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Driven by Resilience.
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Colour Me Foundation is a queer – led, South African non – profit organization working in rural areas and small towns, with deep roots in the Northwest Province. We exist to advance economic inclusion, wellbeing, creativity and visibility for LGBTQI+ people who are often unseen, under – resourced and excluded from opportunity.

Our work is shaped by lived realities – of growing queer in small towns, of building dreams with limited access, and choosing courage in places where silence is expected. From the heart of rural South Africa, we build pathways to dignity, safety and economic power.

Who We Serve

We serve the LGBTQI+ community, women and girls, community members, founders, creatives and survivors living in rural areas and small towns. We serve people who are rich in resilience, culture and creativity, yet often excluded from mainstream systems of support.

Our communities are not defined by lack, but by resilience, creativity and heritage. We honour the richness of South Africa’s diversity – its languages, traditions and stories – while challenging systems that deny queer people especially transgender identifying access to opportunity and wellbeing.

Our Mission

We empower LBTQI+ people, women and youth in rural areas and small towns through economic inclusion, psychosocial wellbeing, creative expression and visibility – building pathways to dignity, safety and sustainable opportunity.

Our Why

In many rural communities, being openly LGBTQI+ can mean isolation, economic exclusion, limited access to education and increased vulnerability to violence. While urban spaces continue to receive resources and visibility, rural queer lives are too often left behind. Colour Me Foundation was created to respond to this gap with dignity, strategy and courage – building pathways where none existed and shifting systems that were never designed to include us.

We believe:

  • Visibility is our currency.
  • Economic inclusion is a human right.
  • Healing happens in community.
  • GBVF is a human issue.
  • Rural queer lives matter.

What Makes Us Different?

Rural – first focus: We prioritise areas often excluded from national and global funding pipelines.

Education partnerships: We work directly with public institutions, including TVET colleges.

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We understand the importance of approaching each work integrally and believe in the power of simple.