Suzette van der Walt

Community Youth Heroes

Nominee's Province:
Gauteng

Age:
29

Project Name/Description:
1to1 - Agency of Engagement

More info:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzettevdwalt/

Suzette van der Walt, 29, who has a Masters in Architecture from the University of Pretoria, believes in space as a resource for livelihood generation and a potential source of positive impact in the world. Born in 1991 in Pretoria, Gauteng, Van Der Walt has since 2017 been working with 1to1 – Agency of Engagement, a non-profit organisation that addresses spatial inequality in southern African cities. Van Der Walt also consults with clients on how their developments can have maximum social impact and act as sustainable income sources. She has partnered with 1to1 and Tshwane University of Technology to map out affordable housing developments and improve living conditions of one poor community in the City of Joburg. She says a lot of people’s struggles with living spaces would disappear if the powers that be listened. “In listening, we see things we could never have imagined,” says Van De Walt.