Many civil organizations are established to complement government efforts by addressing a wide range of social, medical, educational, environmental, economic, and human rights issues, while also incorporating advocacy actions to raise awareness. Our non-profit organization works closely with governments at local, regional, and national levels, as well as with the private sector.

We secure support from both public and private sectors for our projects through strategic investments. This demonstrates that when rural communities are included in these investments, and the benefits are balanced to prevent continued migration to urban areas, these communities can be revitalized and become attractive to new inhabitants.

Like many civil society organizations aiming to drive paradigm shifts, we also engage in advocacy to promote change, working to influence public policies and reshape societal narratives. Furthermore, Es Vicis’ South African partner, ReimagineSA is a Non-Profit Company that convenes meaningful engagements between stakeholders from across all sectors (community-based organisations, public sector and private sector), to collaborate and co-create a thriving socio-economic future for all. 

Our foundation was established in the same year that the world shifted toward pro-urbanization with the adoption of the New Urban Agenda at the UN conference in Quito in 2016. This agenda limited investments in rural communities, reducing them to mere agricultural commodity producers, and failed to offer them the same opportunities as cities. This widely accepted view has influenced international policy decisions, contributing to the imbalance that has led to the social and economic challenges currently faced by urban-rural areas.

Thus, our strategy, which involves both the government and other sectors, follows a dual approach, each with its own levels of impact and evaluation. On one hand, we implement concrete projects on the ground with their support, demonstrating that rural communities can thrive when they secure backing from both the public and private sectors through strategic investments. On the other hand, we advocate for the revitalization of these towns, proving that they can offer sustainable opportunities, while promoting an awareness strategy to reverse migration trends. In both approaches, we measure engagement and outcomes at both the political and social levels.

Since 2016, in Argentina, we have driven public funding for projects in communities facing depopulation across various areas—education, healthcare, housing, and infrastructure. At a more advanced stage, we also secured public funding for local teams responsible for mapping regions affected by youth migration to urban areas with more than 10,000 inhabitants.

Handing over 20 homes by the Government of Santa Fe in the pilot project Colonia Belgrano (October 2019).

Once we demonstrated how our model works in Argentina (and we plan to do the same in South Africa), we launched strategic campaigns in the media and on social networks to promote a shift in mindset that supports technological inclusion, connectivity, and accessible, smart infrastructure. This approach stimulates business growth beyond the agricultural sector (though without excluding it), enabling the production of urban goods and services from any community. In short, we are driving a paradigm shift, proving that entrepreneurship in rural areas, beyond traditional agribusiness, is entirely viable in the modern era. Additionally, we are actively working to influence national public policies to ensure that this shift becomes a sustainable and lasting reality.

 This agreement aims to secure strong backing to access government funds and programs focused on education and infrastructure. Additionally, significant conversations have already progressed with various public institutions: 

• Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council – a research institution working closely with the Eastern Cape Premier’s Office; and 
• Eastern Cape Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) – a public institution focused on delivering a variety of entrepreneur development and enterprise incubation programmes reporting to the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Small Business Development.
• Eastern Cape Office of the Premier – The Eastern Cape Premier is the head of the provincial government.

First, we are pleased to share that the push for urbanization is fortunately no longer a unanimous trend.

While in 2016 there was a clear consensus in favour of pro-urbanization investments in rapidly growing cities, with frequent claims that their expansion was unstoppable and irreversible, the urban model was intensely questioned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, international policies have largely remained stagnant in defending the urbanization model. Today, however, some forward-thinking governments have begun to encourage a return to rural areas. These governments are promoting the revitalization of rural zones by leveraging technology, remote work, and other opportunities that the modern world offers to rural communities.

In 2022, the World Economic Forum reported that governments in countries such as Japan, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Australia, and the United States began offering incentives to decentralize their expanding cities, even paying urban residents to relocate to rural areas. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/04/countries-paying-you-to-move-to-countryside/

In Switzerland, our third focus country to test the model, the NRP (New Regional Policy) provides various supports to balance structurally weaker urban areas, with key initiatives that include industry and digitalization.
https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/en/home/Standortfoerderung/Regional_Raumordnungspolitik/nrp.html

In this country, there are also initiatives to pay outsiders to move in, such as the Albinen or Zennegen in Valais (SwissCommunity), which has gained international attention. Switzerland is the third country we are exploring synergies with a wide range of organizations, including Mia Engadina and La Punt, which have the support of prominent figures like Norman Foster, to keep beautiful Alpine villages alive and vibrant.

