In episode two of Ubuntu Uplift by CivSource South Africa, host Oratile Mokase speaks with Zodwa Lizzy Madonsela, Imagine Scholar’s Development & Partnerships Manager, to ask a question often missed in city boardrooms: What does effective philanthropy look like for rural youth?
The stock images of rural South Africa, dusty roads, distant clinics, and December homecomings obscure what’s also there: brilliance, resilience, and creative grit. As Zodwa notes, a lack of resources isn’t a lack of potential. Talent is a resource too. Real change in Nkomazi hasn’t come from parachute projects or urban templates, but from unlearning limiting stories and writing new ones.
Zodwa joined Imagine Scholar in 2010 as one of five pilot students. What began as a bursary idea evolved into a long-term ecosystem of support that helps young people not just access university but thrive academically, socially, and psychologically. “If students don’t have the tools to succeed, we’ve solved the wrong problem,” she reflects.
At Imagine Scholar, empowerment is a 16-year commitment: from high school to university, first job, and into entrepreneurship and community leadership. It’s philanthropy that doesn’t just hand out bursaries; it hands over belief and builds relationships up close. Students “sign a contract with themselves” while the organization walks alongside them, shifting charity’s old “let me help you” to “let’s build together.” Solutions are co-created, not designed in Johannesburg for problems imagined in Johannesburg.
Early on, Zodwa struggled to convince funders who hadn’t seen the model in action. The fix was simple: invite them to Nkomazi. Seeing the program, meeting students, and feeling the impact turned transactions into partnerships. Supporters like the Rest Foundation mentor learners, visit regularly, and join the slow, necessary work of co-creation. As Oratile sums up: you can’t buy buy-in; you earn it through relationship.
Fundraising becomes community building: partners are part of an ecosystem that believes in students as much as students believe in themselves. At its best, philanthropy doesn’t rescue; it recognizes. It doesn’t only “give back”; it gives forward, shifting systems, not just circumstances. “We’re not creating dependency,” Zodwa emphasizes. “We’re building agency, and that takes time, trust, and proximity.”
The future of African philanthropy isn’t forged in glass boardrooms or glossy reports. It’s breathing in Nkomazi classrooms, in the courage of rural youth who dream despite the odds, and in organizations willing to meet them where they are. Sometimes the most transformative giving begins in small rooms, where young people learn their stories still matter.
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The new season of Ubuntu Uplift, a podcast by CivSource South Africa, opens with the greeting “Dumelang, Rialocha, Aushen,” setting the tone for conversations about howphilanthropy can become intentional, inclusive, and transformative in the lives of South Africa’s youth. Hosted by Oratile Magasi, the series convenes change makers, thought leaders, and grassroots activists who work daily to turnpossibility into reality.
Season 2 aims to inspire while challenging assumptions about giving and community support. Its mission is bold yet clear: amplify youth voices, spotlight innovative approaches to social impact, and reimagine philanthropy as a force that uplifts deeply, not just broadly. At its heart lies a question: Can targeted philanthropy reshape the socioeconomic trajectory of young people?
The urgency is clear, youth face digital exclusion, unemployment, unsafe spaces, and limited civicopportunities. The podcast probes what civil society may be overlooking.
Episode 1 features Jean Veitch, Operations Manager at the Ingelosi Foundation, which advancesstrategic, youth-centred philanthropy. Veitch leads urban-targeted social investments that reach young people in schools, communities, and grassroots initiatives, while creating safe spaces for expression and entrepreneurship.She argues philanthropy is most powerful when intentional, precise, and rooted in lived experience, moving away from one-size-fits-all giving.
Jean reflects on her path into philanthropy, sparked by an encounter with Jenny, the foundation’s chair, on a soccer field where their children played. What followed was ajourney of aligning service with values. She shares powerful stories of vulnerability: one facilitator arrived late to a Christmas gift drive because he had been talking someone down from a bridge, a stark reminder of the unseencrises young people face.
For her, targeted philanthropy means empowering others to help themselves. Even in hardship, youth want to contribute; what’s missing is identifying problems clearly and structuring efforts to generate income. Ingelosi addresses this, focusingparticularly on ages 16–35:
Safety emerges as the most pressing urban challenge. Young people need safe spaces, Wi-Fi hubs, and stable facilities they can trust. Driving through the inner city revealsinstability and insecurity, conditions that undermine youth well-being.
