Project Updates

What begins in a backyard can grow into something far more powerful when young people are given the right support. Daniel’s journey from breeding koi and tilapia in small handmade tanks to building a functioning aquaculture facility in Mulders drift, Johannesburg, reflects what intentional youth ecosystem-building can look like in practice. Through the WePower programme, his curiosity was matched with mentorship, industry exposure, technical training, and practical systems that helped turn informal experimentation into structured enterprise. Today, his project stands at the intersection of youth innovation, food resilience, entrepreneurship, and sustainable local development. More than a story about fish farming, it is a story about what becomes possible when young people are supported with knowledge, networks, and long-term investment that helps passion grow into purpose-driven enterprise.

Read more to explore Daniel’s journey and what it reveals about building sustainable pathways for youth leadership and innovation.

Young people are constantly visible in philanthropy, through fellowships, community initiatives, innovation hubs, and leadership programmes, yet visibility does not always translate into power, trust, or long-term investment in their leadership. Across South Africa, many youth-focused projects are funded, but youth-led organizations and young decision-makers often remain under-resourced and excluded from the spaces where priorities are set. This raises an urgent question for the sector: are we truly investing in young people themselves, or mainly supporting programmes built around them? Genuine youth investment calls for more than short-term project funding. It requires trust, flexible and multi-year support, mentorship, representation in governance and grantmaking spaces, and a willingness to back young people as leaders shaping the present, not just beneficiaries being prepared for the future.

Read more to explore why this question matters for philanthropy in South Africa.

This fundraising screening brings people together to support No One To Tell, an important film on Gender Based Violence funded by CivSource South Africa, with the Ingelosi Foundation as part of the effort to back community-led storytelling that drives awareness and action. On 14 September, audiences are invited to a 14:00 matinee featuring a sneak preview snippet, an opportunity to meet Karabo Motsamai and Dr Brown of Top Won’t Drop Productions, and a follow-on screening of Charlies Angels, with funds raised through bookings, donations, and raffle ticket purchases.

Read more and support the fundraiser by booking, donating, or buying a raffle ticket here:

This reflection challenges the idea that South African youth share one experience, highlighting how rural young people face distinct barriers in education, healthcare and mental health support, economic opportunity, and cultural expectations, while also carrying deep resilience, innovation, and community-rooted leadership. It makes the case for targeted philanthropy that listens first, responds with precision, and equips rural youth to lead and co-create solutions, moving beyond one-size-fits-all giving. The piece also spotlights Ubuntu Uplift Episode 2 featuring Zodwa Madonsela of Imagine Scholar, exploring what context-driven, sustainable support can look like in practice.

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WePower COHORT III Reflections: Ingelosi Foundation

In the heart of Johannesburg’s Berea, Cohort III of the WePower Philanthropy Lab is planting seeds for a more just and sustainable future. Hosted by the Ingelosi Foundation in partnership with CivSource South Africa, this powerful training has blended entrepreneurial skill-building with a philanthropic mindset, empowering young leaders to design community-driven solutions with purpose and agency. From heartfelt dialogue to visionary proposals, these participants are shaping systems that nurture equity rather than merely survive them.

Do you want to see how their bold ideas take root? Read more and be inspired by their transformation.

#WePower

On Easter Monday 2025, the Angel Warriors of WePower Cohort I brought purpose and passion to life in the Western Cape, hosting a spirited six-a-side soccer tournament to raise funds for hot water geysers in their community. Backed by CivSource South Africa and the Initiative for Community Advancement, these young leaders blended teamwork, fun, and fundraising in a day filled with sports, family activities, and hope. Their efforts have already delivered 12 hot water geysers, transforming lives and igniting community pride through real, tangible change.

Are you curious how these young champions keep making an impact? Read more about their incredible journey.

#WePower

This reflection challenges the idea that resilience is an individual responsibility in a sector where exhaustion has become normal, arguing that wellness must be treated as organizational infrastructure, built into governance, budgets, planning, and performance measures. Through its Leadership and Wellness pillar, CivSource South Africa is developing a Toolkit for Wellness and Collective Care that centres stewardship, early burnout recognition, and sustainable rhythms such as structured reflection cycles, retreat spaces, and team grounding practices. The piece calls for a shift from private self-care to collective care, where boards, leaders, policies, and teams share responsibility for protecting dignity, longevity, and shared flourishing.

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During Women’s Month, CivSource South Africa joined a dialogue convened by Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa focused on climate justice and a just transition, centring women in mining-affected communities whose lives are shaped daily by water scarcity, pollution, land degradation, and economic precarity. The reflection highlights a core tension: a transition is necessary, yet it cannot be called just if mining regions face job losses, weak plans for reskilling and rehabilitation, and limited community inclusion in climate finance decisions. It also calls on philanthropy to move beyond short term project support into systemic funding that backs grassroots movements, invests at the intersection of gender and climate, and strengthens long-term ecosystem shifts so the transition moves from extraction toward regeneration.

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This reflection connects Heritage Day to the idea that South Africa is made of many histories, languages, and traditions, each one shaping belonging and reminding us that diversity is strength. It argues that philanthropy is most meaningful when it is guided by community stories of resilience, struggle, and triumph, because listening shifts giving from a transaction into recognition, dignity, and connection. CivSource South Africa reaffirms a commitment to amplifying community voices through platforms that honour heritage and ensure lived experience helps shape more just and compassionate philanthropy.

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Catalyst 2030’s Bold Agenda: “Unleashing Collective Power: Building Bridges for Social Change in South Africa”

On May 23, 2024, Catalyst 2030 hosted a roundtable titled “Unleashing Collective Power: Building Bridges for Social Change in South Africa,” featuring key speakers and discussions on social innovation and Sustainable Development Goals. The session emphasized building resilient networks and empowering communities through collaboration. CivSource South Africa actively participated, reflecting its commitment to fostering regional and global impact.

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Insights from the LIFTUP Philanthropy Working Group Workshop

On April 23, 2024, CivSource South Africa participated in the LIFTUP Philanthropy Working Group Workshop, focusing on building trust, strengthening ecosystems, and driving system-wide changes. The workshop highlighted key mindset shifts like collaboration, trust-based philanthropy, and empowering local leadership. CivSource South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to fostering African-led solutions and driving transformative change.

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Where Philanthropy Meets Possibility

On July 4, 2024, CivSource South Africa participated in the Regional Space for Members in Africa II meeting, hosted by the LiftUp Philanthropy Fund. The event fostered collaboration and knowledge sharing among WINGS members, highlighting the importance of partnerships in strengthening African philanthropy. CivSource South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging regional networks for sustainable development.

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Highlights from WiPSA-Nedbank Breakfast.

On September 10th, CivSource South Africa attended the WiPSA-Nedbank Breakfast in Johannesburg, where Jacqueline Asiimwe highlighted the power of women-led networks and collaboration. She shared inspiring stories of intentional communities like "Queens of Chess" and "Chakra Village," emphasizing the importance of collective support. The event reinforced CivSource’s commitment to fostering strong partnerships that drive impactful philanthropy.

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