In 2024, we are at a pivotal moment of transition. While some countries continue to see urban investment as the sole solution to address the challenges of urbanization, initiatives like ours are championing a more inclusive approach that bridges the rural-urban divide and drives prosperity in rural communities. We’re no longer isolated in these efforts. The paradigm shift is gaining traction across sectors—public and private alike—, though we acknowledge the transformation to fulfil our mission will take time.

On a personal level, the founders were directly involved in the ground-level efforts during the pro-urban investment boom. Cintia worked closely with the Swiss Ameropa Foundation (2008-2010) in one of the poorest areas of Greater Buenos Aires, striving to support 600 families who eked out a living by collecting and recycling waste, known as “Los Cartoneros de Itatí.” Despite an investment of nearly USD 150,000—funding schools, purchasing compactors, providing transportation, and constructing playgrounds—Cintia saw firsthand how futile these efforts were. Within two years, new waves of families arrived, building shanties on the playground. Drug gangs burned down the recycling warehouse, and children were forced to attend a fenced-in school, escorted by their parents because it was too dangerous to walk alone. This experience marked Cintia’s “aha moment,” and the question that emerged was stark: why continue investing in a failed model?

Before establishing the foundation, Cintia conducted groundbreaking research at the University of Basel as part of her postgraduate studies, culminating in her thesis titled “Economic-Forced Rural-to-Urban Migration”. This study gathered heart-wrenching testimonies from families who had been forced into migration, not by choice, but by the closing of the factories where they had worked. In desperation, they left their homes, walking for days until reaching Buenos Aires, where they were taken in by other poor individuals scavenging garbage. When asked if they would ever leave the neighborhood, the overwhelming response was, “Where would we go? If I had the chance to live in my hometown or anywhere with work, I wouldn’t hesitate.” This was the second “aha moment”—people do not live where they want, but where they can. It became clear that the common assumption held by pro-urbanization advocates—that people migrate to cities out of desire—was fundamentally flawed. The real problem lay at its root: lack of  identification and visualization of business opportunities in rural areas. 

The problem must be addressed at its root. This firsthand experience, combined with corroborative studies on expulsion factors conducted by colleagues across Latin America, Asia, and Africa, formed the foundation for the founders’ mission. It drove them to give voice to the voiceless and create a program that challenges the prevailing narrative—one that defies the traditional urbanization model and pushes for a sustainable future where people can thrive in their rural communities.

In South Africa, the momentum is similar to that of Argentina in 2016: public policies follow the global trend of pro-urbanization, against the wishes of many South Africans who are forced to move to cities for work, even though they long to return to their towns. At the heart of South African identity lies pride in their origins, their clan, and their community. This aspect is a unique strength that is not found in Argentina, where most people are of immigrant origin and lack a deep territorial attachment or clan, although they share the desire to live better outside of cities. In South Africa, in the region where we will work, many families maintain well-kept homes in their towns while living in difficult conditions in the city, dreaming of returning. We firmly believe that our model will help many families achieve that dream.

Argentina remains a key focus for our work, and we have observed emerging trends in the country’s urban population. The urban concentration rate has stabilized at 92%. Unlike other countries in the region and the global trend, Argentina has managed to curb the growth of urban concentration. However, it is still not possible to accurately measure the impact of migration to rural areas, as we need to wait for the results of the upcoming national census to evaluate the actual growth of these communities and the decline in migration to the cities.

Although we cannot solely claim credit for the stabilization of the urban population percentage, we are aware of the influence we have had on this change. With over 450 media appearances, numerous discussions with public and private sector decision-makers, and the impact reflected in the formulation of several laws favoring decentralization, we have become catalysts for key discussions on sustainable repopulation in Argentina. Ten years after our first efforts, we are recognized as a reference in this field.

