The Legacy of John More Thompson – Co–Founder of Masicorp
John died on March 30, 2026, after a long illness. While his loss is deeply felt, the impact of what he created continues every day in Masiphumelele through Masicorp, the organization he and his wife, Carol, co-founded in 1999.
John was not a passive founder. He was deeply involved and constantly thinking about how to do more. He brought people together across countries and backgrounds building a community of supporters who shared his vision.
John’s legacy lives in every student supported and every opportunity created. At Masicorp we see that legacy every day. John will be remembered as visionary and his remarkable work continues through all of us. He will be deeply missed.
Masicorp works with the community of Masiphumelele, in Cape Town, South Africa, to provide quality education and skills development opportunities, helping residents towards a sustainable future.
The support offered ranges from early childhood development to primary school literacy and numeracy. Masicorp also provides digital and sewing skills development programmes for children, teens, and adults.
Our 2025 Impact
5200+
Beneficiaries
24
Programmes
300,000
Pre-school
Meals Served
800
Pre-School
Children Reached
96%
Grade R Children Are Ready for Grade 1
21
Reached
41
Sewing Skills
1874
Learners Attended
Primary School
Learning Labs
1853
Individuals Benefited From Our Computer Labs
90%
Participating Adults Passed Accredited Digital Training
Our Beneficiaries
Masiphumelele - 'Let's succeed'
Masiphumelele is an isiXhosa word that translates to ‘Let us succeed’. This word is fitting for this community of people who decided to move to this area to build their lives into success.
In the early 1980s, a group of 400-500 people started the first informal settlement close to where Masiphumelele is today. However, under Apartheid law, these families were moved on by force.
They were relocated to the Khayelitsha, on the outskirts of Cape Town, more than 30 kilometres away. For those who had found work in the Fish Hoek area, this meant a long journey on a bicycle or public transport every day.
Over the years. they tried, again and again, to move back to where they had first established their community. Finally, nearly ten years later, in 1991/92, as Apartheid was ending, this community was renamed Masiphumelele and was then home to approximately 8000 people, who setup informal shacks and simple brick homes. A school and clinic were only added in the late 1990’s.
Today, the community is home to more than 40,000 people who continue to face challenges from the legacy of apartheid and slow reform. This densely populated community is consistently at risk of fire and flooding and many residents are living in poverty. Formal housing is mixed with many informal structures, leaving many families with limited access to electricity, sanitation or running water. High crime rates and lack of food security add to the challenges experienced by residents in Masiphumelele. Access to an acceptable level of education and skills training is beyond the reach of most of residents and youth, as unemployment is estimated to be around 70% of the adult population.