A New Chapter in Hope: Our Town Community Development Corporation Expands to South Africa
When Our Town Community Development Corporation (CDC) began its work in a small American town, few imagined that its philosophy of empowerment, community-building, and social equality would one day travel halfway across the globe. Yet, the founding spirit of service that animated Our Town CDC always harbored a larger vision: a world where communities, no matter the continent, could unite to create opportunities for themselves and their future generations.
This vision took a giant step forward when three dedicated leaders—Patrick DeShields, Rain Mudadi and Shorai Kaseke — Agreed to came together and expand Our Town CDC South Africa. Each brought with them a unique set of experiences, insights, and a passion for community empowerment. Yet, they were all united by a single purpose: to address the social and economic disparities that many South African communities face.
The Call to Expand
The journey began with an invitation—an earnest call from local organizations in South Africa who had heard of Our Town CDC’s success in providing after-school programs, housing advocacy, and job training initiatives. Through online meetings and international visits, these local groups expressed the need for tailored development programs that could uplift under-resourced communities and help residents take charge of their own destinies.
William Patrick DeShields, a longtime educator and one of the original architects of Our Town CDC’s U.S. programs, was the first to see the alignment: “We started in one town, giving everything we had to empower people. It was never meant to stay in one place. Seeing that same spark in communities across the ocean made us realize it was time to share our model of success on a much broader stage
