Arthur Larok

"In a world increasingly defined by uncertainty and complexity, collaboration offers a beacon of hope. But to truly unlock its potential, we must commit to doing it right—building trust, embracing agility, and committing to the long-term." - Me. Collaboration isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity for tackling complex issues like #ClimateChange and systemic inequality. Drawing from insights from the Independent Philanthropy Association of South Africa 2023 Collaboration Case Studies, my latest article highlights how collaboration can be a powerful strategy to amplify individual efforts and drive long-lasting, wide-reaching systemic change. Thank you to WINGS for featuring this important discussion in their latest newsletter. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eJzyscDk.

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Strategic Partnerships for Societal Transformation: Connecting NGOs and Corporate South Africa Khulisa Social Solutions is dedicated to empowering NGOs, recognizing their pivotal role in societal transformation. By equipping local NGOs with the tools and capacity to address pressing social challenges, we ensure they become sustainable platforms for long-term community resilience. This focus drives all our initiatives, fostering stronger, more impactful NGOs. In South Africa's landscape of political complexities and social challenges, NGOs stand out as beacons of change. To be truly transformative, they require proper constitution and capacitation. This entails aligning missions with community needs and ensuring resources and expertise for effective execution. Corporations play a critical role, with involvement beyond checkbox CSR. Support must be strategic, targeted, and aligned with genuine community needs. By adopting a needs-driven approach, businesses provide measurable and impactful support, moving beyond financial assistance to sharing expertise, technology, and networks to amplify NGO service delivery. Well-supported NGOs can be significant sources of employment, stimulating local economies and fostering societal stability, contributing to long-term economic growth. To enhance impact, NGOs must adopt data-driven interventions, demonstrating effectiveness to secure further support and refine strategies for sustainable change. Robust partnerships with civil society and corporations can liberate NGOs from unpredictable government funding, enabling flexible collaborations that scale solutions and yield wide-scale change. Such synergies enhance community well-being and foster a healthier society overall, benefiting the social and economic environments that businesses depend on. Supporting NGOs is not just philanthropy; it's a strategic investment in our economy and future. To capitalize on this potential, transparency, accountability, and continuous dialogue are crucial. Businesses must engage in partnerships that address immediate concerns and pave the way for long-term societal benefits, building a legacy of positive impact for generations to come. We urge corporate leaders to align strategic goals with community development initiatives, mobilizing investment opportunities for real change. By partnering with organizations like Khulisa Social Solutions, your investments achieve maximum social impact, fostering a healthier, more stable society. Now is the time to transform your CSI strategy into an impactful investment in our collective future. Engage with us today to explore how your organization can make a significant difference in South African communities. #khulisasocialsolutions #khulisa

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Spotlighting one of the best sp.org webinar of the year on the role of the social protection workforce. If like me you were on leave and missed it, it's MUST WATCH for anyone working on social protection. It opens up so many unanswered questions in social protection systems strengthening. #SSW https://lnkd.in/eZn-EK8e

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Funding Challenges Facing NGOs in South Africa: A Call for Support 📉 Many NGOs in South Africa are working tirelessly to address critical issues in our communities, but they face significant challenges when it comes to securing the funding they need. The statistics reveal a troubling picture. Funding Shortages: ·      60% of NGOs Report Funding Shortages: According to recent surveys, approximately 60% of NGOs in South Africa struggle to secure adequate funding to support their essential programs and services. ·      30% Drop in Donor Contributions: Many NGOs have experienced a 30% decrease in donor contributions over the past year, impacting their ability to sustain their operations and expand their impact. ·      75% Rely on Grants: Around 75% of NGOs depend heavily on grants, but the competition for these resources is fierce and often limited. The Impact: ·      Programs are Reduced: Essential services and programs are scaled back or postponed. ·      Staff are Underpaid: NGOs face difficulties in retaining skilled staff due to financial constraints. ·      Communities Suffer: The inability to fully execute projects impacts the communities that rely on these services for support and development. How You Can Make a Difference: ·      Financial Support: Direct contributions or sponsorships to support their initiatives. ·      Strategic Guidance: Expertise in fundraising strategies and grant applications. ·      Partnerships: Collaboration opportunities to amplify their reach and impact. ·      Contact us for a consultantion. Forefront Leadership SA is committed to helping NGOs navigate these funding challenges and maximize their potential. If your organization is struggling with funding or needs strategic support, reach out to us for expert consulting and guidance. 📧 Contact Us Today 🌐 Visit Our Website: https://lnkd.in/dC2En398 Let’s come together to ensure that these vital organizations can continue their transformative work and make a lasting difference in our communities. #FFL #Ruraldevelopment #Townshipdevelopment #Impact #NGO #Nonprofit #NPO #SocialImpact #Charity #Philanthropy #NGOConsulting #NonprofitConsulting #SocialEnterprise #ImpactConsulting #CapacityBuilding #CommunityDevelopment #GrantWriting #FundingOpportunities #NonprofitFunding #PhilanthropicSupport #FundingConsultant #SACommunities #SouthAfricanNGOs #NonprofitLeadership #MakeADifference

