Seven connected pathways. One shared purpose.
South Africa · 304-987
Established in 2022
The people behind the purpose
Moments from the Foundation’s community activities: women connecting, young people learning and heritage bringing people together.
Registration & donor assurance
Nkwenkwezi Foundation has been granted SARS Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) and Section 18A approval. This supports our commitment to responsible fundraising and transparent donor relationships. Official reference details and approval letters will be published when the final documentation is received.
Section 18A receipt issuance is subject to the official SARS reference number, effective date and qualifying donation requirements. Please contact us about receipt eligibility before relying on a tax deduction.
Why women. Why now.
Safety, economic opportunity and the freedom to lead are connected. South African evidence helps explain the need for a sustained, community-led response.
35.5%
Of South African women aged 18 and older reported having experienced physical and/or sexual violence in the HSRC’s 2022 study—an estimated 7.8 million women.
HSRC · National GBV Study, 2022 · published 2024 (PDF)37.5%
Among women aged 15–64 in South Africa’s labour force in Q2 2026. Approximately 4.4 million women were officially unemployed.
Statistics South Africa · QLFS, Q2 2026National research findings, not Nkwenkwezi Foundation beneficiary or impact figures.
Who we are
We bring women, community knowledge and purposeful partnerships together to create pathways to leadership, opportunity and belonging.
Women’s empowerment is connected to the opportunities available to girls and young people, the safety of children, sustainable livelihoods and cultural identity. Our seven programme areas work towards this shared purpose.
Get to know the FoundationOur work
Practical, connected programmes shaped around people’s lives and the priorities of their communities.
Leadership, mentoring, enterprise readiness and wellbeing—helping women strengthen their voice and economic agency.
Explore programmeCareer exposure, practical skills and work-readiness that connect young people with a wider world of possibility.
Explore programmeChild-centred awareness, family engagement and referral linkages that put children’s safety and wellbeing first.
Explore programmeEnterprise readiness, cooperative support and connections to work and markets for more resilient livelihoods.
Explore programmeEducation support, life skills and leadership opportunities for girls and young women aged 11 to 21.
Explore programmeLiving heritage, cultural learning and community-led initiatives that strengthen identity and belonging.
Explore programmeWomen-led farming, appropriate technology, enterprise and pathways to sustainable jobs. A programme for development with communities and partners.
Explore programme
Women’s Lounge Conference
A space for connection, leadership and collective strength.
Successfully held for the past three years, the Foundation’s annual platform brings women together around leadership development, spiritual upliftment, wellbeing, practical skills and sustainable livelihoods.
Discover the Women’s Lounge ConferenceHow we work
Local knowledge, lived experience and community priorities shape the work.
Bring community organisations, skills and resources together around practical needs.
Connect protection, learning and livelihoods so opportunity can grow beyond a single activity.
A shared responsibility
Our Child Protection Campaign brings children, caregivers, schools and local partners into the conversation about safety and wellbeing.
Our next chapter
Women’s agency. Food security. Skills. Livelihoods. Community voice.
Our strategic direction brings these priorities together in a model for responsible growth—building with local partners, learning from delivery and creating practical pathways forward.
Explore our strategic directionPartnerships with purpose
A donation, a professional skill, a local connection. There is more than one way to help communities thrive.
We welcome businesses, foundations, schools, community organisations and individuals who share our commitment to dignity and opportunity.
Stand with communities
Support community-led opportunity through a donation, regular giving or a purposeful partnership.
Make a once-off bank transfer or arrange monthly support through your bank.
Explore donation optionsFind transfer guidance and start a conversation about supporting work in South Africa.
International donor guideExplore our organisation and request the documents relevant to your contribution.
Visit donor resourcesGrants & funding partnershipsSupport community-centred work that connects safety, leadership, learning and livelihoods.
How opportunity can grow
A pathway for programme design, shaped with women and delivery partners. Each project sets its own activities and outcomes.
Listen to women’s priorities and build trusted relationships.
Develop relevant skills, confidence and practical capability.
Connect enterprise, technology and market opportunities.
Track income, paid work, participation and lasting value.
A South African purpose
Our programme priorities connect with national ambitions for less poverty, greater equality and an inclusive economy.
Read South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030Skills, women-led enterprise and pathways to decent work.
Agricultural capability, viable markets and responsible resource use.
Women’s leadership, young people’s development and connected communities.
This is the Foundation’s interpretation of how its priorities relate to the NDP. It does not indicate government accreditation, funding or endorsement.
