Ifa Lethu Foundation

Ifa Lethu, a Tshwane based nonprofit Foundation, was launched on November 19, 2005 with the support of the South African Ministry of Arts and Culture and its Minister, the Honourable Dr. Z. Pallo Jordan. The original aim of the Foundation was to repatriate South African struggle era art and heritage back into the country. Since then Ifa Lethu has become recognised as the largest heritage repatriation organisation in South Africa. There are currently over 300 art works – paintings, drawings, sculptures, wood carvings, and prints - in the collection. Ifa Lethu Foundation locates, protects and promotes an important part of our heritage that was created during the struggle era and found its way out of the country during those turbulent years. This heritage material also serves as the springboard for aspiring artists in undeveloped communities and has resulted in numerous development programmes across the country – from arts and crafts workshops to poetry and creative writing studies. These groups of young people are mentored and coached by some of the struggle-era artists whose works have been repatriated and reside in the Ifa Lethu Collection.