Garth Japhet

Background

About Garth Japhet

Qualifying as a medical doctor at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1987, with further qualifications in maternal and child health. In 1992 I co-founded Soul City: the Institute for Health and Development Communication and was executive director until June 08. It has produced award winning TV and radio series supported by print media and consistently reaches over 45 million people in the region. It communicates around all aspects of public health, in particular HIV/AIDS, using a multimedia edutainment approach. It also uses community mobilization and advocacy. It had the largest youth movement “Buddyz Clubs” in South Africa with 140 members in over clubs. Soul City: IHDC has been the recipient of multiple awards for social change, development and communication. In 2001 I founded Heartlines the Center for Values promotion that uses film and TV drama with support educational materials and interventions to build society through promoting positive values such as trust, integrity, compassion, perseverance and forgiveness. In particular we work with Schools, Faith Based Organisations, prisons and the workplace. Recent projects include are a large scale intervention to build understanding and reconciliation between people at scale particularity in the workplace, places of faith and places of education. this has been led by the award winning feature film "Beyond the River" He is full time CEO. In 2011 started forgood an online platform to connect people to approved causes so that they can give time and or goods. It is a for profit business that underpins employee community engagement programmes for 15 large companies. Heartlines is the majority shareholder.