Women in Philanthropy South Africa

01/09/2025

✨ Happy new month to everyone 🌸
We want to kick September off with some food for thought 💭

We are in an era where transparency is not always valued 🔍.
As WiPSA, that is exceedingly vital to us 💪🏾🤝 and we would like to share an article 📖✨ that highlights how one can verify a non-profit ✅💡

🔗 https://deliverfund.org/blog/how-to-know-if-a-nonprofit-is-legitimate/ #:~:text=Check%20for%20Accountability%20and%20Transparency,and%20the%20Excellence%20in%20Giving.

13/08/2025

🤝 Ever had this moment?

☕📱 You’re standing at a networking event, balancing a cup of coffee in one hand, phone in the other…
👀 You make eye contact with someone across the room.
😊 You smile.
😊 They smile.
You both nod...Then immediately look away and pretend to check your emails 📧.

We’ve all been there.
Starting a conversation — even with people who share your values 💡💖 — can be awkward 😅.
But it’s also where real magic ✨ begins.

💬 Next time, try this:
❓ “Hey, what brought you here today?”
🗣️ “That speaker 🎤 really got me thinking — what stood out to you?”
🧭 “I’ve been trying to figure out how others are navigating [X] — what’s worked for you?”
🤔 “Honestly, what’s one mistake you’ve learned from in this space?”

💎 The best chats usually start from a place of honesty, not perfection 🙌.
And remember — following up doesn’t have to be a big deal 📲.
A quick “loved chatting, let’s stay in touch 💌” is all it takes.

🌱 Conversations turn into
🤲 Collaborations.
🤝 Friendships.
🤝 Partnerships.
🔥 Movements.

So next time you feel the “nod and scroll” coming on, try saying hello instead.

05/08/2025

💼 How Do We Keep Good People in the Room?

According to a powerful article by Trialogue on the future of the non-profit sector, collaboration is one of the most important trends shaping how we move forward — and we couldn’t agree more.
As funding becomes less predictable and burnout rises, the days of operating in silos are simply behind us. Women in the philanthropy and social impact space have long known the value of working together — but now, it’s time to double down.

💬 What does collaboration look like in practice?
- Sharing office space or team talent
- Hosting joint events and panels
- Promoting each other’s work to wider audiences
- Co-writing proposals or pooling resources for bigger goals
- Creating support networks that actually support

These aren’t just cost-saving tactics. They’re movement-building strategies.

✨ Here’s the truth:
None of us has to do this alone. The sector is strongest when women lift each other, learn together, and co-create solutions that go further than any one of us could alone.

🔗 Want to read more? The full Trialogue article is here: https://trialogueknowledgehub.co.za/what-the-future-holds-for-non-profits/

The non-profit sector finds itself under ever-growing pressure amid accelerated demand for services in the wake of the pandemic and the current economic downturn.

03/08/2025

Bill Gates announced he plans to give away 99% of his wealth 💰 and close his foundation in 20 years ⏳.
He said, “People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them.” ⚰️🚫💵

It’s a big statement — and it got us thinking 🤔.

Philanthropy often feels like something that belongs to billionaires 🏦. But here’s the truth: it’s not.

In Africa 🌍, we’ve always had our own ways of giving 🤲🏾. We just didn’t always call it philanthropy.

From supporting a neighbour’s school fees 🎓, to funding a cousin’s small business 🛍️, to showing up with food and care 🍲💞 when someone’s in need — giving is woven into our everyday lives 🧵.

So maybe the better question isn’t “What is philanthropy?”
Maybe it’s: “What kind of giver do I want to be?” 🪞

You don’t need billions 💸 to make an impact.
You need intention 🎯. Community 👥. Courage 💪🏾.

And if you do have access to wealth or power 🏛️ — how are you using it?

🧡 What does giving look like in your life right now?
🧡 What keeps you going when resources feel tight?

31/07/2025

What You Have Is Enough to Start ✨

Khloe was 8 years old when she first made a plan.
👜 Tote bags, sewn with her grandmother. A few essentials. A hug. 🤗
That’s how Khloe Kares began — not with money, but with empathy. 💖

Across the world, many of us hold back from giving because we think we don’t have enough.
Enough resources 💸. Enough time ⏳. Enough influence 🌍.
But Khloe — and so many like her — show us that generosity doesn’t wait for the “perfect moment.”
It starts exactly where we are. 💪🏾💫

Here in Africa, people give what they have — airtime 📱, school fees 🎓, a meal 🍛, a connection 🤝.
That’s not small. That’s legacy work. 🌱🌍

As GivingThursday stories remind us, it’s not always about scale.
It’s about intention 💭. And the courage to act on it. ❤️‍🔥

29/07/2025

Everyday Giving, Extraordinary Impact 🌍✨

A young woman in Bihar, India 🇮🇳.
A 17-year-old in California 🇺🇸.
A clinic founder in rural South Sudan 🇸🇸.
Very different lives. One shared instinct: to give 🤲🏾.

Not because it’s trendy 💅🏾. Not because it’s expected 🎓.
But because giving — in its many shapes and sizes — is how they move through the world 🌱.

Whether it’s Khloe’s care bags 🎒, William’s water wells 🚰, or Anjum’s village surveys 📝 — these acts remind us that philanthropy doesn’t begin with wealth 💸.
It begins with awareness 🧠 and care ❤️.

Here in Africa 🌍, we don’t always call it “philanthropy.”
Sometimes, it’s harambee 🤝.
Sometimes it’s a phone call 📞. A lift 🚗. A loan 💵. A visit 🏡.

But it’s giving — and it’s powerful 💥.

Maybe we don’t need to redefine philanthropy 🧭.
Maybe we just need to recognise we’ve been doing it all along 👣.