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Addressing trauma and bolstering South African youth foundations is crucial, but it won't solve youth unemployment alone. With dismal economic prospects globally and locally, and South Africa already grappling with high unemployment rates, youth unemployment remains a pivotal issue. Tackling this requires concerted efforts within the youth development ecosystem, including targeted interventions such as job linkages, self-employment support, SMME funding, and entrepreneurship promotion. While the task is daunting, collective and individual actions can start making a difference today. This is our call to action. Action for you to make a change. Contact us via [email protected] to make impact. #luchalunako #youthorganisation #youthdevelopment #youthdevelopmentsouthafrica

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Opportunity

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Young Changemakers Initiative is here to recognize, celebrate and support young leaders who is making a difference. apply today and get visibility, credibility, and networks needed to scale your impact.

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🌟 Day 129 - Grant Number 115 - Grant Alert: 🌟 🌍 New Grant Opportunity: Empowering Community Philanthropy! 🌍 At the Global Fund for Community Foundations (GFCF), headquartered in Johannesburg, we are dedicated to enhancing community-driven philanthropy across the globe. Since 2006, our mission has been to support community philanthropy organizations to foster sustainable, people-led development. 🚀 About Our Grants: Our grants, ranging from $7,000 to $20,000, are designed to strengthen grassroots organizations that are pivotal in mobilizing local resources and fostering community philanthropy for progressive social change. This funding supports a variety of activities including feasibility studies, resource mobilization strategies, and participatory grantmaking programs. 🌐 Who Should Apply? Are you a community philanthropy organization, community foundation, women's or environmental fund, or any group committed to empowering local communities? Do you strive to create a significant impact through community-led initiatives? If so, we want to hear from you! 📅 We don’t hold an open call for applications annually but invite eligible organizations to submit inquiries anytime. Our past focus has been on aiding our partners during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming not just for recovery but for stronger, more resilient community frameworks. 🔗 Interested? For eligibility and to submit your concept note, visit. Let's collaborate to build empowered, well-resourced communities that are equipped to address their most challenging issues. Visit Us : https://lnkd.in/guKS3Z2 #ChanakyaAdvisors #CommunityPhilanthropy #Grants #SocialChange #GFCF #NonprofitFunding #GlobalImpact

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Sat on a Panel on SP financing as part of 2024 Malawi Social Protection Week; on behalf of the WB, i discussed how the Malawi Social Protection MDTF has laid the foundation towards harmonizing sector financing. Going forward the sector needs to come up with a sustainable financing framework that recognizes the financing realities/ challenges. Also explore novel financing opportunities e.g climate financing/PPPs in innovative SP programs, esp where private sector stands to benefit from impacts of programs such as Climate Smart Public Works. Pic; The panel; World bank, UNICEF, Save the Children and Ministry of Gender Reps, Tapiwa Kelvin Mutambirwa

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Informed and Empowered educates men to drive Mozambique's progress🇲🇿 🌟 Empowering Futures Through Education 🌟 At The Giving Genie, our Education Program is pivotal in uplifting marginalized communities in Mozambique. Central to our mission, The TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) provides essential support for both young women and men through comprehensive tuition assistance. 🔹 What We Do: Vocational Training & Entrepreneurship: We offer training that equips individuals with valuable skills for personal and professional success. Sustainable Futures: Our focus is on aligning education with personal goals and broader community needs. 🔹 How It Works: Eligibility & Application: Candidates must complete the Tuition Assistance Application form, with signatures from both the applicant and their training institution. Support: We cover tuition for academic semesters every year, contingent on approval and maintaining academic standards. Academic Standards: Recipients are required to uphold specific GPAs and complete all listed courses each semester. 🔹 Measuring Impact: Inclusive Beneficiaries: Our program supports both women (70%) and men (30%), reflecting our dedication to gender inclusivity. Evaluation Metrics: Success is measured through GPA maintenance, knowledge retention, and achievement of goals. With TAP, The Giving Genie is committed to empowering individuals across gender lines, fostering education that drives personal growth and community progress. Together, we are building a brighter future for all. 🌍✨ #EducationForAll #EmpowermentThroughEducation #TheGivingGenie

