In every community across South Africa, passionate individuals and organisations are driving meaningful change. We journey with these local heroes every day – and as a non-profit organisation working side-by-side with our implementation partners, we understand the challenges our sector faces.
Recognising these challenges, Ranyaka, thanks to the support of the Nedbank-funded Proud of my Town programme. launched an NGO Capacitation Series in mid-2024 to equip change agents with the tools and knowledge to amplify their impact. Topics range from compliance and fundraising to networking, branding, and financial management. When we equip change agents with essential skills, they can keep doing what they do best, with even greater efficiency.
But that’s not enough.
None of us can do this alone. For the NGO sector to devise impactful and sustainable ways to tackle societal challenges create thriving communities, we need more than the technical skills to run an organisation, build our brands, and raise funds.
We need one another. ‘Stronger together’ is not a catchphrase. It’s an imperative.
Fountain of Hope (FOH) is based in Chicago, Paarl in the Western Cape. Under the leadership of Vanessa Adams, the FOH team not only makes a difference in the lives of the residents of Chicago. They reach out to other communities on a regular basis, and offer in-kind support to other NGOs and citizen-led initiatives. FOH embodies the spirit of collaboration and generosity! {Image by Lizelle Lötter Photography}
Shifting the tide
Imagine a group of small fishing boats navigating choppy seas. They are all fighting the current, struggling to stay afloat and trying to catch enough fish for those on shore who need help, whilst also taking care of their crew. Some boats might have stronger sails, whilst others have better nets. Most are struggling to survive.
Now, picture an organised fleet with a shared map, a clear strategy, and a system to pool their resources. Some boats are tasked with casting nets, others transport the catch back to shore. Instead of struggling alone, they work together, cover more ground, and leave no-one behind.
Working alone, we may make progress, but only when we work together will we shift the tide. When NGOs join forces, we don’t just survive the storm—we transform the waters we navigate.
The Gugu Dlamini Foundation is one of many NGOs that Ranyaka collaborated with following the devastating floods that hit KwaZulu-Natal province in April 2022. The crisis was a true demonstration of the power of NGOs joining forces. Read the full story here.
Networks that work
Leveraging the power of networks is a core component of Ranyaka’s THRIVE model. One of the first examples of this principle in action, even before the launch of our NGO Capacitation Series, is Ranyaka’s involvement with the Stellenbosch Civil Advocacy Network (SCAN). Our social impact advisor, Marli Goussard, chaired SCAN for a number of years and introduced a working group model in line with Ranyaka’s programmatic approach.
This model gathers and mobilises NGOs and citizen-led initiatives around programmes, impact themes, or their particular focus areas. For example, different NGOs working with children or at-risk youth, have the opportunity to design solutions together for the communities they serve. Each one amplifies the impact of the other. Learnings and insights are shared. Resources are pooled. Duplication of efforts is eliminated. Working group themes include, for example, economic inclusion, food security, after-school activities etc.
Residents and representatives from citizen-led initiatives and local stakeholders participating in an engagement session in Chicago, Paarl in 2019. Creating connections and providing spaces for creative interaction has always been part of our approach. {Image by Lizelle Lötter Photography}
Stellenbosch Civil Advocacy Network (SCAN) Sector Engagement Session, 2022 {Image by Sonya Olivier}
Extending the reach
Looking to expand the model, we launched the NGO Capacitation Series in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in 2024 – providing a platform for NGOs to get to know each other, built trust, and ultimately, develop actionable plans to tackle local challenges.
The sessions are highly interactive, which means that NGO representatives have the opportunity to understand where they fit into the picture: Who is doing what? Which resources does everyone have at their disposal? Where can efforts be aligned or coordinated to achieve greater impact? Are there opportunities for NGOs to submit joint funding proposals to tackle projects they have designed together? How does everyone benefit from being part of a broader network?
