We have developed 1to1 to be effective across the various scales of social and spatial impact in our cities, but with a considered focus at the grass-roots level of engagement.
what we are
a socio-technical social enterprise
1to1 – Agency of Engagement is a nonprofit social-enterprise that seeks to support the forces that are positively and systematically shaping the way that Southern African cities are seen, made & managed towards a spatially just future.
who we are
a design-led social impact organisation
1to1 refers to a scale of approach toward design with, not for, people of South Africa; a scale of engagement that reflects human centered-values in its approach and actions, a scale of reflexive practice that recognises why we are is as important as who we are in our work; it is a scale of action that guides ideas and strategies actioned at a grass-roots scale to affect city-wide and national spatial change.
1to1 is pushing to expand the role of design in regards to spatial justice for South African cities.
1to1 case studies
UISP ROAD MAP
The UISP Road Map Tool is currently our clearest example of how we are co-developing Spatially Just process in South African cities.
CRITICAL PRACTICE
Our Teaching & Training work through the Critical Practice Programme at Universities and Professional Bodies best demonstrates how we are building deeper socio-technical capacity in the Built Environment
Asivikelane CAMPAIGN
Our work with the Asivikalane Network provides a clear demonstration of our Advocacy work in relation to Spatial Inequality.
SLOVO PARK
Our work with Slovo Park began in 2010, and is one of our most grounded examples of Socio-Technical Design Support.
WHAT WE DO
SUPPORT GRASS ROOTS ENTITIES
We provide socio-technical spatial design support and building services to groups of people looking to overcome their challenges in relation spatial inequality.
BUILD SOCIO-TECHNICAL CAPACITY IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
We are committed to build deeper socio-technical capacity in the both the professional and non-professionalised sectors of the Built Environment through our service activitees.
CO-DEVELOP SPATIALLY JUST PROCESSES
We develop socio-technical structures, tools and methods that are aimed to affect large scale systemic change at a grass-roots level.
ADVOCATE FOR SPATIAL JUSTICE IN OUR CITIES
We are working to directly engage with the negative stigmas, biases and social conditioning that perpetuates Spatial Inequality in our cities.
OUR OPERATIONS TEAM
Juliana Achi
Researcher
Juliana is a master’s student at the University of the Witwatersrand, originally from Uganda, her interest in spatial development lie in sustainability, community engagement and people led processes.
Christine Botha
Socio-Technical researcher & practitioner
Christine Botha is a recently graduated architect from Johannesburg, South Africa. Her research and socio-spatial interests are around design, building and urban processes related to South Africa’s dynamic cities.
Christine aspires to be an architect that contributes to the built environment as an agent for socio-spatial justice and development towards more inclusive city-making.
Dumisani Mathebula
Socio-Technical Practitioner
Dumisani Mathebula is a grass-roots socio-technical practitioner who has worked in social mobiliation, leadership position in community and neighborhood groups as well working with Shack/Slum Dwellers International through these positions. Dumisani is working with 1to1 in various projects while establishing the oSkotheni Nework across Guateng, South Africa.
Jacqueline Cuyler
Director & Co-Founder
Jacqui is a co-founder and managing director of 1to1. Jacqui manages the organization and spearheads the engagements between CBOs, Government, and partner NPOs. She juggles managing an organization and facilitating engagements, building the capacity of grassroots networks to collect and report on their own socio-technical data to mobilise this information in aid of their demands for housing.
All those who have operationally worked with or for 1to1 are acknowledged for their contribution to the work of the organisation and our collaborators in Our Story.
OUR ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina is a Johannesburg-based scholar-practitioner who mainly works on urban planning and governance issues. She is currently currently an Associate of South African Cities Network, Visiting Research Fellow with the Wits School of Governance, and National Organiser of the Civic Tech Innovation Network in South Africa. She is also a Global Faculty member of Singularity University. Geci’s experience and interests span a range of development foresight, policy, innovation and practice topics, particularly relating to cities and local systems. She has two decades’ experience working and publishing in these fields.
Aditya Kumar is the Executive Director of DAG. Previously, Adi worked as the Deputy Director at Community Organisation Resource Centre. Over the last fifteen years, he has worked on post disaster, post conflict and informal settlement upgrading across the world. His practice focuses on inter-sectoral partnerships, strengthening community action and housing policy.
Lebogang Luvuno A passion for transformation and socio-economic development has led Lebogang to work with a range of companies from large multi-nationals to smaller local companies (first as an employee and then as a consultant). Lebogang also has experience in the NPO sector, having been involved in several projects that focused primarily on youth development over the past fifteen years. Lebogang’s company, Motopi Consulting, has impacted 2 million lives in its 8 years of operation
Jhono Bennett is a co-founder of 1to1 and is currently enrolled at the Bartlett School of Architecture as a doctoral candidate in the TACK / Communities of Tacit Knowledge: Architecture and its Ways of Knowing network. In addition, Jhono is an Ashoka Social Entrepreneurship Fellow as well as an Alumni of the Mandela Washington Young (MWF) African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Fellowship. Jhono led 1to1 in its first iteration as a non-profit entity from 2012-2019, and now supports the organisation as an advisor.
Want to volunteer?
1to1 has a long tradition of supporting those who would like to enter or get involved in this field of work as interns, volunteers or project specific work contracts.
Want to work with us?
1to1 is always open to work with new collaborators and partners across academic, civil, private or governmental sectors.
Grass-roots entities are welcome to contact us to discuss support.
1to1 - Agency of Engagement 