Ubuntu Uplift: Imvelaphi Yabantu – Philanthropy in South Africa

About Ubuntu Uplift: Imvelaphi Yabantu – Philanthropy in South Africa

Overarching Theme: In the spirit of CivSource South Africa’s mission, the podcast “ Ubuntu Uplift: Imvelaphi Yabantu – Philanthropy in South Africa” seeks to resonate with the company’s core values. It aims to share narrative and conversational stories of philanthropy and giving in South Africa, creating a symphony of inspiration. By featuring interviews, storytelling, and panel discussions, the podcast intends to engage and inspire young people while informing them about various ways of participating in philanthropy.

Publisher

CivSource South Africa

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Sept 2024

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   I Can’t Sit and Not Do Anything

   “My people are dying, are going to die if this is not known.” — Refiloe Serote Long before HIV/AIDS became part of South Africa’s national conversation, Refiloe Serote was already asking what communities needed to know, how institutions should prepare and what could be done before the crisis arrived at the door. In Special Season 2 | Episode 3 of Ubuntu Uplift, I Can’t Sit and Not Do Anything, we sit with one of South Africa’s early pioneers of community-based HIV/AIDS work and trace a journey shaped by family, agency, courage and an instinct to respond when something needed doing. Refiloe takes us back to the 1980s, when information about HIV in South Africa was scarce, stigma was growing and even health institutions were still trying to understand what was coming. Working within the Alexandra Clinic, she began reading, learning, questioning and helping develop some of the clinic’s early approaches to HIV education, counselling, training and policy. That work would eventually grow into the Township AIDS Project, created to educate and support people affected by HIV/AIDS in Black townships. But this conversation is about more than HIV. It is about the foundations beneath a life of social change: a childhood in which generosity was ordinary, community responsibility was practised rather than preached, and having an opinion — and learning to use it — was encouraged. It is about what happens when information becomes action, when communities are treated with dignity, and when one person refuses to wait for somebody else to begin. This is a conversation about agency, public health, community, philanthropy, leadership and the responsibility to act when you can see what is coming. Watch, listen and join us for Ubuntu Uplift | Special Season 2 | Episode 3: I Can’t Sit and Not Do Anything, featuring Refiloe Serote. “I can’t sit and not do anything. If there’s something that needs to be done, I do it.” — Refiloe Serote #UbuntuUplift #SpecialSeason2 #Episode3 #RefiloeSerote #AfricanPhilanthropy #SouthAfrica #HIVAIDS #CommunityLeadership #SocialChange #AfricanLeadership

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Malume Film Special Feature: Give Us A Chance

   💬 "A producer becomes more like a silent partner, but a silent partner does almost everything." _ Kamogelo Motsamai Ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes of a film? In this Malume Film Special Feature, co-producer Kamogelo Motsamai walks us through a journey from acting to filmmaking to producing. It began with curiosity on set: holding reflectors, checking sound, asking about the cameras. Over time, those small moments added up to a deep understanding of everything it takes to bring a film together. In this episode: 🎬 The making of Malume 🎥 Moving from acting into producing 🤝🏾 Working with different personalities on set ⏰ Why time management can make or break a production 🧭 Lessons in leadership 🚪 Gatekeeping in the creative industry 🌍 Opportunities for young South African creatives 💡 How to keep creating when opportunities are scarce Kamogelo also shares why it matters to build with people who share your vision, and to keep making work that shows what you can do. At its heart, this episode is a challenge to the wider creative industry: make room for young storytellers, and let them show you what they've got. ⁉️ What kind of support would make the biggest difference for young filmmakers and storytellers? 🎧 Watch Give Us A Chance and tell us what you think in the comments. 💬 "First of all, you must have people skills." _ Kamogelo Motsamai #Malume #GiveUsAChance #CivSourceSouthAfrica #SouthAfricanFilm #AfricanCreatives #YoungFilmmakers #AfricanStorytelling

3. 

   15 Jun 2026

   Malume: No One to Tell

   This week we host a special feature podcast Dr Brown, born Tshepo Sootho, the young creative behind Malume: No One to Tell. Born and raised in Sebokeng, a small township in the Vaal,Dr Brown is the founder, director, producer, and writer behind Top Won’t Drop. His work is rooted in one clear belief: young people deserve the chance to become the best versions of themselves. Through Top Won’t Drop, he has created opportunities formore than 200 young people in his community, using film as a space for talent, confidence, healing, and possibility. From Rago to Don Guluva, from Life in Sabtown to Malume, his work keeps returning to stories that matter,especially stories that confront gender-based violence and the realities many young people carry in silence. “My curiosity led me to writing.” _ Dr Brown Ahead of the movie launch, we go behind the screen to meet the storyteller, the builder, and the young visionary behind Malume. #MalumeNoOneToTell #DrBrown #TopWontDrop #SouthAfricanFilm #WePower

4. 

   8 Oct 2025

   Not a Handout, a Hand-In: Co-Creating Change in Rural Communities | Season 2 - Episode 2

   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 (https://www.imaginescholar.org/)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. _ For more information about CivSource South Africa, ⁠⁠CLICK HERE:⁠ (https://www.civsourceafrica.com/civsource-south-africa-aboutus) #UbuntuUplift #ImvelaphiYabantu #LegacyOfGiving #PhilanthropyForChange

5. 

   10 Sept 2025

   Targeted Giving: Youth-Centred Philanthropy in Practice | Season 2 - Episode 1

   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 (https://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Jean/Veitch), Operations Manager at the Ingelosi Foundation (https://www.ingelosifoundation.co.za/), 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 (https://www.civsourceafrica.com/civsource-south-africa-aboutus)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. _ For more information about CivSource South Africa ⁠CLICK HERE: ⁠ (https://www.civsourceafrica.com/civsource-south-africa-aboutus) #UbuntuUplift#ImvelaphiYabantu #LegacyOfGiving #PhilanthropyForChange

6. 

   21 Mar 2025

   Before You Fix It, Listen with Zanele Maphosa-Makombe and Ashley Green-Thompson| UBUNTU Uplift Podcast Series -Season 1 - Episode 2

   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. _ For more information about CivSource South Africa CLICK HERE: (https://www.civsourceafrica.com/civsource-south-africa-aboutus) For more information about ACT Ubumbano (https://www.actubumbano.org/)_ #UbuntuUplift #ImvelaphiYabantu #LegacyOfGiving #PhilanthropyForChange

7. 

   30 Jan 2025

   Bridging the Giving Divide with Ashleigh Fynn-Munda and Dr. Sibongile Mkhabela | UBUNTU Uplift Podcast Series -Season 1 - Episode 1

   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.

8. 

   11 Sept 2024

   Sample episode

Podcast Authority Score: 3 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

6

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0