14/10/2026
Invitation:
I am reaching out with a special invitation to you and your women staff members to participate in an empowering learning opportunity designed to strengthen women's confidence, clarity and impact when speaking in public.
Every NGO has an important story to tell. But is that story being heard?
Across South Africa, women working in the NGO sector are doing extraordinary work—transforming communities, advocating for change, mobilising resources and making a difference in people's lives. Yet, too often, the fear of public speaking, self-doubt or the anxiety of addressing an audience can prevent women from communicating the full value and impact of their work.
Even women who regularly speak at meetings, engage funders or present at public events may experience considerable anxiety and expend enormous emotional energy preparing to speak. Sometimes, the result is that the organisation's achievements, expertise and compelling stories are undersold.
For NGOs, effective public speaking is not simply a personal development skill. It is a strategic capability. It strengthens advocacy, builds stakeholder confidence, supports fundraising, influences decisions and helps organisations communicate why their work matters.
What will participants experience?
The Masterclass is designed to be practical, participatory and empowering. Participants will explore how to:
Manage public speaking anxiety, self-doubt and unhelpful self-talk.
Structure a clear, coherent and compelling message.
Connect with different audiences and communicate with purpose.
Strengthen delivery through voice, pace, presence and body language.
Recognise and navigate the gendered expectations that influence how women speak and how they are heard.
Practise public speaking in a supportive environment.
Selected participants will have an opportunity to deliver short mock presentations and receive constructive feedback, with learning shared across the group.
This is our belief: When women speak with clarity and confidence, their organisations benefit too.
Whether addressing a community meeting, presenting a funding proposal, engaging policymakers, speaking to the media or representing an organisation at a conference, women need to communicate with confidence, credibility and conviction.
With this in mind, The Women's Museum and The Actualize & Success Lab warmly invite the Montessori Early Learning Foundation to nominate and sponsor women staff members to attend: Speak with Clarity & Confidence: A Public Speaking Masterclass for Women
Two experienced women facilitators. One room filled with women. An opportunity to find your voice and amplify your impact. This interactive Masterclass brings together two women with complementary expertise:
Tasneem Chopra, joining us especially from Australia, is an internationally recognised speaker, MC, media commentator and diversity specialist with extensive experience in public speaking and advocacy.
Rosieda Shabodien, a seasoned women's empowerment specialist, executive coach and author of What Women Want Coaches to Know: A Gender-Intelligent Coaching Approach.
Together, we combine practical public speaking expertise with gender-intelligent coaching to help women overcome speaking anxiety, sharpen their messages and communicate with greater purpose and impact.
Our invitation to your organisation
We invite you to invest in the professional development of your women staff by sponsoring their participation in this Masterclass.
Whether they are emerging leaders finding their voice, experienced practitioners who still wrestle with speaking anxiety, or senior staff who regularly represent your organisation, this learning experience offers an opportunity to strengthen their confidence and effectiveness.
Event details
Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026
Time: 09h00–12h30
Venue: Castle of Good Hope, Cape Heritage Museum, Conference Centre
Participation fee: R500 per person
Bookings: https://qkt.io/CkpoJ3
To reserve places: You are welcome to book directly through Quicket or reply to this email indicating how many staff members you would like to nominate. We would be happy to provide a formal quotation to facilitate your organisation's internal approval process.
I hope you and your organization will consider joining us for this special occasion. It would be wonderful to have women from your organisation in the room, learning, connecting and strengthening their voices alongside women from across different sectors.
I look forward to hearing from you. Please respond in comments if you require further information.
Warmest regards, Rosieda
In meetings, presentations, conferences, seminars, media interviews, or on stage, develop the skills to communicate confidently and compellingly.
