The Bulungula Incubator (BI) is a non-profit organization which aims to incubate brilliant rural development projects.

Based in Nqileni Village in the Xhora Mouth Administrative Area of the Eastern Cape. The BI serves the four villages that make up the greater Xhora Mouth Administrative Area. These villages are in one of most remote areas in one of the poorest districts in South Africa (Amathole District Municipality). These villages are largely without any government provided basic services. Until a month ago, in the most remote village, Nqileni, where the BI offices are based, the municipal road stopped 3km from the village. Access into the village was by foot or 4×4 only. The nearest clinic is a 2 hour walk (6 km) from the village and the closest hospital is 11⁄2 hours (24 km) drive by 4×4. Almost all resident adults are illiterate and very few villagers from the area have ever completed school.

The Bulungula Incubator was established in Nqileni in March 2007, as a platform for promoting rural development in the Xhora Mouth Area.

Our vision is:

To be a catalyst for the creation of vibrant and sustainable rural communities.

In partnership with our community, government, NGO’s and other innovative thinkers, the Bulungula Incubator aims to achieve our vision through finding synergies between the traditional rural African lifestyle and culture, and external technologies and innovations. These synergies must always seek to enhance the positive aspects of traditional rural life and/or mitigate the problematic aspects in accordance with our values and recognizing the fundamental human rights enshrined in our constitution. The Bulungula Incubator also aims to be an agent for change by influencing government and corporate policy in an effort to spread our vision more widely.

The BI currently has several projects in planning or operation in Nqileni and surrounding villages. Projects fall within four key portfolios, identified through consultation with community members as priority development issues. The four portfolios are:

• Education – To facilitate access to quality education and improved life opportunities
• Health & Nutrition – To improve the health status of the population of Nqileni and surrounding villages
• Basic Services – To ensure access to clean water and sanitation facilities
• Sustainable Livelihoods – To decrease levels of poverty in the village through strengthening and diversification of the local economy