The model we have developed in Argentina has proven effective in a short time, and it is flexible enough to adapt to different socio-economic and political contexts. After 10 years of work and many more years of academic studies and field experiences, we are confident in its effectiveness. We have set forth an expansion strategy to demonstrate this versatility, aimed at contexts that, while they may seem different, share similar challenges.

However, we cannot help but notice how the proliferation of new urban proposals, such as ‘smart cities’ or ’15 minutes cities’ are sometimes presented as universal solutions without a deep analysis of their real impact. Over the decades, we have witnessed how cities, despite the resources invested, have faced serious issues. We are confident that our model to revitalize and repopulate communities, its the right answer to solve the urban-rural challenges because is addressing the root cause of the problem.

In Argentina, we continue to drive key advocacy activities and projects on the ground with public-private support. We do not expect to achieve the country’s macro goals on our own, so we will continue to promote the movement through advocacy, ensuring it has its own dynamics beyond our specific projects. We are convinced that awareness will spread widely and the results will be so evident that society as a whole will join this effort. We estimate that, in order to see substantial results in the urban-rural population balance, at least two decades will be needed.

While Argentina has served as our pilot country, our mission is international in scope. We have shown that our model works even in challenging environments like Argentina, where urban concentration was once thought irreversible, and where inflation and currency volatility significantly impacted businesses and savings.

Our international focus is broadening, and we are confident that applying the model across three continents and various contexts—analyzing both their similarities and differences—will reinforce its credibility and showcase its effectiveness. We have selected Switzerland in Europe and South Africa in Africa to further solidify our proposal and the growing international voice we have begun to establish.

As part of this global strategy, we are establishing our presence on the international stage. After proving the model’s success, we have been actively participating in global debates for six years. We present our findings and achievements at universities and forums around the world. Some of our key interventions and academic engagements include:

• 2020 Ligthning Lab – Climat-KIC EU: Depopulate Cities – Showcase Speaker
• 2021  “Hackaton: Urban-Rural Development” at Open Geneva – UNITAR -Panelists and Projects Jury 
• 2022  BASEL PEACE FORUM Questioning Urbanization Trend – Panel of the Day 1  
• 2022  Annual Conference,  THE CLUB OF ROME – Panelists  
• 2023 Academic Publication: Transformation of Urban–Rural Relationships in the Context of Global Challenges

As a result of our dual strategy—combining advocacy with model demonstration through concrete projects—we have been able to measure impact across multiple dimensions. For each project, we assess not only its tangible success within the communities and regions we work in, but also its broader influence on social media, the press, and intersectoral discussions surrounding the issue. This includes evaluating the effect on proposed legislation, trends in urban growth, and how society has responded. Has urban concentration stabilized or reversed? Have new laws been enacted as a result?

We will begin by sharing the impact of our awareness campaign, the social movements it has spurred, and the political interest generated through our advocacy efforts. Following this, we will present the outcomes of our pilot project (2016-2019) and its subsequent scaling (2021-2024).

Results Advocacy Argentina (2016-2024)

Results Pilot Project– Argentina (2016-2019)

Results Scale-up Project Argentina– Ongoing (2022-2025)

Our goal is not to retain people in a rigid way, but to offer them the choice of where they want to live, without the city being the only attractive option. By creating environments in rural communities that provide access to jobs, education, and services, we are building habitats where young people stay because they see real opportunities for growth and development.

Equity between urban and rural areas is key to stopping the exodus towards megacities. By revitalizing and repopulating villages, we aspire to regenerate human habitats, offering a diversity of healthy environments to thrive. Towns can and should be dynamic places where mobility is an option, but not a necessity. By fostering communities with better amenities, access to technology, and a vibrant social life, we make these places attractive, not just for the opportunities they provide, but for the well-being that comes with living in a natural, peaceful, and collaborative environment that encourages human interaction and personal development.

