CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY

Founder + Primary Compiler

Pumla Maswanganyi

Strategist; Designer; Founder, with another

Pumla Maswanganyi
Strategist; Designer; Founder, with another

I help companies and institutions rethink how design operates at every level; from knowledge frameworks to the systems that shape products, value, and meaning.

My work sits at the intersection of strategy, foresight, and design practice, developing scalable models that turn cultural intelligence into creative and commercial advantage.

I co-wrote the African Life-Centric Design (ALCD) framework to reframe how global organisations engage with the world’s largest communities and markets; the Global Majority; by creating innovation rooted in relevance and accountability.

Over more than a decade, I’ve partnered with Samsung, Mozilla, Soho House, Qatar Foundation, the African Union, MTN and more, guiding them to strengthen market resonance, cultural awareness, and long-term design value. My focus spans knowledge architecture / frameworks, foresight-led strategy, and material / process innovation, bridging research, pedagogy, and product systems.

Founding Partners + Editors

Amukelani Muyanga

International Development Strategist; Founding Director, The Wellth Well

Amukelani Muyanga
International Development Strategist; Founding Director, The Wellth Well

Fundamentally, an Africanist feminist dedicated to collaboratively building a tech-enabled, pro-poor, and climate smart future across public, private, and civil society sectors.

In all my roles, I get called on to think through problems and then coordinate stakeholders and technology to solve them either as a consultant, a project manager, or a product manager. I am big on justice, good governance, non-commodified wellness, decolonized education, and (both good and bad) art.

I am South African but have lived and/or worked in Singapore, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the United States, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom.
Based in the City of Gold.

Monika Bielskyte

Speculative Designer; Founder, Protopia Futures; Futurist in Residence, Nike

Monika Bielskyte
Speculative Designer; Founder, Protopia Futures; Futurist in Residence, Nike

With expertise in information technologies and immersive media (generative AI, spatial computation, VR/XR, UI, UX), Monika examines both the promises and perils of innovation, as the blurring boundaries between the digital and physical worlds become increasingly weaponized through strategies of hybrid warfare.

Monika is passionate about the value-add of accessibility and embodiment considerations, to all innovation processes. The edge insights of “invisible” disabilities and neurodivergence inform her strategic foresight practice — from tech to consumer products to policy to built environment.

As a speculative designer, Monika bridges the worlds of entertainment and real future-making by prototyping culturally expansive, socially and environmentally engaged future visions that combine the best of creativity and science, delivering energizing vision, lasting value and resilience to disruptions. Inspiring curiosity, and rendering futures literacy more compelling, is the connective tissue across all of her work.

Dialogue Partners

Jiaxin Yan Gong

Design researcher; Architect; Unit Lead, Uni. of Johannesburg, Grad School of Arch.

Jiaxin Yan Gong
Design researcher, Architect, Founder

Yan is a design researcher and architect based in Johannesburg. Her research interest focuses on the epistemological understanding of how African cities are re-imagined to surface alternate re-readings of histories and futures of the city. This is investigated through the intersections of legislation and practice and the disparities that these reveal.

While engaging in her research interest she interrogates the pedagogic processes developed through various teaching structures to embrace other forms of knowledge production and evidencing with the aims of countering exclusionary systems and practices. In this capacity, Yan leads Unit 23 at the University of Johannesburg’s Graduate School of Architecture. Her Unit, titled Legislation As Myth, challenges legislation as the absolute truth by interrogating our relationship to land, as it pertains to determining land ownership within former colonial structures.

She often draws from her experience as a second-generation Chinese immigrant in South Africa as she endeavours to locate herself in familiar yet uncertain ground, in search of a reality that complies.

Lethabo Xulu

Futurist; Strategist; Founder, Modern Staples + elxulu studio

Lethabo Xulu
Futurist; Strategist; Founder, Modern Staples + elxulu studio

With almost two decades of experience, I help brands and designers develop and future-proof their offerings through culturally intelligent frameworks for the South African context.
My personal and professional brand ethos, "All of life is design." - is the cornerstone of the work I do in the adornment industries of homeware and fashion. This phrase anchors the value I bring to every project, role and collaboration with the brands I partner with.

