Michelle Bagley, Chief Operations Officer of the Amy Foundation. Image: Supplied

Michelle Bagley, Chief Operations Officer of the Amy Foundation, remembers how the late Rhoda Kadalie - former UWC lecturer and close friend of Amy Biehl - spoke plainly about risk, identity and courage. 

Biehl was a 26-year-old Fulbright scholar from the United States who came to South Africa in the early 1990s. Driven by a deep commitment to justice and equality she worked closely with the African National Congress at the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Community Law Centre. But on 25 August 1993, Biehl’s life was cut short in Gugulethu, Cape Town, when she was attacked and killed by a mob during a period of political unrest.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission granted amnesty to the four young men convicted of her murder. Two of them would later work for the very foundation established in her name.

Bagley recalled: “[Rhoda] warned her to stop going into the township. When we spoke about it, Rhoda would say, ‘She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’” Those words linger, not to diminish Biehl’s commitment, but to frame the moral terrain that birthed a movement of forgiveness put to work.

Bagley doesn’t shy away from the hard truths. She speaks candidly about the other two men who never engaged with the foundation. “One was rumoured to be living under a bridge during COVID. Another might be back in jail. They only ever reached out to ask for money or food parcels.”

Biehl’s parents, Linda and Peter Biehl, started the organisation in 1998.

“They supported the amnesty applications of two young men - Easy and Tobogo - who later reached out and said, ‘We want to give back.’” That moment of reconciliation became the cornerstone of a movement that would go on to touch thousands of lives.

Bagley’s admiration for Linda Biehl is palpable. “I’m a mother of two girls,” she said, “and I’m always amazed at Linda’s depth of forgiveness. I don’t know where she finds it.” It’s not just forgiveness - it’s a radical act of rebuilding, of choosing hope over bitterness.

She speaks of the Amy Foundation’s dual focus: after-school programmes for children aged six to 18, and youth development for those aged 18 to 35. “The challenges in the township happen when no one is at home,” Bagley explained. “No adult supervision means mischief. Linda saw that and started the after-school programme. Peter (now passed on) focused on the older youth - those who’d left school but hadn’t found their way.”

The work is practical, hands-on, and deeply rooted in the realities of township life. Bread-making, carpentry, tiling - skills that don’t trend online but build futures. “Peter believed in teaching real skills. Linda loved reading and writing, and together, they created something that mattered,” Michelle said.

But the story isn’t just about programmes - it’s about people. One of Bagley’s fondest success stories is that of Akhona, a boy from the after-school programme who dreamt of owning a hotel. 

“He interned at the Twelve Apostles Hotel. We found out he had only 30% hearing in one ear. We fundraised for a hearing aid. In 2016, he became Employee of the Year and flew to London…We’ve probably reached 12 to 15,000 young people,” she said. “If Amy hadn’t passed away, where would they be today?”

Through her work, the fruits of forgiveness continue to ripple outward, transforming not just individuals, but entire communities.