A decade of impact in community healthcare

For nearly a decade, Futuregrowth’s Community Property Fund (CPF) has partnered with Unjani Clinics to bring affordable, quality primary healthcare closer to underserved communities. What began as a shared vision in 2015 has grown into a network of 14 nurse-owned clinics located in shopping centres owned by the Fund and managed by Capital Land – serving over half a million patients to date. 

The model is simple but powerful: clinics are placed in non-lettable areas or parking lots of the malls owned by the CPF, with no rental or utility costs. This gives Unjani’s “nursepreneurs” the security, visibility, and accessibility they need to grow their practices, and to serve the communities they know best. 

“This partnership allows us to seamlessly place clinics in safe, accessible spaces,” says Lynda Toussaint, CEO of Unjani Clinics NPC, at Futuregrowth’s recent Women in Impact event to commemorate Women’s Day in August. “For the nurse, it means security and stability. For the community, it means affordable care right on their doorstep. It’s about removing the barriers – physical, financial and psychological – that often stand between people and the healthcare they need.” 

A nurse at Unjani Clinic tends to an elderly patient. Source: Capital Land

A network built on empowerment 

Unjani Clinics represents more than just healthcare. It’s an enterprise development model that equips professional nurses with the skills to run their own businesses while serving their communities. Nurses enter a five-year incubation programme, after which they take full ownership of their clinics. 

Today, Unjani operates 265 care facilities nationwide, with 195 empowered nurse owners. Across the network, over 6.7 million consultations have been delivered outside of government facilities – helping to free up capacity in the public healthcare system while creating more than 815 jobs in predominantly rural areas. 

In Futuregrowth’s Community Property Fund clinics alone, more than 578 000 patient consults have taken place since 2015, with 42 women from local communities employed in these facilities across the portfolio. Services range from family planning and antenatal care to chronic disease management, HIV testing and counselling, immunisations, and basic ultrasound scans. “The model works because it’s not charity,” Toussaint explained at the event. “We invest in nurses as entrepreneurs, and they invest in their communities. It’s a partnership of equals, and the pride they have owning something that directly serves their neighbours is immense.” 

Nomakhaya’s story: from one clinic to three 

One of the longest-serving nursepreneurs in the Futuregrowth network is Sister Nomakhaya Ngwatya, who opened her Diepsloot Mall clinic in October 2015. 

“I’m grateful to Futuregrowth for giving us the space,” she says. “Our first container was small but as the clinic grew, we expanded and added new services – from dentistry to optometry – making it even more convenient for the community. Patients trust us because they know we’re not going anywhere. We are part of their daily lives.” 

Unjani Clinic at Diepsloot Mall. Source: Capital Land

The Diepsloot clinic was busy from day one. In under 10 years, it has delivered almost 145 000 consultations, averaging 1 200 patients a month. Nomakhaya has since opened two additional clinics, employing 18 staff members across her operations. 

Her journey was fuelled by persistence – volunteering in government clinics to gain primary healthcare experience, upskilling through a dispensing course, and navigating challenges from finding a suitable site to building community trust. 

“Running a clinic is not easy,” she reflected during the Women in Impact event. “There are days when the challenges – from staff shortages to equipment breakdowns – feel overwhelming. But then a patient walks in who you’ve helped through a crisis, or you see a child who’s grown up healthy under your care, and you remember why you started.” 

Beyond healthcare: building resilience in communities 

The Unjani model works in tandem with government, providing choice for patients and expanding access where it’s most needed. Many clinics are located along taxi routes, within walking distance for residents, and are designed as secure, relocatable container structures. 

Futuregrowth’s support extends beyond infrastructure. By removing the financial burden of rent and utilities, the Fund allows nurses to focus on care delivery, job creation, and sustainability. “It’s about sustainability from the ground up” Toussaint said. “If the nurse’s business is stable, the jobs are stable, and the community has consistent access to care. That’s what partnerships like ours achieve – not just short-term service delivery, but long-term resilience.” 

A platform for women’s voices 

Futuregrowth’s Women in Impact event brought together leaders, clients and community changemakers, to share stories of empowerment and transformation. For many in the audience, hearing Lynda and Nomakhaya speak side by side was a powerful reminder that systemic change often starts at a local, human level. 

From left: Nursepreneur Sister Nomakhaya Ngwatya, Lynda Toussaint, CEO of Unjani Clinics NPC, Ziyanda Tshaka, Business Development Manager and Olga Constantatos, Head of Credit, at Futuregrowth. Source: Futuregrowth

“I always say, never underestimate a woman with a vision and the right support,” Toussaint told the audience. “When you empower a nurse, you’re not just creating a healthcare provider. You’re creating an employer, a mentor, a role model and a beacon of hope.” 

Nomakhaya echoed this sentiment, adding: “Women in our communities carry so much. We’re raising families, running businesses, and holding spaces together when things fall apart. Having partners like Futuregrowth and Unjani behind us means we don’t have to do it alone.” 

Looking ahead 

Unjani Clinics aims to grow to 600 clinics by 2032, with the Community Property Fund portfolio playing a key role in that expansion. For Futuregrowth, this partnership remains a clear example of how investment can be both commercially viable and socially transformative. 

From the first clinic in 2015 to the latest opening at Boitekong Mall in December 2024, the collaboration between Futuregrowth and Unjani Clinics has been a story of impact, empowerment and shared commitment to social change. “When you give nurses the opportunity,” Lynda says, “they don’t just build clinics, they build hope.”