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Synergos in Southern Africa

Context

Synergos is building upon Southern Africa’s deeply rooted traditions of ubuntu (mutual self-help), as well as contemporary broad-based empowerment and transformation imperatives, to meet the challenges of poverty and social injustice. In collaboration with partners, we mobilize resources and bridge social and economic divides to reduce poverty, increase equity, and advance social justice in the region.

Synergos works at both a regional level and on a national level in Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Synergos has had a strong presence in Southern Africa since 1990, joining with partners to strengthen the capacity of grantmaking organizations, other bridging organizations and individual philanthropists to reduce poverty, increase equity, and advance social justice.

Regional Programs

Regional Orphans and Vulnerable Chidren Initiative

In February 2008, the Foundation for Community Development in Mozambique, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in South Africa and Synergos formed a partnership with the purpose of cooperating in a cross-border project that strengthens the ways communities in the region address the needs of orphans and vulnerable children – and in particular the ways in which communities reduce the isolation of children in distress, reduce their vulnerability, and maximize the social inclusion of children and caregivers.

Through support to on-the-ground community-based services in rural communities, cross-border learning exchanges, applied research, and documentation, the Regional OVC Initiative is striving to elaborate a sustainable, Afrocentric model of care that builds on community assets, culture, traditions, and patterns of mutual help. This initiative was inspired and supported by Kim Samuel Johnson.

Southern African Community Grantmakers Leadership Cooperative

The Cooperative is a unique, vibrant partnership that harnesses the collective capacity of 23 independent development trusts and community grantmakers. The Cooperative was launched in 2005 to advance, build, and strengthen sustainable community-based development in Southern Africa. With a growing membership of 35 grantmaker leaders, the Cooperative is a leadership and learning network committed to social justice grantmaking as a powerful vehicle for change.

Synergos provides convening, secretariat services, financial and other support. The Cooperative connects leaders from community grantmaking organizations across the region (as diverse as the large Kagiso Trust, the smaller Ikhala Trust in Eastern Cape, the Namibian Development Trust in Namibia, the Lurdes Mutola Foundation in Mozambique, and the Community Foundation for the Western Region of Zimbabwe).

African Participation in Synergos’ Global Networks

Synergos also works with, supports and benefits our two global networks at the regional level in Africa. One such group is the Global Philanthropists Circle, which includes four South African families among its members. The existence of a critical mass of GPC members makes it possible to engage private philanthropists in our general mission of strengthening community grantmaking foundations. We involve GPC members not just as donors, but as champions, partners, and exemplars of an African vision of social justice philanthropy.

Another group is the Synergos Senior Fellows, which includes among its alumni and current members 24 distinguished development professionals from Africa. We tap this peer-learning group to share experience and new approaches to social justice in Southern Africa and across the continent.

Country-Level Programs

Examples of our country-level work include:

• Namibia -- We are working with government and other actors to increase leadership and capacity for public health that can both benefit the people of that country and serve as a model for similar approaches in other parts of the continent.
• Mozambique -- Synergos assisted a group of Mozambicans to establish the Foundation for Community Development, which now provides more than $2 million annually in grants to poor communities throughout the country for sustainable development; we are currently working with the FDC on a regional program to address the needs of orphans and vulnerable children.
• South Africa -- We support and participate in partnerships and networks to address the problems of orphans and vulnerable children, and to strengthen the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities in that country.
• Zimbabwe -- Synergos helped local partners establish the Community Foundation for the Western Region of Zimbabwe to provide sustainable financing for critically needed projects such as schools, childcare facilities, dam building, and income-generation, particularly for women.

Local Presence and Relationships

In 2007, The Synergos Institute (Southern Africa) officially registered as a nonprofit Section 21 company in South Africa.

The Synergos Southern Africa Board of Directors consists of members of Synergos’ Global Philanthropists Circle and Senior Fellows, prominent development and community activists in the region, and representatives of the global Synergos Board.

Synergos Southern Africa Board Members

Patrick Parring (Chair)
Kathy Ackerman-Robins
Wendy Appelbaum
Robert H. Dunn (Global CEO)
Peggy Dulany (Global Chair)
Anne Emmett
Precious Moloi-Motsepe
Tawanda Mutasah
Abdul Magid Osman
Barry Smith (Board Secretary)

Southern African Members of the Synergos Global Board
Hylton Appelbaum
Tokyo Sexwale

For More Information

Contact:

Barry Smith
Regional Director, Southern Africa
PO Box 8047
Roggebaai 8012
South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)21 421-9788
Fax: +27 (0)21 425-0413
bsmith@synergos.org.za

Len LeRoux
Director, Partnerships, Southern Africa
152 Robert Mugabe Avenue
Windhoek
Namibia
Tel: +264 61 386950
Fax: +264 61 221492
lleroux@synergos.org