The Movement for Change and Social Justice (MCSJ) is an alliance of organizations aiming to improve the health and lives of people in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, and surrounding peri-urban settlements, or “townships,” in Cape Town.  

 

The MCSJ was born out of the pursuit for positive change and the need to raise national awareness of the “township” communities facing overwhelming disparities including poverty, a lack of basic amenities like electricity and water sanitation, under-resourced public health services, and high rates of crime. By empowering Gugulethu, Kayelitsha, and neighboring residents to co-generate knowledge around social issues, MCSJ aims to help members develop leadership and advocacy skills to hold local governmental figures accountable. 

 

Moving forward, MCSJ is working to strengthen the relationship between various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community organizations to collectively address local health crises. Recent campaigns have focused on developing educational forums for gender-specific social challenges, mobilizing community members to advocate for a community hospital and rights to healthcare promised in the South African constitution, and to highlight the lived experiences of Cape Town's township communities to a global audience.