From digital marketing and visual merchandising to trend research, forecasting, and art direction, I’ve shaped a skillset that lives at the intersection of creative intuition and market intelligence. My strength lies in connecting cultural dots, decoding consumer shifts, and leading teams in crafting Afrocentric content and products that enhance visibility, deepen engagement, and add long-term brand value.

My work is future-facing—balancing conceptual boldness with commercial viability.
At the heart of it is a deep commitment to the Afrikan design industry. Through cultural brailing, design thinking, and storytelling—digially and in print—I’ve contributed to the ongoing Afrikan Renaissance to reframe Africa’s position within global design history.

Moipone Tlale

Creative and Cultural Strategist; Campaign Lead, ALARA

Moipone Tlale
Creative and Cultural Strategist; Campaign Lead, ALARA

A strategist with 10+ years’ experience.

Former Head of Digital & Experiential, then Head of Properties at Bubblegum Club and current Campaign Manager for international brand‑culture collaborations.

Skilled at synthesizing cultural trends and audience data into compelling narratives and visual presentations, and at managing end‑to‑end campaign budgets and teams.

Intentional about Creative driven by Cultural nuances and facilitating impactful work.

Nkhensani Mkhari

Post-disciplinary artist; Curator; Founder of Area Projects

Nkhensani Mkhari
Post-disciplinary artist; Curator; Founder of Area Projects

Working across mediums; from VR and installation to sound, photography, performance, and blockchain; Nkhensani investigates indigenous cosmologies, memory, identity, and human-technology interfaces.

He was artist-in-residence at Fak'ugesi (2018, 2020) and Akademie Schloss Solitude (2020), and his VR work Coronation of a Holographic Rainbow was shortlisted by ZKM. Nkhensani's early exhibitions include Uhm Yeah in Paris and Porous Borders in Johannesburg; his curatorial work spans Figures (In) Flux: The Future of Portraiture from Africa and projects at RMB Latitudes, including the "Coemergence" thematic series. As Area Projects founder, he is pioneering blockchain-enabled contracts to support equitable platforms for local and African diaspora creators.

Vulane Mthembu

Creative Technologist; Innovation + Gamebox Lead Sub-Saharan Africa, Goethe-Institut

Vulane Mthembu
Creative Technologist; Innovation + Gamebox Lead Sub-Saharan Africa, Goethe-Institut

Vulane Mthembu is a transdisciplinary artist who explores the intersection of art and technology with a passion. He is based in Johannesbrg, South Africa, although he began his career as a musician and computer programmer in Durban, South Africa.

While growing up, he developed an interest in emerging technologies and digital art. In addition to his work with AI-generated music in Nguni Machina, Vulane also works in a variety of mediums including installation and digital media.

His multidisciplinary approach to art has led to collaborations with artists and creatives from a wide range of backgrounds. Formerly based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he is now currently working as an innovation officer for a cultural institute in South Africa and vice president for the KZNSA contemporary art gallery. Having realized projects with Apple and Ubisoft among others.

Translation + Linguistics Leads

Abdelsalam Elbrabary

Translator, Arabic

Abdelsalam Elbrabary
Translator, Arabic

Biography incoming

Amna Moukhyer

Translator, Arabic; Education & Global Health Professional; Chair, United World Colleges, Sudan

Amna Moukhyer
Translator, Arabic; Education & Global Health Professional; Chair, United World Colleges, Sudan

I am a multilingual education and global health professional driven by the belief that access to learning can transform individual lives and entire communities. Over the past six years, I have worked at the intersection of youth development, safeguarding, and educational research, helping young people from diverse cultural backgrounds navigate opportunity, resilience, and belonging.

As recently appointed Chair of the United World Colleges (UWC) Sudan National Committee, part of the global UWC movement dedicated to using education as a force for peace and sustainability, I lead a diverse volunteer team that manages student selections, alumni engagement, and well-being systems for Sudanese students studying across the world at different UWCs. I continue to serve as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, developing structured check-ins and confidential support systems prioritizing student safety and trust.

Youth are my passion.. They find comfort in my presence as a space where they can express themselves honestly and be supported in their growth. I bring that empathy to every setting I work in, pairing human connection with structure, accountability and evidence-based thinking.