The growth and dynamism of revitalized towns should be measured beyond population increases – we have recorded a 10% repopulation rate – but we must also ask: how many young people decide to stay? This dynamism and attractiveness can be seen in key indicators like the creation of new businesses and real estate activity. For instance, in the pilot project, we observed a 700% increase in new plots for housing construction (from 6 to 49 plots) and a 595% rise in rental properties (from 4 to 27 houses) over a period of three years. This reflects not only the repopulation rate but also the fact that young people have chosen to stay and build their homes in the town.

Additionally, a deep mapping study conducted in five towns, with a sample representing 20% of the 10,000 inhabitants, revealed that 60% of young people wish to stay or return after completing their studies. This shows, on the one hand, that they are often forced to migrate to cities due to lack of opportunities in their towns, but on the other hand, it highlights the significant growth potential if we succeed in making these towns more attractive.

In our foundation’s vision, our mission will be accomplished when every town becomes an attractive habitat, and each community knows and claims its right to receive the investments that promote their inclusion and livability, just as cities do. This is essential to enhance the attractiveness of rural areas and ensure their sustainable development. Currently, nearly half of the world’s population lives in rural areas, but due to inadequate attention and investment, they are being forced to migrate to cities in search of better opportunities. Our work aims to change this reality, ensuring that rural towns and cities are equally valued in terms of importance and quality of life.

The collaboration with the partner country and the communities is designed to foster a sustainable development model based on local empowerment and long-term autonomy. Here is how it is structured:

With the partner country:

1. Long-term partnership: A strategic relationship is established with a regional partner that shares common values and goals. This partner acts as a facilitator, not a direct provider, ensuring that resources and knowledge effectively reach the communities.
2. Knowledge transfer: The partner country receives specific training through the “Train the Trainers” model, enabling them to replicate and adapt the approach in other communities.
3. Co-creation of strategies: Together with the partner country, solutions are developed that are tailored to the local context, combining global experiences with the cultural and social understanding of the environment.
4. Access to ES VICIS Foundation’s management and monitoring system: The partner country is granted access to the foundation’s tools for tracking and evaluating progress, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement of community projects.
5. Ongoing support: Although the goal is community independence, the partner country remains available as a strategic support during critical development stages.

With the communities:

1. Participatory diagnosis: Communities are involved from the beginning to identify their needs, available resources, and priorities, ensuring that proposed solutions are relevant and appropriate.
2. Capacity building: They are provided with tools, training, and structures that allow them to manage their own resources and projects in the long term. This includes local leadership, sustainable entrepreneurship, and technical skills.
3. Promotion of local leadership: Local leaders are identified and trained to act as multipliers of the model and advocates for their development.
4. Creation of support networks: Collaboration between neighboring communities is encouraged, fostering the exchange of experiences and resources.
5. Evaluation and adaptation: Communities play a leading role in assessing the impact of the initiatives, allowing them to adjust and improve the model based on their evolving needs.

Our My Village model, consisting of 6 phases, is developed in 2 main stages: the first is Revitalization (phases 1-3), and the second is Sustainable Repopulation (phases 4-6).

We are currently seeking funding for the first stage of the project, focusing on launching the initial three phases of the Revitalization stage, which lasts 18 months. At the same time, we are identifying other funding sources for the next major stage, Sustainable Repopulation, which also spans 18 months. This approach ensures that the entire project, covering 36 months, addresses all the necessary phases for both revitalization and sustainable repopulation.

Below are the totals and subtotals of the OR Tambo-Eastern Cape Project:

• Revitalization Stage (Phases 1-3, 18 months): CHF 365,000
• Repopulation Stage (Phases 4-6, 18 months): CHF 331,900
• Total Project (Phases 1-6, 36 months): CHF 696,900

It is important to highlight that requested funds will be used exclusively to cover the operational role on the ground executed by ReimagineSA and ES VICIS Foundation, and not for infrastructure or other benefits that the communities receive through our model. Within the  Welcome to My Village program, the total funding comes from several independent budgets, managed by each partner organization. Our role is to facilitate agreements, ensure proper implementation, and guarantee that these agreements are fulfilled for the benefit of the communities and the overall success of the project.

