NBF Logo
Established 2015 · South Africa

Serving
Communities,
Changing Lives

A legacy organisation continuing the visionary work of Nicholas Bhekinkosi Bhengu — empowering South Africans through education, entrepreneurship, and community development.

Explore Our Work Our Heritage
3 Focus Areas
10+ Programmes
6+ Key Partners

"Reducing inequality will bring all races closer together — education and self-reliance are the foundation."

— Nicholas Bhekinkosi Bhengu · 1909–1985

Education & Skills Development

Entrepreneurship & Self-Reliance

Community Development

Youth Empowerment

Economic Transformation

2015 Founded
Who We Are

A Foundation Built on
Visionary Leadership

The Nicholas Bhengu Foundation is a non-profit organisation established in 2015 as a legacy continuation of one of South Africa's most iconic and impactful leaders. We tackle the societal challenges of our times through innovative, action-driven solutions — guided by the values Nicholas Bhengu demonstrated decades before concepts like Black Economic Empowerment and skills development were formalised in South Africa.

We work in partnership with government entities, SETAs, and development organisations to deliver high-impact programmes across three legacy focus areas:

Education & Skills Development
Entrepreneurship & Self-Reliance
Community Development
Legacy Focus Areas

Three Pillars of
Lasting Change

Education & Skills Development

We deliver STEM programmes, ICT work-readiness, and lecturer exposure initiatives that equip South Africans with the qualifications and competencies needed for a changing economy. Our approach puts quality and real-world outcomes at the centre of every learning journey.

Entrepreneurship & Self-Reliance

Nicholas Bhengu believed deeply in developing people's capacity to build their own futures. We carry that forward through SMME development programmes, business skills training, and entrepreneurship support that empowers individuals and communities.

Community Development

Through EPWP and CWP programmes, youth leadership initiatives and partnerships with government and civil society, we work at the grass-roots level to address inequality, build social cohesion and create sustainable community upliftment.

The Man Behind the Mission

The Enduring Legacy of Nicholas Bhekinkosi Bhengu

Born on 5 September 1909 in Entumeni, KwaZulu-Natal, Nicholas Bhengu was a visionary who championed community upliftment, youth leadership and economic self-reliance long before these were national priorities. He established bursary funds, handwork classes and entrepreneurship networks — laying the philosophical groundwork for what the Foundation carries forward today.

1909 Born, Entumeni KZN
1985 Passed, Cape Town
2015 Foundation Established
—

Youth Leadership: Organised development at local, provincial and national level, encouraging young people to take meaningful roles in society.

—

Economic Empowerment: Established handwork classes and supported businesses nationally — an early pioneer of Black Economic Empowerment.

—

Reducing Inequality: Believed that economic inclusion and cross-racial cooperation were inseparable from a just society.

What We Deliver

Our Programmes

STEM

STEM Programmes

Digital Skills

ICT Work Readiness

Educator Development

ICT Lecturer Exposure

Enterprise

Entrepreneurship / SMME Development

Public Works

EPWP Programmes

Community Works

CWP Programmes

Trusted Partners & Clients

TETA CHIETA BANKSETA IDT COGTA Networx for Career Development
Our Guiding Principles

Five Pillars of Character

C Commitment to Excellence

We strive for excellence in everything we do and expect the same from our learners and partners.

H Honesty & Integrity

We promote fairness, trustworthiness, respect and teamwork among all employees and stakeholders.

A Aspiration & Innovation

We foster continuous learning, empowering individuals to think creatively and adopt new methods.

R Respect for People

Committed to helping individuals grow, we equip people with skills and confidence to reach their potential.

T Trust & Customer Focus

We deliver on our promises and add value that goes beyond expectations in every project.

Leadership

Executive Management & Board

Ms Mylet Ursula Bhengu
Chairperson & Founder

MBA-qualified Master HR Professional with 16+ years in Education, Training and Development. Founder of Networx for Career Development. SABPP Master Commissioner (Reg. 12121). Passionate about youth empowerment and skills development transformation.

Our Vision

An Impactful Organisation
Changing Communities

To be an impactful organisation in the education, skills development and community development space — providing innovative pathways to excellence through high-impact programmes that ensure high standards permeate all aspects of our work.

"Our mission is to provide innovative pathways to excellence in skills development through delivering high impact programmes. We strive to ensure that high standards permeate all aspects of our organization and the quality of our services with the passion and commitment of always — Serving Communities and Changing Lives."
Get In Touch

Partner With Us

Whether you're a SETA, government entity, employer or community organisation — we'd love to explore how we can collaborate to develop skills and transform lives across South Africa.

📍 South Africa
🌐 www.bhengufoundation.org