Kim Conley [50] from Hout Bay, Cape Town, leads Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation’s after-school studio for children from Imizamo Yethu. On 11 July 2025, Amoyo launched a BackaBuddy campaign to raise R670,000 to keep 130 children in daily dance, drama and singing classes paired with life-skills coaching. Sparked by Mandela Day 2025, the idea is to turn one day of goodwill into steady monthly support that carries children through the rest of the year. In the first 10 days the drive drew 8 donors and R6000 online donations, alongside R83,300 in offline gifts—R89,400 toward the goal.
Why Kim started Amoyo—and why it matters now
In 2015, Kim and co-founders Mandisa Qwesha and Nandipha Sandlana opened Amoyo to offer a reliable, caring place after school for young people in Hout Bay. The heartbeat of the programme is routine and care: three to five afternoons a week, learners train in African, Contemporary and Fusion dance techniques, strengthen their voices in singing and Musical Theatre, release creative expression and develop confidence in Speech & Drama, and practise arriving on time, prepared and respectful. Each session links to a life-skills theme such as gratitude, decision-making, resilience or goal-setting.
As the team often says, “Amoyo means ‘spirit of appreciation’,” a value woven into every class.
Amoyo is formally registered—PBO 930054407 and NPO 169-708—which helps supporters and corporate partners back a well-governed programme rooted in Hout Bay.
What the campaign unlocks
The target is R670,000 for the rest of the year—about R55,833 per month, which works out to roughly R430 per child per month. That amount turns into very concrete things: qualified teachers’ hours, 120+ classes per child each year, a nutritious meal to fuel learning, safe transport to and from the studio, holiday workshops that keep children engaged when school is closed, and proper attire so every child feels part of the team. Public milestones, including Artscape’s Schools Arts Festival and Amoyo’s annual showcase, give learners a professional stage and a reason to keep striving. Monthly giving protects routine, and routine builds confidence.
From first alumni to new paths
Renecia Dama – Qualified Dance Teacher & Amoyo Foundation Alumnus
Renecia Dama, a qualified dance teacher, began her performing arts journey at Amoyo in 2017. From day one she embraced every opportunity, developing technique as well as discipline, confidence, and resilience—qualities that helped her pass matric. Amoyo’s holistic training and mentorship gave her the foundation to pursue dance professionally. Since graduating, Renecia has consistently #givenback and is now proudly employed by Amoyo as a teacher. She uses her story and skills to inspire the next generation, sharing both technical knowledge and the values shaped during her formative years. From a young girl with a dream to a professional changing lives in her community, Renecia embodies Amoyo’s ethos of gratitude, passion, and giving back—the ripple effect of opportunity and mentorship in action.
Thobeka Shumi – Amoyo Foundation Alumnus & Aspiring Pilot
Thobeka Shumi’s journey shows how arts education builds skills far beyond the stage. With Amoyo since day one, she moved from loving dance but fearing Speech & Drama and Singing to becoming one of our first Triple Threat students—a true “YES I CAN” person. After losing her home in a fire and briefly relocating, her family returned, believing Thobeka’s Amoyo childhood too valuable to leave. She thrived, resisted negative peer pressure, brought friends into Amoyo, and grew as a leader, supported by parents with strong work ethics and values. The first in her family to attend tertiary education, she’s now in her second year of International Business at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, crediting Amoyo for confidence, curiosity, time management, and grit—traits that set her apart. Her path from the arts to business shows how skills gained at Amoyo translate into any ambitious dream.
Thobeka represents the spirit of possibility that Amoyo strives to cultivate in every student. She embodies courage, ambition, and the drive to reach new heights of success. Her story inspires others to dream boldly and proves that with the right foundation you open yourself up to untold possibilities.
These journeys began with an open studio door at 3 p.m. and a promise that showing up matters. The current campaign keeps that promise for 130 children—not only by paying for teachers and transport but by making sure every child feels seen, prepared and part of a family.
Budgets have to cover people and time—the two ingredients that make safety and growth possible. Without steady support, the programme can’t plan classes, retain coaches or guarantee transport. Every contribution helps close the gap between where we are today and the R670,000 goal. Monthly recurring donations are the most helpful because they anchor the plan:
• R430 per month supports one child
• R860 per month supports two children
• R2,150 per month supports five children
From the first warm-up to the end-of-year showcase, children carry lessons beyond the studio: they speak up, arrive on time, and start to believe they belong in rooms they once thought were closed to them. That is what this campaign protects—130 daily chances to practise being ready for the next step.
Call to action
To support Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation visit their BackaBuddy campaign link here:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/support-amoyo-67-minutes-for-change
Please share this story with friends, family, and colleagues—your voice helps unlock more support and keeps the momentum growing.
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