South Africa: How Lefika Changed My Life

From Healing to Helping: Busisiwe’s Journey

Busisiwe Mboneli’s story is a powerful example of transformation. How healing can ignite purpose and create ripple effects in a community. Her journey with Lefika la Phodiso, a organisation in community art counselling, began during a deeply vulnerable time in her life. Seeking emotional support, Busisiwe walked into Lefika’s doors as a counselling client. What she found was more than therapy; it was a safe space where art became a language for feelings too heavy for words. Through individual art therapy sessions, Busisiwe experienced the profound impact of Lefika’s model of containment, connection, and capacity building. 

In these sessions, art was not just about creativity. It was a vehicle for emotional expression, insight, and healing. The consistent structure, trust built through the therapeutic relationship, and the use of metaphor and symbol in art-making helped her access and process difficult emotions. But something unexpected happened: as Busisiwe healed, she grew curious. She began to see the bigger picture. The way Lefika’s approach was changing lives and felt a strong desire to give back.

 The Turning Point: From Client to Volunteer

Motivated by this newfound purpose, Busisiwe enrolled in Lefika’s volunteer training programme, a gateway for community members who want to support after-school psychosocial initiatives. 

The training introduced her to Lefika’s core principles:

• Building safe spaces through containment
• Fostering connection and belonging
• Enhancing capacity to support others

Soon, Busisiwe was volunteering with children’s groups, bringing empathy, commitment, and a natural ability to hold space for others. Her presence was more than helpful—it was transformative.

Deepening the Journey: Professional Training

Recognising her potential, Lefika awarded Busisiwe a bursary to pursue its Community Art Counselling Training, an accredited one-year programme. This training deepened her understanding of psychological theory, group dynamics, trauma-informed practice, and the therapeutic use of creative processes. Busisiwe completed her practical hours at Lefika, continuing to support children in after-school programmes—this time with refined skills and grounded theoretical knowledge. Her dedication paid off. After completing her training, Busisiwe was employed as a facilitator at Lefika. Today, she holds space for children who, like her, may have entered feeling unseen or unheard. She uses the same tools that once supported her, creating groups grounded in Lefika’s modality:

• Containment through routine and structure
• Connection through relational engagement
• Capacity building through creative expression

Evidence of Change

Before Lefika, Busisiwe was a client seeking help. Today, she is a trained facilitator and community caregiver. Her story reflects Lefika’s ethos: transforming pain into purpose and nurturing leaders from within the communities they serve.

Quotes: 

Quote 1

We speak about things that we cannot speak about at home—Thando Ntombela

Quote 2

Lefika is my home— Busisiwe Mboneli

Quote 3

Everyone deserves a space where they feel valued, seen and respected—Kamogelo Mdluli

Sustainability and Next Steps

Lefika continues to model inclusive language, set clear norms for communication, and foster emotional safety. The organisation is committed to expanding its psychosocial programmes and training more community caregivers because healing is not just personal; it is collective.

Busisiwe’s journey is a testament to the ripple effect of community art counselling. When individuals are supported, they gain the strength to support others. This is how communities heal and thrive.

By: Boikanyo Mokoena and Busisiwe Mboneli