During our feasibility phase, we have secured the collaborative interest of key stakeholders such as the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders and the OR Tambo District Municipality, with backing from the Swiss embassy. These partnerships are crucial to addressing critical areas of community development and ensuring a robust project with broad local interest.

Other partner organizations joining the program, under our support, are responsible for specific areas such as business education, digitalization, and infrastructure, complementing our core initiatives. These organizations, funded locally or with adapted models, provide essential services and infrastructure (such as energy, connectivity, and water), improving quality of life, reducing costs, and stimulating the growth of local businesses. The total amount of contributions our partners will invest across the 6 phases will be determined as the initial phases are implemented.

Both, our foundation and Reimagine SA, are operational organizations that manage independent projects, each with its own funding and support from specific partners.

Our funding needs are focused on the Revitalization Stages, which require essential seed capital to implement the “Welcome to My Village” model. Your support will help us establish a solid foundation for accurately assessing community needs and setting achievable objectives in the subsequent phases of repopulation. It will also enable us to define the specific contributions of other partners joining the project.

At present, we have secured strong commitments from the involved partners. Therefore, this seed capital for the Revitalization not only ensures the commencement of the process but also serves as the cornerstone upon which the project will be built.

At this pre-diagnostic stage, we are unable to identify with certainty the exact impact in terms of beneficiary reach throughout the 6 phases. However, we are committed to setting clear, achievable goals to profile these contributions during the Revitalization stage, once we are on the ground and able to move through the early phases of the model. 

It is critical to understand that without the diagnostic revealed in the revitalisation phases, any projection or promise would lack substance. Once the diagnostic is completed, we will be able to provide a much clearer and more precise vision.

Our on-the-ground objectives are as follows:

– Establish working groups in the best-prepared communities within the OR Tambo region, Eastern Cape, to quickly implement revitalization initiatives.

– Complete the mapping of the OR Tambo region using indicators specifically tailored for revitalization and repopulation, focusing on data not previously recorded by the state.

– Improve essential infrastructure, such as connectivity and access to clean water.

– Train residents in the use of digital devices, business development, and digital marketing for socioeconomic inclusion and income generation.

– Identify and list new business opportunities to foster local economic growth.

– Create profiles for jobs/ business opportunities to offer urban families to initiate the repopulation call for the region.

– Publicize the program effectively across multiple platforms.

However, the following metrics can be delivered:

In our model, we integrate existing programs and solutions, adding value because what these organizations expect from our collaboration—and this mutually beneficial partnership—is that we facilitate the “last mile,” connecting directly with the communities. This process requires building trust, as communities are wary of both governments and unfamiliar companies. Our role is to catalyze development by comprehensively addressing needs and barriers, with hands-on experience and proximity in the field. 

Additionally, we provide a fundamental added value to the public sector and the communities: accurate and detailed information on the true local dynamics. We measure key indicators that have not been previously recorded, such as the extent of population displacement, as well as their individual and collective aspirations. This approach allows us to be more effective in our mission to help communities organize and achieve their goals.

Furthermore, South Africa is faced with many developmental challenges, with the key focal points stemming from Social, Political and Economic instability. 

The following is a list of micro-community level manifestations of the larger socio-economic challenges that the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030 seeks to address:

Economic Disparities

– Unemployment: Urban areas tend to have more job opportunities, while rural areas suffer from high unemployment rates. This leads to migration to cities, exacerbating urban issues like housing shortages and increased demand for services.

– Income Inequality: There is a significant income gap between rural and urban populations. Urban areas generally offer higher wages and better economic opportunities compared to rural regions.

– Connectivity & Technology Divide: Urban areas, as economic hubs, are prioritised for ICT infrastructure investment that enhances connectivity and internet speeds, leaving sparsely populated rural communities and their inhabitants behind. 

Social Challenges

– Mass Urban Migration: The migration from rural to urban areas can lead to overcrowded cities, creating issues such as inadequate housing, increased crime rates, and pressure on public services.

– Social Services: Urban areas typically have better access to social services, including social security benefits, while rural areas may be underserved

Cultural and Community Aspects

– Community Support: Rural communities often have strong social networks and a sense of community, which can be both a strength and a challenge in terms of adapting to modern economic opportunities.

