more inclusive, regenerative economy across rural Africa.
While Local Village Africa (Pty) Ltd champions ethical market access for rural producers, Local Village NPC focuses on empowering communities through training, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental stewardship.
At the heart of our work is a commitment to co-creating value with the communities we serve. We work collaboratively to develop local supply chains—from the ground up—through initiatives such as sustainable beekeeping, hive manufacturing cooperatives, regenerative agriculture, and biodiversity restoration. These supply chains are not just sources of income; they are lifelines for rural resilience, ecological healing, and intergenerational opportunity.
Through flagship programs like the Vusmzi Initiative, we train and support women, youth, and people living with disabilities to become active participants in both the green economy and the value chains that feed into Local Village Africa’s product offerings.
Together, Local Village NPC and Local Village Africa are cultivating a new vision for rural development—one where communities are not just beneficiaries, but co-builders of sustainable, scalable systems that work for people and planet.
Our Vision
To create a world where rural communities lead the way in restoring nature, preserving culture, and building inclusive, regenerative economies that unlock lasting opportunity for all.
Our Mission
Local Village NPC empowers underserved rural communities—especially women, youth, and people with disabilities—through co-created, regenerative programs in sustainable livelihoods and ethical supply chains, rooted in the belief that true development begins when communities lead and benefit from the change they create.
Our Founders
Sipamandla is the co- founder and Commercial Director at Local Village, She is a subsistent
farmer and foodie. She completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in 2014 majoring in
Community Development and Business Management and has been named one of South
Africa’s top 200 Young People to watch in 2019 by Mail and Guardian and One Young World
ambassador. Sipamandla is inspired by the African continent, its diverse cultures and its
quest for social and economic unity. She wants to play a role in the implementation of free
and fair trade across Africa.
farmer and foodie. She completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in 2014 majoring in
Community Development and Business Management and has been named one of South
Africa’s top 200 Young People to watch in 2019 by Mail and Guardian and One Young World
ambassador. Sipamandla is inspired by the African continent, its diverse cultures and its
quest for social and economic unity. She wants to play a role in the implementation of free
and fair trade across Africa.
Mmabatho is the co-founder and Sustainability Director at Local Village, a qualified
beekeeper. She holds a Bachelor of Health and Social Sciences majoring in Psychology and Communication. A former Dream Girls International mentor, a certified business professional in the fields of Customer Service, Sales and Business Etiquette, and a One Young World Ambassador. She was selected as one of the Brightest Young Minds in SA by BYM and again as one of the emerging Change Makers in South Africa by Spark international
beekeeper. She holds a Bachelor of Health and Social Sciences majoring in Psychology and Communication. A former Dream Girls International mentor, a certified business professional in the fields of Customer Service, Sales and Business Etiquette, and a One Young World Ambassador. She was selected as one of the Brightest Young Minds in SA by BYM and again as one of the emerging Change Makers in South Africa by Spark international
Non-Executive Board
Zin Mabaso is an accomplished business leader with over 25 years in senior executive roles, as Managing Director and Marketing Director in the FMCG industry. Zin has international experience leading complex food/agroprocessing companies
that operate in multiple jurisdictions, that is in the African continent as well as in Europe. Ms. Mabaso has extensive board experience in South Africa and Internationally. Ms. Mabaso recently held 2 positions at Philafrica Foods as Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director Dadtco Philafrica. She was also a statutory director at Dadtco Philafrica B.V. in the
Netherlands and a director at Dadtco Africa Mauritius. Zin Mabaso has spent the last 7 years managing and overseeing the commissioning of Cassava (Tapioca Starch)
operations in the Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, and Angola. Zin currently holds the position of non-executive director with ONQ Research, a leading CRO in Africa. She has held several non-executive director positions as a member of Audit, Remuneration, and SERC committees as well as chairing the SERC committees. Ms Mabaso is a founder and