Charlene Njoki

Translator, Swahili; Student

Charlene Njoki
Translator, Swahili; Student

Biography incoming

Daniel Odetola

Translator, French; Business Development Strategist; Program Performance, Mgmt + Quality

Daniel Odetola
Translator, French; Business Development Strategist; Program Performance, Mgmt + Quality

Biography incoming

Emilio Velis

Translator, Spanish; Industrial Engineer; Executive Director, Appropedia Foundation

Emilio Velis
Translator, Spanish; Industrial Engineer; Executive Director, Appropedia Foundation

Emilio Velis is an industrial engineer from El Salvador, focusing on the intersection of innovation, design, and technology with social impact.

He currently is the Executive Director of the Appropedia Foundation, an organization that promotes access to knowledge on sustainability and poverty reduction, applying his experience in community development, open hardware and open licensing.

Emilio advocates for the responsible use of new technologies to solve global issues that range from community violence to climate change and contributes to various organizations and networks in these subjects. He has mentored, done research and taught at the undergraduate and masters level regarding these subjects.

His research includes topics related to community empowerment, collaborative methodologies for open-source documentation, and the importance of open knowledge for science and social impact.

Kelvin Urassa

Translator, Swahili

Kelvin Urassa
Translator, Swahili

Biography incoming

Keren Timara Permel

Translator, Spanish; Int’l Development Strategist; Project Assistant, United Nations Migration

Keren Timara Permel
Translator, Spanish; Int’l Development Professional; Project Assistant, United Nations Migration

Passionate advocate for development with a strong background in international relations and education.

I’ve dedicated my career to supporting communities, fostering integration, and empowering individuals through meaningful initiatives. I enjoy building connections across cultures and managing impactful projects. Always eager to collaborate and create positive, sustainable change locally, regionally and internationally

Love Odetola, phd

Translator, French; Maternal-Child + Environmental Health Expert; Consultant; Lecturer

Love Odetola, phd
Translator, French; Maternal-Child + Environmental Health Expert; Consultant; Lecturer

I believe that access to adequate healthcare should be a human right.

I am a public health educator dedicated to ensuring safe pregnancies and healthy children.

I provide expertise and policy guidance on delivering community-informed and evidence-based interventions in local, global and international settings.

Néguine

Translator, French + Spanish

Néguine
Translator, French + Spanish

Preferring to let their impact speak for itself, this team member has declined a public profile. Their presence is felt in the work we do.

Samuel Njacha

Translator, Swahili

Samuel Njacha
Translator, Swahili

Biography incoming

Pumla Maswanganyi
Strategist; Designer; Founder, with another

I help companies and institutions rethink how design operates at every level; from knowledge frameworks to the systems that shape products, value, and meaning.

My work sits at the intersection of strategy, foresight, and design practice, developing scalable models that turn cultural intelligence into creative and commercial advantage.

I co-wrote the African Life-Centric Design (ALCD) framework to reframe how global organisations engage with the world’s largest communities and markets; the Global Majority; by creating innovation rooted in relevance and accountability.

Over more than a decade, I’ve partnered with Samsung, Mozilla, Soho House, Qatar Foundation, the African Union, MTN and more, guiding them to strengthen market resonance, cultural awareness, and long-term design value. My focus spans knowledge architecture / frameworks, foresight-led strategy, and material / process innovation, bridging research, pedagogy, and product systems.

Amukelani Muyanga
International Development Strategist; Founding Director, The Wellth Well

Fundamentally, an Africanist feminist dedicated to collaboratively building a tech-enabled, pro-poor, and climate smart future across public, private, and civil society sectors.

In all my roles, I get called on to think through problems and then coordinate stakeholders and technology to solve them either as a consultant, a project manager, or a product manager. I am big on justice, good governance, non-commodified wellness, decolonized education, and (both good and bad) art.

I am South African but have lived and/or worked in Singapore, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the United States, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom.
Based in the City of Gold.

Monika Bielskyte
Speculative Designer; Founder, Protopia Futures; Futurist in Residence, Nike

With expertise in information technologies and immersive media (generative AI, spatial computation, VR/XR, UI, UX), Monika examines both the promises and perils of innovation, as the blurring boundaries between the digital and physical worlds become increasingly weaponized through strategies of hybrid warfare.