Corporates, Jean notes, now think harder about outcomes. Using metaphors like “fish vs teach to fish” and “pads vs stigma,” she highlights the need to go beyond materialinputs to tackle cultural barriers and engage boys and men. Corporates must listen to NGOs and frontline voices; while cash is often treated with suspicion, flexible funding lets organizations act where needs are greatest.
A pivotal moment came through a CivSource South Africa connection: Ingelosi could support individualsdirectly because a partner trusted their community insight. Though such work may appear “unsexy,” it creates ripples that change lives, families, and communities.
When giving is done well, young people rise above barriers, no longer held back by small obstacles like lacking a white T-shirt. Instead, they learn accountability, financial viability, and meaningful contribution. The goal is not permanent handholding but enabling responsibility and growth.
The episode also asks what doesn’t work. Handouts like food parcels often fuel dependency. During COVID-19, while some waited for the next grant, others used it to buyingredients, bake, and double their income. The lesson is clear: don’t judge need, cultivate a mindset that turns small resources into sustainable change.
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In the second episode of the Ubuntu Uplift Series, Zanele Maphosa-Makombe and Ashley Green-Thompson delve into the profound essence of philanthropy within South Africa. Zanele's journey is rooted in her upbringing, where the concept of giving was instinctive, as influenced by theselflessness of her parents. A significant turning point occurred during her gap year in rural Zimbabwe, where she engaged with local high school students and young mothers.
This experience reinforced her understanding of authenticphilanthropy, which is acknowledging the needs of others and being proactive to help. Similarly, Ashley Green’s early foundation in giving was established by his father, the only Black medical doctor in their town. His father’s commitment to an altruistic practice, often providing affordable medical care out of his own pockets, inspired Ashley to pursue a career in service.
He learned that philanthropy is not a transactional endeavor but rather a commitment to empowering others without the expectation of reciprocity.
Both Ashley and Zanele emphasize the importance oflistening. Ashley reflects on how philanthropy, in its current state, often overlooks the actual needs of the communities it intends to help, focusing instead on statistical reports and external assumptions. He insists that listening to the people is essential in redefining philanthropy from mere “charity”to a force for change. He states that it is not enough to treat the symptoms of poverty; one must engage with the root causes. Zanele echoes this sentiment, underscoring how philanthropy should be about seeing each other,recognizing the deep-seated needs within communities, and moving away from the donor-recipient dynamic to one of equal partnership and mutual respect.
The duo also confronts the practical challenges theyface in South Africa, from language barriers to the complexities of xenophobia. They acknowledge that philanthropy is not about simply imposing solutions, butabout amplifying the efforts already in motion within communities. Their work, which includes small grants to local initiatives such as the Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust in Zimbabwe and agricultural projects in Cape Town, aims toempower rather than dominate. They challenge both themselves and their peers to consider whether their approach to philanthropy truly strengthens communitiesor merely extracts from them and boosts their self-perceptions.
Philanthropy is not about a one-time handout, but about creating lasting partnerships that promote autonomy, sustainability, and genuine solidarity wherepeople work in harmony towards the common good.
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In this poignant episode of the UBUNTU Uplift Podcast Series, we unite two dynamic voices whose paths in philanthropy are as diverse as their generations. Dr.Sibongile Mkhabela, a stalwart of social justice whose activism was forged in the crucible of apartheid, sits down with Ashleigh Fynn-Munda, formerly Head of Philanthropy at Oppenheimer Generations Foundation, whose modern strategies are sculpting the future of giving.
As the echoes of youth activism blend with the structured elegance of institutional philanthropy, this intergenerational dialogue unravels the intricate tapestry of bridging divides and nurturing young changemakers. Dr. Mkhabela’s reflections on the resilience born from resistance and Ashleigh’s vision for digital solutions and economic empowerment converge to reveal a shared commitment, transforming lives through the power of giving.
Join us as we traverse the landscapes of equity and inclusion, delving into the heart of South Africa’s youth crisis, where 63.3% of young people bear the brunt of economic disparity. Listen in as our guests candidly discuss the urgency of engaging young voices in decision-making and the profound impact of inclusive philanthropic practices.
From the legacy of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund to the groundbreaking initiatives of Oppenheimer Generations, discover how philanthropy not only heals communities but also builds bridges across time and experience. Together, we explore the vital question, how can we forge a future where every generation stands hand in hand, united in purpose and passion?
Prepare to be inspired by stories that resonate beyond borders and time, and find out how you, too,can be part of a movement that transcends generations and transforms lives.
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