Ventures in Action

Some of South Africa’s most impactful education reform over the past decade was ignited by a unique collaboration between ALI SA Fellows. Three leaders, united by a shared commitment to evidence, accountability and impact, triggered a change that is reshaping the future for South African learners. The Data Driven Districts (DDD) programme was established in 2012 through a public-private partner...

Award-winning journalist and ALI SA Class VI: Tshelela Fellow, Moipone Malefane, is showing how leading with strong values in media can help others get opportunities. Through Vutivi Business News, the digital platform she founded in 2020, Moipone is giving South Africa’s small businesses a stronger voice while creating opportunities for emerging business journalists to gain practical experience...

ALI SA celebrates Class II: Kilimanjaro Fellow Roger Dickinson, CEO of the National Spelling Bee, who has helped turn a simple competition into a meaningful platform for literacy, confidence and connecting young learners. Through A Better Africa Foundation and its partnerships with the Department of Basic Education and civil society, the National Spelling Bee now reaches children across all 12 of...

South Africa’s public education system is one of the largest and most complex service networks in the country: more than 24 000 schools, hundreds of thousands of educators and millions of learners spread across 75 districts and nine provinces. Leading in this environment means making decisions every day that shape learner’s futures. Doing that well requires more than intuition or annual repor...

TEACH SA recently brought together partners, supporters and Alumni for a morning that looked back on its journey and looked ahead to what is still possible for South Africa’s learners. Hosted at Deloitte’s Johannesburg offices, the gathering honoured a 17-year track record of placing committed graduates into classrooms and strengthening the national pipeline of high-quality STEM educators. Fr...

ALI Young Leader Fellow, Raymond Ledwaba Co-founded by ALI Young Leader Fellow, Raymond Ledwaba (ALI Young Leaders, Class of 2015), Diski Nine9 is partnering with Manchester City, Midea and Tackle Africa to equip young people with leadership skills through the game they love – football. In this short video, Raymond shares how the first Johannesburg activation is bringing together coaches...

“A single seed can start a forest; a single Fellow can spark a movement.” Mpadi Makgalo, ALI SA Fellow In April 2025, the Aspen Global Leadership Network announced the recipients of the 2025 McNulty Prize Catalyst Fund. Among the six global awardees is ALI South Africa’s own Mpadi Makgalo (Class VI: Tshelela), honoured for her pioneering work with HEAL South Africa. This recognition pl...

Garth Japhet, fixlocal Founder Tired of electricity and water outages, potholes, or sewage flowing into your streets? fixlocal is here to help! Across South Africa, local government is responsible for providing essential services, yet all too often, it is “Missing In Action”. Many South Africans, despite paying rates and taxes, feel frustrated and despondent, unsure where to begin when fac...

Mounted Police in the Eastern Cape A significant step towards safer, more resilient communities has taken root along the Wild Coast. On Monday, 19 May 2025, the SAPS Mounted Unit began permanent patrols in this region—a development made possible by the collective determination of community members, traditional leaders, NGOs, the media and local partners. This partnership stands as a powerful e...