Monika is passionate about the value-add of accessibility and embodiment considerations, to all innovation processes. The edge insights of “invisible” disabilities and neurodivergence inform her strategic foresight practice — from tech to consumer products to policy to built environment.

As a speculative designer, Monika bridges the worlds of entertainment and real future-making by prototyping culturally expansive, socially and environmentally engaged future visions that combine the best of creativity and science, delivering energizing vision, lasting value and resilience to disruptions. Inspiring curiosity, and rendering futures literacy more compelling, is the connective tissue across all of her work.

Jiaxin Yan Gong
Design researcher, Architect, Founder

Yan is a design researcher and architect based in Johannesburg. Her research interest focuses on the epistemological understanding of how African cities are re-imagined to surface alternate re-readings of histories and futures of the city. This is investigated through the intersections of legislation and practice and the disparities that these reveal.

While engaging in her research interest she interrogates the pedagogic processes developed through various teaching structures to embrace other forms of knowledge production and evidencing with the aims of countering exclusionary systems and practices. In this capacity, Yan leads Unit 23 at the University of Johannesburg’s Graduate School of Architecture. Her Unit, titled Legislation As Myth, challenges legislation as the absolute truth by interrogating our relationship to land, as it pertains to determining land ownership within former colonial structures.

She often draws from her experience as a second-generation Chinese immigrant in South Africa as she endeavours to locate herself in familiar yet uncertain ground, in search of a reality that complies.

Lethabo Xulu
Futurist; Strategist; Founder, Modern Staples + elxulu studio

With almost two decades of experience, I help brands and designers develop and future-proof their offerings through culturally intelligent frameworks for the South African context.
My personal and professional brand ethos, "All of life is design." - is the cornerstone of the work I do in the adornment industries of homeware and fashion. This phrase anchors the value I bring to every project, role and collaboration with the brands I partner with.

From digital marketing and visual merchandising to trend research, forecasting, and art direction, I’ve shaped a skillset that lives at the intersection of creative intuition and market intelligence. My strength lies in connecting cultural dots, decoding consumer shifts, and leading teams in crafting Afrocentric content and products that enhance visibility, deepen engagement, and add long-term brand value.

My work is future-facing—balancing conceptual boldness with commercial viability.
At the heart of it is a deep commitment to the Afrikan design industry. Through cultural brailing, design thinking, and storytelling—digially and in print—I’ve contributed to the ongoing Afrikan Renaissance to reframe Africa’s position within global design history.

Moipone Tlale
Creative and Cultural Strategist; Campaign Lead, ALARA

A strategist with 10+ years’ experience.

Former Head of Digital & Experiential, then Head of Properties at Bubblegum Club and current Campaign Manager for international brand‑culture collaborations.

Skilled at synthesizing cultural trends and audience data into compelling narratives and visual presentations, and at managing end‑to‑end campaign budgets and teams.

Intentional about Creative driven by Cultural nuances and facilitating impactful work.

Nkhensani Mkhari
Post-disciplinary artist; Curator; Founder of Area Projects

Working across mediums; from VR and installation to sound, photography, performance, and blockchain; Nkhensani investigates indigenous cosmologies, memory, identity, and human-technology interfaces.

He was artist-in-residence at Fak'ugesi (2018, 2020) and Akademie Schloss Solitude (2020), and his VR work Coronation of a Holographic Rainbow was shortlisted by ZKM. Nkhensani's early exhibitions include Uhm Yeah in Paris and Porous Borders in Johannesburg; his curatorial work spans Figures (In) Flux: The Future of Portraiture from Africa and projects at RMB Latitudes, including the "Coemergence" thematic series. As Area Projects founder, he is pioneering blockchain-enabled contracts to support equitable platforms for local and African diaspora creators.

Vulane Mthembu
Creative Technologist; Innovation + Gamebox Lead Sub-Saharan Africa, Goethe-Institut

Vulane Mthembu is a transdisciplinary artist who explores the intersection of art and technology with a passion. He is based in Johannesbrg, South Africa, although he began his career as a musician and computer programmer in Durban, South Africa.