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Excited to share insights on how Namibia's Public Procurement Act is catalyzing real change for local businesses! With stricter regulations, emphasis on local content, and SME support, we are nurturing a more robust and equitable economy. Let us persist in empowering and uplifting local businesses, as backing local leads to local growth! #PublicProcurement #NamibianBusiness #LocalEmpowerment #SupportLocal #EconomicGrowth

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Learning, adaptation and flexibility are KEY drivers for effective and responsive programming. Punitive and rigid funding and reporting frameworks are shown by the literature to inhibit organisational learning. Sonja Giese highlights critical enablers for funding data-driven programmes in ECD that came out of the DataDrive2030 funders symposium. I love this point: "Adequate investment is needed in the full data value chain, and for the full duration of the learning journey. Enabling funding practices include multi-year grants, budgets appropriately matched to the data needs of the organisation, support for core capacity and sufficient flexibility within budgets to accommodate data informed course correction." Data is only powerful when organisations have the agency and support from funders to act on it.

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"The leaders of our organisations should be here, they need to understand this." This was the sentiment I heard today from an amazing group of implementors in eSwatini, with years of experience in the faith based and not-for-profit sector. We are talking about implementing monitoring systems to improve outcomes. This is exactly the training I am offering at the end of the month in Joburg - it is for leaders of organisations who are committed to getting better impact - it will show them how to harness the power of program design, monitoring and evaluation to deliver better programs. It's called "Human skills in the age of AI evaluation" but that is kind of misleading - it is about the PEOPLE, not the AI. Find out more about it here: https://lnkd.in/d3bZm9nT

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What if the way we measure success is rooted in the very systems we're trying to dismantle? It's time to question whose lens we’re using in Monitoring and Evaluation. Decolonising Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is a transformative approach that seeks to critically examine the conventional methods we utilise to gauge the success of projects, especially in areas marked by colonial legacies. Read this insightful document on practical ways you can contribute to the decolonisation of M&E. 🛎 Hit that 'Follow' button so you are notified as I drop similar content If you missed the webinar on decolonisation you can join the M&E Academy and gain exclusive access: 👉🏾 To the full recording 👉🏾 Resource materials on decolonisation 🔥Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/epqEsMF6 🔥 #decolonisation

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On November 8th, the BMF Conference 2024 brought together leaders and changemakers to ignite The New Black Economic Agenda under the powerful theme ‘Accelerating Social Transformation’. Through inspiring keynotes and bold discussions, we explored real strategies for driving economic empowerment and social change in South Africa. A big thank you to all who joined us in shaping a more inclusive and resilient future. Let’s keep this momentum alive—stay tuned for key insights and the next steps on our journey forward! #BMFConference #AcceleratingSocialTransformation #EconomicEmpowerment

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Joined the #AIDS2024 Session - Empowering youth in HIV prevention and treatment. I listened to Grace Kamau of Operation Triple Zero, a young person, on what meaningful engagement means to her as a young person. She articulate these 👇 powerfully; 1. It's being at the planning table as a valued, empowered and a meaningful contributor 2. It's continously engagement, not one off 3. It's engagement that bears results We shouldn't leave young people behind, we need to equip them to engage, we need to move away from verticalization of programs

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Welcome to the Joto Afrika magazine issue 28. This issue looks at COP 29, where writers underscore the need for Parties to produce firm commitments and actions on all thematic themes at COP 29. These include the new goal on climate finance, loss and damage fund, mitigation and just transition, global goal on adaptation, including health, and operationalisation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Additionally, authors have presented the need to ensure that Indigenous people, local communities, and people with disabilities, among other marginalised groups, are not left behind in this climate change discourse and that their concerns form part of the conference outcomes. Download your edition: https://buff.ly/3DoL8Yo

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Interesting Read on Refugee Debt and Livelihoods in Northern Kenya. 👉 https://lnkd.in/d3nzZ-AF #WithRefugees #Kakuma #DigitalInclusion #RefugeeLeadership

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