managing partner at AVCO (African Value Chain Optimisation) Food Processing, where together with her business partner she has been responsible for facilitating the rollout and optimisation of Agro-processing projects in the African continent. In this current role, Ms Mabaso also consults to NPOs, organisations, and governments on Agro-processing
that operate in multiple jurisdictions, that is in the African continent as well as in Europe. Ms. Mabaso has extensive board experience in South Africa and Internationally. Ms. Mabaso recently held 2 positions at Philafrica Foods as Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director Dadtco Philafrica. She was also a statutory director at Dadtco Philafrica B.V. in the
Netherlands and a director at Dadtco Africa Mauritius. Zin Mabaso has spent the last 7 years managing and overseeing the commissioning of Cassava (Tapioca Starch)
operations in the Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, and Angola. Zin currently holds the position of non-executive director with ONQ Research, a leading CRO in Africa. She has held several non-executive director positions as a member of Audit, Remuneration, and SERC committees as well as chairing the SERC committees. Ms Mabaso is a founder and
managing partner at AVCO (African Value Chain Optimisation) Food Processing, where together with her business partner she has been responsible for facilitating the rollout and optimisation of Agro-processing projects in the African continent. In this current role, Ms Mabaso also consults to NPOs, organisations, and governments on Agro-processing
Christoff is the Founding CEO of the Entrepreneurial Planning Institute, and works as coach & learning facilitator with various partners such as the Social Enterprise Academy, Crafts & Design Institute, TSiBA University, SEDA and IBASA. He started his professional career in the adult literacy field in the 90's and launched various businesses since, including the
award-winning newspaper BigNews, with a national circulation of 200 000. He is a Certified Business Advisor with over 25 years of experience in working with startup entrepreneurs, small business owners, social entrepreneurs and the practitioners
supporting them. Christoff supports both business leaders and other practitioners who are working as coaches, mentors, trainers and consultants for small businesses. Managers of Business Development Services (BDS), such as Enterprise & Supplier Development (ESD)
& Entrepreneurship Programmes, use his services as programme designer and learning exchange facilitator. He is known for applying new concepts such as "flow" and "strengths-based planning" to the business context; & for creating useful tools such as the Flow Canvas 1-Page Business Plan & the My Balanced Business diagnostic. His approach is explained in his book "Results! How to Succeed in a Fast-Changing World with a 1-Page Business Plan".
award-winning newspaper BigNews, with a national circulation of 200 000. He is a Certified Business Advisor with over 25 years of experience in working with startup entrepreneurs, small business owners, social entrepreneurs and the practitioners
supporting them. Christoff supports both business leaders and other practitioners who are working as coaches, mentors, trainers and consultants for small businesses. Managers of Business Development Services (BDS), such as Enterprise & Supplier Development (ESD)
& Entrepreneurship Programmes, use his services as programme designer and learning exchange facilitator. He is known for applying new concepts such as "flow" and "strengths-based planning" to the business context; & for creating useful tools such as the Flow Canvas 1-Page Business Plan & the My Balanced Business diagnostic. His approach is explained in his book "Results! How to Succeed in a Fast-Changing World with a 1-Page Business Plan".
A specialist compliance consultant since 2013 with main focus areas of B-BBEE, Skills Development Employment Equity compliance. Natalie has vast experience in B³E² consulting for both Qualifying Small Enterprises and Generic Companies, Natalie also compiles and submits employment equity reports to the Department of Labour on behalf of these companies as well as workplace skills plans and annual training reports to the relevant Seta’s.
Mandisa is the country partnerships manager for UNICEF South Africa, she directs leadership on corporate and private-sector partnerships and engages with other UNICEF National Committees to explore regional opportunities for collaboration. Previously Mathobela oversaw shareholder engagement at Old Mutual Limited, a 176-year-old financial services firm based in Cape Town with 13 million customers and $70 billion in assets under management, including $9 billion in low-carbon, resource-efficient investments, part of her area of responsibility, and South Africa’s largest wind-farm project. Mathobela wants to partner with UBank South Africa and work with local youth to launch the African Youth Initiative for Climate Action Entrepreneurship (AYICAE), a job-creation and consciousness-raising program to train unemployed youth and young people ages 18 to 35 for work in the growing green-energy space, including the solar, hydro and recycling industries.