This piece is part of our ongoing series, Behind the Scenes of Our Global Work, highlighting the local partners who help power our impact around the world.
Across South Africa, local leaders and community organizations are working every day to advance gender justice, strengthen accountability, and create safer, more equitable futures for women and young people throughout the country. At Rise Up Together, we know this work is strongest when it is locally rooted and when leaders have opportunities to connect, learn from one another, and build lasting relationships across communities.
That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of our partnership with Hlanganisa Community Fund, Rise Up Together’s employer of record and local partner in South Africa.
Since 2023, Hlanganisa has partnered with Rise Up Together to support the implementation of our work in South Africa while bringing important local knowledge, expanded community reach, and operational support. Throughout the partnership, Hlanganisa has helped strengthen connections with community organizations and leaders working to advance social equity and gender justice across the country.
“This partnership contributes meaningfully to strengthening South Africa’s civil society and gender justice ecosystem by intentionally identifying, nurturing, and supporting leaders and grassroots organizations working at the forefront of social change, particularly within historically marginalized communities in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal,” shared Bongiwe Ndondo, CEO of Hlanganisa Community Fund.
Through our partnership, Hlanganisa has helped support the implementation of Rise Up Together’s leadership trainings and funded advocacy projects while bringing deep knowledge of South Africa’s local communities, decision-making spaces, and social justice landscape. Together, we’ve worked to ensure that local leaders are recognized not simply as participants, but as powerful advocates already advancing change within their communities.
“Our organization’s work is deeply rooted in strengthening collaboration, solidarity, and collective action,” Bongiwe reflected. “Our partnership with Rise Up Together aligns strongly with this approach.”
At a time when many community organizations are navigating limited resources and growing challenges, partnerships like this help ensure that Rise Up Leaders have the support, relationships, and opportunities they need to continue driving change within their communities.
The impact of our partnership came to life through the leadership of Siyabulela Jentile, a Rise Up Leader whose advocacy and community organizing stood out during our 2026 Accelerator in Johannesburg. Through Hlanganisa’s deep roots within South Africa’s social justice community, the partnership helped create opportunities for Siyabulela to bring his work and perspective into broader conversations around democracy, justice, and equality.
After learning more about his work and reading his book, Democracy Through Tinted Windows, Hlanganisa invited Siyabulela to participate as a panelist in its Grassroots Wednesday webinar exploring the question: “What does freedom mean in our communities today?” For Hlanganisa, moments like this reflect the importance of creating visible spaces where young leaders can share their lived experiences and contribute to broader conversations shaping their communities and the country.
“We are particularly proud of the way the partnership has elevated grassroots voices and created pathways for leaders who are often excluded from mainstream policy and development spaces,” Bongiwe said.
Looking ahead, Hlanganisa remains hopeful because of the resilience, creativity, and commitment of leaders across South Africa – particularly young people who continue organizing and advocating for more inclusive futures despite growing challenges.
“Our partnership with Hlanganisa has been incredibly meaningful because it is rooted in collective vision and a deep belief in the power of local leadership,” said Rethabile Mphutlane, Rise Up Together’s South Africa Country Representative. “Working alongside a partner so connected to the communities we serve has strengthened our ability to support leaders in thoughtful, grounded, and lasting ways. We’re deeply grateful for the trust, collaboration, and shared vision that has shaped our work together.”
Our partnership with Hlanganisa is a reminder that lasting change is strongest when it is shaped by people and organizations deeply rooted in the communities they serve.
Across South Africa – and throughout Rise Up Together’s work around the world – meaningful progress depends on trusted local partnerships, shared purpose, and a commitment to building solutions alongside communities, not apart from them.
*Quotes edited for length and clarity.