While growing up, he developed an interest in emerging technologies and digital art. In addition to his work with AI-generated music in Nguni Machina, Vulane also works in a variety of mediums including installation and digital media.

His multidisciplinary approach to art has led to collaborations with artists and creatives from a wide range of backgrounds. Formerly based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he is now currently working as an innovation officer for a cultural institute in South Africa and vice president for the KZNSA contemporary art gallery. Having realized projects with Apple and Ubisoft among others.

Abdelsalam Elbrabary
Translator, Arabic

Biography incoming

Amna Moukhyer
Translator, Arabic; Education & Global Health Professional; Chair, United World Colleges, Sudan

I am a multilingual education and global health professional driven by the belief that access to learning can transform individual lives and entire communities. Over the past six years, I have worked at the intersection of youth development, safeguarding, and educational research, helping young people from diverse cultural backgrounds navigate opportunity, resilience, and belonging.

As recently appointed Chair of the United World Colleges (UWC) Sudan National Committee, part of the global UWC movement dedicated to using education as a force for peace and sustainability, I lead a diverse volunteer team that manages student selections, alumni engagement, and well-being systems for Sudanese students studying across the world at different UWCs. I continue to serve as the Designated Safeguarding Lead, developing structured check-ins and confidential support systems prioritizing student safety and trust.

Youth are my passion.. They find comfort in my presence as a space where they can express themselves honestly and be supported in their growth. I bring that empathy to every setting I work in, pairing human connection with structure, accountability and evidence-based thinking.

Charlene Njoki
Translator, Swahili; Student

Biography incoming

Daniel Odetola
Translator, French; Business Development Strategist; Program Performance, Mgmt + Quality

Biography incoming

Emilio Velis
Translator, Spanish; Industrial Engineer; Executive Director, Appropedia Foundation

Emilio Velis is an industrial engineer from El Salvador, focusing on the intersection of innovation, design, and technology with social impact.

He currently is the Executive Director of the Appropedia Foundation, an organization that promotes access to knowledge on sustainability and poverty reduction, applying his experience in community development, open hardware and open licensing.

Emilio advocates for the responsible use of new technologies to solve global issues that range from community violence to climate change and contributes to various organizations and networks in these subjects. He has mentored, done research and taught at the undergraduate and masters level regarding these subjects.

His research includes topics related to community empowerment, collaborative methodologies for open-source documentation, and the importance of open knowledge for science and social impact.

Kelvin Urassa
Translator, Swahili

Biography incoming

Keren Timara Permel
Translator, Spanish; Int’l Development Strategist; Project Assistant, United Nations Migration

Passionate advocate for development with a strong background in international relations and education.

I’ve dedicated my career to supporting communities, fostering integration, and empowering individuals through meaningful initiatives. I enjoy building connections across cultures and managing impactful projects. Always eager to collaborate and create positive, sustainable change locally, regionally and internationally

Love Odetola, phd
Translator, French; Maternal-Child + Environmental Health Expert; Consultant; Lecturer

I believe that access to adequate healthcare should be a human right.

I am a public health educator dedicated to ensuring safe pregnancies and healthy children.

I provide expertise and policy guidance on delivering community-informed and evidence-based interventions in local, global and international settings.

Néguine
Translator, French + Spanish

Preferring to let their impact speak for itself, this team member has declined a public profile. Their presence is felt in the work we do.

Samuel Njacha
Translator, Swahili

Biography incoming

African Life-Centric Design

1. ABOUT 2. ALCD Principles translatED TO: AR, EN, ES, FR, SW 3. PROJECTS AND TALKS4. TEAM AND ADVISORY CIRCLE 5. CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY 6. WHERE YOU’VE SEEN US 7. THE RESEARCH VAULT 8. FAQs 9. VALUE OF design frameworks

1. ABOUT

2. ALCD Principles
^{translatED TO:}^{AR, EN, ES, FR, SW}
3. PROJECTS AND TALKS
4. TEAM AND ADVISORY CIRCLE

5. CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY

6. WHERE YOU’VE SEEN US

7. THE RESEARCH VAULT

8. FAQs
9. VALUE OF design frameworks