– Youth Engagement: Keeping young people engaged and providing them with opportunities in rural areas is a significant challenge. Many young people leave for cities, leading to an ageing rural population.

Revitalization: Facilitating Pathways to Opportunities

Starting from Human-powered efforts (the body as the primal vehicle), to communal  (traditional), progressing through to Global (digital). Initiatives/programs should not alienate grassroots communities, but instead, drive transformation and connection from the local to the global. 

Diagram designed by ReimagineSA

1. Partners to assist us in bridging the ICT infrastructure gap and the roles they would play in the “Welcome to My Village” Program:

– SEDA Technology Programme Grant Fund: Support with grant funding/set up infrastructure—they provide containers with built-in infrastructure.

– Logiscool: Tech entrepreneurs who teach children coding, robotics, etc. They have both physical and online academies.

– Tombolo Energy: Set up the infrastructure

The benefits we aim to offer in the targeted region are: 

– Overcoming the Technology Divide and Structural Exclusion

– Low Tech infrastructure entry points 

Partnerships Conversations & Cooperation Advantages 

Based on the conversations ReimagineSA has had with SEDA regarding their SEDA Technology Programme (STP), which is an incubation programme, the institution will be publishing a grant proposal for their incubation programme in the next two months (possibly December 2024). The incubation programme is a 3-year initiative designed to strengthen technology commercialisation and harness entrepreneurship within the technology community in South Africa. It is important to use this incubation program at the revitalization phases of the “Welcome to My Village Program” for the following reasons. The schools and villages in the corridors where we plan to pilot this program are not guaranteed to have solid ICT infrastructure—low infrastructure entry points. It is essential to establish innovation hotspots. These hotspots would also serve as engagement hubs for the communities surrounding these villages.

2. Partners to assist Deep Mapping

    a) Eastern Cape Office Supporting Deep Mapping  

ReimagineSA has had discussions with the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier’s Monitoring and Evaluation Manager:

– Use the Geographic Information System (GIS) to assist with the deep mapping (capturing comprehensive community profiles—demographics, skills assessments, existing assets, and initiatives).

– The Monitoring and Evaluation Manager proposed collaboration with the Premier to align the pilot with broader regional development plans.

– Follow-up discussions are in the pipeline to discuss the next steps and receive official feedback from Premier.

    b) Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Counseling Office (ECSECC)  Supporting Deep Mapping

– ECSECC has agreed to join as a research partner and contribute to the feasibility study process.

– They also highlighted their involvement in initiatives such as the Smart City and One Plan/District Development Plan Programmes, as well as the opportunity to collaborate along the N2 and other development corridors in the province.

– Follow-up discussions are in the pipeline to discuss the next steps. The ECSECC CEO will share detailed plans and programmes they are currently working on.

Therefore, the project aims to address the micro-community level challenges within the OR Tambo district and use the lessons learned to inform its future scaling.

Below is a list of major social, political, and economic challenges that the established innovation hotspots will address during the various Revitalization phases (1-3) throughout the lifespan of the “Welcome to My Village” Program.

Infrastructure and Service Needs

– Access to Education and Healthcare: Rural areas often lack adequate educational facilities and healthcare services. This results in lower literacy rates and poorer health outcomes compared to urban areas.

– Basic Services: Rural communities may have limited access to clean water, sanitation, and electricity, which are more readily available in urban areas.

– Transport and Connectivity: Poor road networks and limited public transport options hinder mobility and economic activities in rural regions.

Agricultural and Environmental Issues

– Agricultural Decline: Many rural areas depend on agriculture, which faces challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and lack of investment. This affects food security and rural livelihoods.

– Environmental Degradation: Poor agricultural practices and limited resources for sustainable farming can lead to environmental degradation in rural areas.

Government and Policy Landscape

– Policy Implementation: There are often gaps in the implementation of policies aimed at reducing rural-urban disparities. Corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies can further exacerbate these issues.

– Development Funding: Limited funding for rural development projects can hinder progress in improving infrastructure and services in these areas.