A man who lives in Scarborough has been awarded the prestigious Member of the Order of the British Empire by King Charles III for his outstanding 25 years of service to Masiphumelele, South Africa.
John Thompson, an 85-year-old who lives at Piper Shores in Scarborough, founded the nonprofit Masicorp with his wife, Carol, in 1999.
The nonprofit has evolved from a small startup in a 50,000-person township into a dynamic organization with 70 staff members.
Over the years, Masicorp has significantly affected the community of Masiphumelele in South Africa. The nonprofit has constructed five day care centers, a youth center, a library, 23 houses and initiated 35 active projects and programs.
The organization focuses on providing education and resources to uplift the Masi community, aiming to create opportunities and a pathway out of poverty.
Their tireless efforts have been recognized with the prestigious MBE award.
King Charles III of the United Kingdom personally nominated and appointed John as an Ordinary Member of the Civil Division of the British Empire, adding a profound accolade to their remarkable journey.
“We received this mysterious phone call from the United Kingdom a little over a year ago asking, ‘Would you be pleased to receive this honor on Dec. 31, 2022? If you would like to think about it and take the time.’ It only took three seconds after that to say we are honored and accepted,” Carol said.
John was born in 1938 and grew up in England, and Carol was born and raised outside of Cape Town, South Africa. The two were married in 1963 and moved to New York for John’s job. In 1999, Carol and John founded Masicorp.
“It’s part of the honor code of Britain,” John said. “It’s an honor to people who do service in their community and a very large commonwealth, to be honored and awarded by the King.”
Carol said that over a dozen individuals took the initiative to write to the king, nominating both John and her for their work. This thorough process typically spans a year or more, with the British Embassy meticulously sifting through hundreds and thousands of applications.
“We asked the British ambassador when we could tell our children, and they already knew about it!” Carol said. “They had to be part of this effort, to give them more background information. They were just as excited for us to find out the news, and finally they didn’t have to keep this a secret anymore.”
The journey of Masicorp took shape after Carol and John learned about Masiphumelele, following Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. They encountered an ambitious woman running a makeshift day care center and realizing the community lacked education and resource support, the couple asked about her dreams. The woman expressed a desire for a proper school with inside plumbing. Recognizing the historical lack of education for Black people in South Africa, the Thompsons understood the need to address this gap.
Masicorp’s primary focus has been to provide educational opportunities to break the cycle of poverty and contribute to the creation of a black middle class. Carol and John have dedicated their efforts to fundraising and personal contributions.
Carol said the entire British population sees this news, and it’s published twice each year in the London Gazette on Dec. 31 and again in June with a huge celebration. Unfortunately, due to John’s health, the couple was unable to make the June celebration and only received the actual award this past December.
“When we retired, we stumbled into a journey of actually helping people,” John said. “It began with building houses, and, truth be told, we ran out of money. It’s been a constant evolution, figuring out how we can be useful to others on this planet who lack the means to fully participate in life. And remarkably, it’s worked.”
John joins another member from Masicorp to receive the MBE award, and John’s grandfather also received the award back in 1917.
“In this journey we have created a good life for many people, and that’s what we encourage other retirees to do. If you can help someone, and make a difference, do it. The beauty is that anyone can do this!” John said.
