Sonja Giese

Founder & Director at DataDrive2030

Sonja Giese is founding Executive Director of DataDrive2030, an independent, child-focused Data Hub and Think Tank that generates and mobilises high-quality evidence to improve preschool child outcomes in South Africa. Prior to this she established and led Innovation Edge, an impact-first investor, focused on solving early childhood challenges through seed capital and strategic support.

Sonja has also held senior leadership positions within the University of Cape Town’s Children’s Institute, the international NGO, Absolute Return for Kids, as well as Ilifa Labantwana, a national ECD systems enabler. She is a founding board member of the community-based Bulungula Incubator and is a member of the technical advisory groups for both The Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) and ECHIDNA Giving, a leading global funder in girls’ education.

In 2022 Sonja initiated South Africa’s first national Thrive by Five Index in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Conducted every three years, this is South Africa’s largest survey of preschool child outcomes. The Index findings contribute significantly to policy, programming and funding decisions nationally.

In 2023 Sonja was a recipient of the Khalifa International Award for Early Learning Research for her role in the development of the Index. She is a mother of four and holds a science degree from the University of Cape Town and a post graduate degree in psychology.