The Umlazi Stakeholder Engagement Session held on 30 October 2024 attracted over 100 participating NGOs. {Image by Geoff Redman | Ocean Driven Media}
Mamelodi – A Model for Collective Action
The series first launched in Mamelodi (Tshwane, Gauteng) on 12 July 2024, with an impressive turnout of 90 NGOs and NPOs eager to learn more and collaborate. Throughout several sessions, we divided participants into focus areas such as Sport, Art and Culture, Education, Youth Development, People Care and Development, and Community Safety. By finding common ground in the focus areas within which they work and the beneficiaries they are serving, participating NGOs start shifting thinking from purely “What does my organisation need to survive?” to “What can we all do, together, to ensure that our community thrives?”
A major highlight in the Mamelodi Series was the Heritage in Colour Event, which took place in September last year. A group of NGOs participating in the Mamelodi sessions collaborated to raise nearly R10,000 through sponsorships, sales, and donations. Together, they created the NGOs’ Proud of Mamelodi Fund, a joint effort to make financial support available to implement local projects.
In September 2024, the Mamelodi Expo for NGOs showcased the work of 32 organisations and provided a platform for NGOs to network and engage with the public.
Joyce Matjie from Ikhayalethu NPO, participating in the Heritage in Colour festival in Tshwane in 2024. Ikhayalethu feeds the homeless in their community. A group of NGOs participating in the Mamelodi NGO capacitation sessions collaborated to raise nearly R10,000 at the festival! {Image by Ruan Myburgh Films}
The Jancos Culture Group from Nellmapius participated in the Heritage in Colour Festival in Tshwane, which offered local NGOs the opportunity to showcase their work and build their networks. Festivals and market days provide a great platform for non-profits to boost their visibility in their communities, and raise support for their organisations by selling items at the market stalls. One of the points highlighted in the fundraising component of Ranyaka’s capacitation series is that we all need to look beyond the traditional fundraising channels to raise support for our NGOs. {Image by Ruan Myburgh Films}
Umlazi – Expanding the Impact
Following the success in Mamelodi, we expanded the series to Umlazi township in Durban in November 2024 where over 150 representatives from NGOs, NPOs, and civil society organisations attended the launch.
The first session followed on 7 December to induct subcommittee members to lead capacitation efforts across 14 wards in Umlazi. These representatives work closely with the Ranyaka team, eThekwini Municipality, and the Centre for Community Development SA (CCDSA) to mobilise NGOs and encourage local participation.
With input from the Department of Social Development, sessions continued in 2025, with discussions and work sessions focusing on governance structures, capacity-building tools, legal compliance and funding opportunities.
Ranyaka local coordinator in Umlazi, Andile Mafa, addresses representatives from NGOs at the launch of the Umlazi Stakeholder Engagement. {Image by Geoff Redman | Ocean Driven Media}
NPO School Launches
A key milestone in the journey has been the launch of the Umlazi NPO School in collaboration with the Centre for Community Development and eThekwini Municipality. The school is a weekly, non-accredited training aimed at strengthening local NPOs. For the first term of 2025 (March to May), the focus is on NPO compliance. Over the course of six sessions, participants will develop full compliance files, track their progress, and have their files reviewed by programme partners at the end of May.
Representatives from Umlazi-based NGOs, businesses, schools, faith-based institutions and other interested parties participated in a Community Connection Breakfast held in Umlazi in March 2025. The session gave participants the opportunity to map their involvement in various focus areas/themes and connect the dots by gaining an understanding of each other’s roles in working towards positive socio-economic impact in the township. Engagements like these help lay the foundation for future collaboration around a shared agenda. {Image by Sonya Olivier}
Looking ahead
The NGO Capacitation Series and NPO School have been designed around a fundamental truth: when we strengthen local heroes, we strengthen communities. The ripple effect of capacitated NGOs is immense. Effective NGOs are more likely to attract funding, forge strong partnerships, and drive sustainable change.
As the series expands to more towns across South Africa, the goal remains clear: to build strong, resilient organisations that can thrive long after the workshops end – and even more so, to ensure that these organisations are plugged into local networks that leverage resources and unlock opportunity for all.
Thank you to every NGO, NPO, and local change agent who drives positive change in South Africa every day. You are the heroes on the ground. It is an honour to journey together.
{Ranyaka works in 35 communities in 8 provinces across South Africa as the official implementation agent for the national Nedbank Proud of my Town programme.}