The Nina Manzi Project Brings Mobile Showers to Cape Town, South Africa
September 2, 2022
The Nina Manzi project brings essential hygiene and care services to Cape Town, South Africa
Backstory
Ajay Paul, the Founder of Viva Con Agua, was inspired after his friend Dominik Bloh launched GoBanyo—Hamburg, Germany’s first mobile shower bus. LavaMaeˣ trained GoBanyo, and because of its huge success, Ajay decided that he could do the same in South Africa and reached out to LavaMaeˣ for some guidance. After some initial conversations, Ajay joined our 1:1 mentorship Program in November 2021 and got to work along with two partner organizations: U-Turn and Baz Art to launch the Nina Manzi (“Mother Water”) mobile hygiene project in Cape Town.
How LavaMaeˣ Helped
LavaMaeˣ Program Consultant Sam Reardon worked with Viva Con Agua, Baz-Art, and U-Turn to get their shower trailer purchased. Sam worked with the group through various logistical decisions such as trailer design, towing needs, water access/dumping, electrical, and operational oversight. Along with Sam’s consulting, the group utilized our mobile hygiene toolkit and trailer specifications toolkit to get the trailer ordered and launch Nina Manzi’s first showers in September 2022.
Service Model
The Nina Manzi project is a collaboration between Viva Con Agua, U-Turn, and Baz-Art. Viva Con Agua leads the project, U-Turn houses the trailer service location, and Baz-Art created the trailer design and artwork portrayed on the trailer.
Nina Manzi has four shower stalls and is staffed by a Project Manager and two volunteers.
The U-Turn Work Readiness Programme provides a work opportunity with on-the-job training, formal skills training, ongoing therapy, and relapse prevention support alongside the Nina Manzi trailer.
Eventually, The Nina Manzi trailer will reach two more areas in Cape Town with plans to add more locations to the schedule.
The Nina Manzi project has been featured in MSN, Radio Slam International, and Cape Talk 567AM.
Signature Story
“The future that I see for Nina Manzi is something that is truly amazing. I see an ecosystem where homeless people are coming in broken and leave whole and restored. I see homeless people empowering other homeless people that are in dire situations. I see Nina Manzi creating leaders out of people living on the streets. And I hope this future comes sooner than later.”
~ Sisanda Henda, Nina Manzi Manager
