South Africa: When investing in one woman strengthens an entire organisation

Investing in the leadership and professional development of young women can create change that extends far beyond the individual. For Siphelele Purity Kunene, a development practitioner at Sasopsbiz Foundation, an opportunity to strengthen her skills through a Gender Links Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) and Communications Internship has not only transformed her career journey but has also strengthened the organisation she serves.

Siphelele joined Sasopsbiz Foundation in 2018 as an intern at the start of her professional career. Like many young women entering the development sector, she was eager to learn and committed to making a difference in her community. Over time, her dedication, willingness to take on new responsibilities and strong work ethic saw her progress through the organisation, becoming an integral member of the team.

Throughout her time at the Foundation, Siphelele supported a wide range of community development initiatives focused on skills development, women's economic empowerment, enterprise development and community engagement. Her role expanded from administrative support to programme coordination, stakeholder engagement, event management and project implementation. As the Foundation's work grew, so too did the demands associated with implementing donor-funded programmes and demonstrating impact.

The organisation recognised that while Siphelele had developed extensive practical experience, there was an opportunity to strengthen specialised skills in monitoring, evaluation, learning, communications and knowledge management. Building this capacity would not only support her professional growth but would also help the Foundation improve programme quality, strengthen reporting systems and enhance organisational learning.

When Gender Links announced the MEL and Communications Internship through the Women's Voice and Leadership programme, Siphelele successfully applied. Initially intended as a six-month placement, the internship was extended to a full year in recognition of her commitment and the value she brought to the programme.

The experience marked a turning point in her professional development. Through mentorship, practical learning and exposure to donor reporting systems, strategic communications and organisational learning processes, Siphelele acquired specialised skills that complemented her existing programme management experience.

Throughout the internship, she contributed to programme planning and reflection meetings, documented Stories of Change, supported donor reporting processes, managed programme information on digital platforms and strengthened learning and knowledge management systems. She also gained hands-on experience in content creation, digital communications, branding, campaign development and social media management.

Reflecting on her journey, Siphelele says:

“This internship has transformed the way I think about programme implementation. I now understand that monitoring and evaluation is not only about collecting data. It is about learning, improving programmes and demonstrating impact. The communications training has also given me the confidence to tell our stories more effectively and ensure that the voices of the communities we serve are heard.”

The benefits of the internship extend well beyond one individual. Even while seconded to Gender Links, Siphelele continues to support Sasopsbiz Foundation remotely. She leads the Foundation's weekly social media and marketing meetings, contributes to communications planning and shares the knowledge she has gained with colleagues.

As a result, the Foundation has already begun to see improvements in its communications, reporting and organisational learning processes. Programme stories are being documented more effectively, communications have become more strategic and there is a stronger focus on using evidence to demonstrate impact and inform decision-making.

According to Pumla Vilakazi:

“Watching Siphelele grow from an intern who joined Sasopsbiz Foundation in 2018 into a confident professional has been one of our greatest successes. Although she is currently seconded to Gender Links, she continues to lead our weekly social media and marketing meetings remotely and has introduced a more strategic approach to communications and organisational learning. The investment in her development has strengthened not only her professional capacity but also the capacity of Sasopsbiz Foundation.”

The Foundation has also observed significant growth in Siphelele's leadership abilities. Her confidence, technical competence and ability to transfer knowledge have all increased. Rather than keeping the skills acquired through the internship to herself, she has actively shared learning with colleagues, contributing to a stronger organisational culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

This ripple effect has been noticed across the organisation. As Fidzani Nduna explains:

“Since Siphelele started the internship, we have seen a noticeable improvement in the way we plan and communicate our work. Our weekly marketing meetings are more focused, our programme stories are better documented, and we are thinking more strategically about how we share our impact with partners, donors and the public. She has brought back knowledge that benefits the entire organisation.”

The evidence of change is clear. Siphelele's internship was extended from six months to a year, reflecting both her performance and commitment. She now contributes confidently to programme monitoring, donor reporting, strategic communications and knowledge management. At the same time, Sasopsbiz Foundation has strengthened its systems, visibility and capacity to document and communicate its impact.

Looking ahead, the Foundation plans to build on these gains by integrating Siphelele's expertise into its long-term organisational development strategy. Once the internship concludes, she will take a leading role in strengthening monitoring, evaluation and learning systems, improving programme reporting and advancing strategic communications within the organisation.

The Foundation also intends to use her experience to mentor other staff members, volunteers and interns, ensuring that the benefits of this investment continue to spread across the organisation. By developing one young woman's leadership and technical skills, Sasopsbiz Foundation has strengthened its institutional capacity, improved programme quality and reinforced its commitment to advancing women's economic empowerment and gender equality.

This story demonstrates that investing in young women is not only about supporting individual success. It is about building stronger organisations, creating sustainable leadership and ensuring that the impact of development programmes can be measured, shared and amplified for years to come.