WIPSA 2025 ONLINE SERIES

WIPSA 2025 ONLINE SERIES

Unlock the power of collaboration and innovation!

Join us for an exciting journey through the WiPSA 2025 Online Series, designed exclusively for non-profit and social impact organisations. This four-part series will run from 11 June to 30 July and is your gateway to gaining invaluable insights and practical knowledge. Don't miss out on this chance to learn from our esteemed guest speakers and to share your experiences with the WiPSA community.

Part 1: Agreeing to disagree: Tools for dialogue in a divided world

Date: 11 June 2025

Speakers: Friederike Bubenzer

Time: 9h00 to 10h30

Venue: Zoom

We are living in a time of increasing polarisation, fuelled by misinformation and the echo chambers of social media. The world is becoming more divided, with a growing tendency to see issues in stark terms—right or wrong, in or out. This rigid way of thinking makes meaningful dialogue difficult and deepens societal fractures. But what if we could learn to agree to disagree without division? This session will equip you with the skills to hold safe and respectful spaces for difficult conversations. Drawing on South Africa’s rich diversity and history of dialogue, we will explore practical ways to navigate polarisation, engage across differences, and foster a more inclusive and open-minded environment.

Guest Speaker

As a seasoned South African peacebuilding practitioner with 20 years of experience, Friederike Bubenzer has spearheaded a diverse portfolio of impactful projects across Africa, collaborating with local and international development partners. Her work is characterised by innovation, particularly in pioneering research and advocacy initiatives that explore the critical intersection of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) with peacebuilding efforts. Friederike’s expertise spans qualitative research, facilitation, leadership, communication, fundraising, and reporting. Her contributions to the field include co-authoring a UNDP Guidance Note on the integration of MHPSS and Peacebuilding, hosting 10 iterations of the Transitional Justice in Africa Fellowship programme at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation and supporting two major national reconciliation processes in South Sudan. She has co-edited two books and authored numerous opinion pieces, reports, and articles. She serves on several peacebuilding and MHPSS-related reference and advisory groups, shaping policy and practice in these crucial areas. Her work aspires to bridge the gap between theory and practice, seeking to contribute to fostering sustainable peace and mental well-being in conflict-affected regions around the world.

Part 2: Succession Planning for NPOs

Date: 25 June 2025

Speaker: Este Buchholz

Time: 9h00 to 10h30

Venue: Zoom

Este Buchholz, founder of Let Us Thrive, will share her expertise on succession planning for non-profits. In a time when many non-profits face leadership transitions, this session offers vital insights into how to plan for change without losing momentum or mission clarity. Este Buchholz brings both research and real-world experience to guide organisations through inclusive and transformative succession planning that builds resilience and continuity.

Guest Speaker

With a Master's in Inclusive Innovation from UCT's Graduate School of Business, Este's research focuses on leadership transformation in South African NPOs. This session will provide practical tips and insights to help your organisation navigate transformative succession planning and ensure long-term success.

Este is a Human Resources and Recruitment expert, dedicated to using her skills and experience to support purpose-driven organisations create effective and inclusive workplaces.

Her experience includes 20 years as a Recruitment Consultant in health and social care in the United Kingdom and with Deloitte in Cape Town. She has been working in the non-profit sector since 2016. She was the Human Resources Manager and later Head of Operations at The Nal’ibali Trust, a literacy NPO.

Este has been an independent consultant since 2019. Her focus areas include the setting up of HR systems and processes, recruitment, policy development and salary benchmarking. Most recently she has worked with Streetscapes, Book Dash, NEDLAC, The Presidential Climate Commission, Smart Start and Ilifa Labantwana amongst others. She holds a BA in Industrial Psychology from Stellenbosch University and graduated with distinction in 2024 with an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town. Her Dissertation topic is: “Succession Planning for Leadership Transformation in South African NPOs.”

Part 3: Innovative partnership models

Date: 16 July 2025

Speakers: Gqibelo Dandala

Time: 9h00 to 10h30

Venue: Zoom

Collaboration has long been a cornerstone of success in the non-profit sector, but in today’s complex environment, it is more essential than ever. Effective partnerships enable NPOs to harness diverse strengths, knowledge, expertise and resources, strengthening both their impact and resilience s. This session will explore how innovative and intentional collaboration can unlock new opportunities for your organisation. Learn from experts who have successfully built partnerships that go beyond cooperation to drive lasting, transformative change.

Guest Speaker

Gqibelo is the executive director of One To One Africa, an organisation focused on the holistic improvement of maternal and child health among the women and children of deeply rural Eastern Cape living in communities with a high HIV burden, and which are under served, under resourced and with minimal health facilities and support.

She is a seasoned leader and executive who has founded and run businesses, both for profit and social development organisations. Her work is characterized by her passionate but practical approach to her life and her work, informed by the unusual balance of her professional training in banking, her passion and heart for the development of Africa, and South Africa in particular, and an almost quixotic enthusiasm and conviction in a better tomorrow for all. Her 3 top career passions are Socio-economic development and upliftment of South Africa and Africa, Being a part of creating a new narrative on the potential and realization of the potential of Africa, particularly in terms of its people (women and youth) and Empowerment and development of women and girls - through various focused interventions including education, mentorship, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and upskilling programmes.

Gqibelo holds a Bachelor of Business Science degree [Finance & Economics] and an Masters in Business Administration. She was a member of the UN Women Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) Committee (RSA Multi-country office), and has sat and continues to sit on several boards.

Part 4: Theory of change and impact measurement

Date: 30 July 2025

Speaker: Gabrielle Habberton

Time: 9h00 to 10h30

Venue: Zoom

Creating and navigating a theory of change can be challenging for NPOs. Additionally, donors often struggle to understand the actual impact of NPOs' work. In this session, we will share expert knowledge on developing a theory of change and effective impact measurement mechanisms. Learn how to communicate your mission and outcomes clearly to donors, ensuring your efforts are recognised and supported.

Guest Speaker

Gabrielle is Co-Founder of Relativ Group, and a specialist in Impact Management. With nearly 20 years in development and philanthropy, she empowers benefit-driven organizations and investors worldwide, through Relativ’s work enabling innovative, sustainable solutions to global challenges across 50+ countries, with offices in South Africa, Canada, the UK and New Zealand.

She is a specialist in Socio-economic Development and Impact Management. Gabrielle has been working across the social investment continuum. She has been involved in each aspect of the life cycle of impact-driven organizations, the investors that support them and the contexts in which they operate to enhance innovative and sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Gabrielle completed her formal education, which culminated in a Master of Philosophy in Development Studies, at the University of Cape Town. Gabrielle has since played leading roles in a number of pioneering organisations and projects primarily operating in Southern Africa.

Gabrielle’s work has included areas such as research and analysis; government policy co-creation and design; development of impact management and measurement processes and practices (from theory of change to impact reporting and learning); impact assessment and due diligence of social and impact investments (including a number of evaluations of Jobs Fund investments); deployment and management of impact capital; strategic and product development and planning; and guest lecturing on Masters and Executive education courses.

Ticket pricing

1 session R190

2 sessions R350

All four sessions R550

Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your NPO's impact and learn from like-minded professionals.

Register now and be part of the WiPSA 2025 Online Series!