About Us

OUR HISTORY

Who are we? Where we come from

Who are we? We ask ourselves this question very often! In short, forgood is a website that informs and encourages South Africans to live out good values in every part of their lives. Our motto: Inspiring South Africans for good.  On this site you’ll find practical tips and helpful information to make a difference for good in a host of interest areas (or hubs as we call them).

Then, after you’ve applied these tips in your school, workplace, organisation or community, please tell us about it – and we’ll feature your success story to inspire others.

As more of us share our good news stories, we’ll connect with and inspire others to create a network of people working to change our country for good.

Please note: We are currently developing a more interactive website that offers a true social networking and interactive platform – watch this space!


Where we come from

Forgood is an initiative of Heartlines, an NGO that uses various forms of media to encourage a return to living out good values in order to build a healthier, better nation. Through our films, books, trainings and resources, we want South Africans to have conversations that will inspire us to take action to make South Africa safer, healthier, greener, more compassionate and focused on values.

 OUR FOUNDER

Dr Garth Japhet (or Garth as he prefers to be called) is the pioneer and passion behind the forgood vision.

A medical doctor by training he has for many years been involved in using multimedia to encourage people to live their lives better. In the early 1990s he founded Soul City: the Institute for Health and Development Communication, which offered practical advice on a range of medical and social issues through the popular media of TV and radio.

After this initiative, Garth launched Heartlines, a TV show that started a national conversation about values so that messages about health and social issues could be rooted in something more directly related to behaviour change. 

Next came the challenge of how to help people live out good values by offering them advice through daily-used media channels.

Enter forgood which in its first phase made use of cellphones and the internet to communicate positive messaging. With over 40 million cellphones in South Africa, it’s not hard to see that this is a most immediate, intimate means of mass communication.

The forgood website offers more extensive advice and communication, and allows everyday heroes a platform to share how they are making a difference for good in their own lives.

And all that from one man’s childhood dream to change the world!

(Please don’t tell him we’ve included this write-up about him or he’ll make us remove it.)

 PAST CAMPAIGNS

HEARTLINES films
In July 2006, the first phase of the Heartlines campaign was launched. It included two main initiatives: 1. a national broadcast of eight films, with supporting print and below-the-line media and, 2. the start of social mobilisation of faith-based organisations (FBOs), during which FBOs were given relevant tools to teach values and were encouraged to undertake discussion-based activities.

For the first time in history, the SABC flighted the same programme in different time slots on all three channels in the same week. National conversations around values spread like wildfire.

HOPEVILLE series
In 2009, the film series Hopeville was launched. It tells the story of a reformed alcoholic on a mission to forge a relationship with his estranged son and, in turn, transform a small town and its inhabitants for good.

DO GOOD FOR CHANGE
To accompany Hopeville, a 6-week campaign was launched, “Do good for change”, encouraging people to put their values into action. Click here to see videos.

PUBLICATIONS
Heartlines forgood has developed a number of published resources for use in schools, communities, workplaces, churches and families. Click here to view them all.

 
 DO GOOD FOR CHANGE VIDEOS

As an organisation we believe in living out the value of random acts of kindness. See our video series on celebrities taking their kind acts to unsuspecting members of the public.