Our Team

I continue to be inspired by the young people of South Africa who believe that they can be contributing members of a fair society. Inspiration is also found through the devotion and passion of those working in South Africa to bring about the change that is needed to provide equal opportunities for these young people to achieve their dreams.

My first school turnaround principle forms the foundation of my work for the past 40 years in the education arena, which is that all learners can and should be successful. I argue that all learners can learn, but not the same day and not in the same way. Teachers and schools must assist all learners to find their strengths and build on them, while strengthening them in their areas of challenges. I want to ensure that all learners achieve quality education that will challenge, inspire and prepare them for a better future. This especially includes learners who come from poor and disadvantaged communities, and who are at-risk almost every minute, hour and day of their lives. We need to be relentless in our pursuit to ensure that we do everything in our power to help schools to make a difference in the lives of their learners.

I believe education is a critical pathway out of poverty. Many barriers continue to exist in the township school system. The EwB programs provide an opportunity to mitigate these barriers by supplementing school classes and by fostering learning in a creative and supportive environment. I am deeply committed to supporting this work and being part of an organization that strives to build the capacity of disadvantaged youth.

During a trip to South Africa and visiting school-children in the townships I saw the same educational barriers that we see in many Indigenous communities across Canada.  Having worked for a non-profit national Indigenous organization, planning educational career fairs for Indigenous youth, I have seen first hand the power and long-term benefits of investing in quality education for disadvantaged youth.  I was fortunate to meet Ruth and Cecil in Toronto at the South African Film Festival and learn about the important work of Education without Borders (EwB). I am deeply grateful for the opportunity as a communication professional to contribute in some way to EwB's vision and mission to improve outcomes for youth through quality education.  

I enjoy working with the caring and thoughtful team at EwB. As well as supporting children and youth in South Africa, I appreciate the work we do to support Indigenous youth on Turtle Island (Canada).

I am inspired by the children, full of hope and high expectations despite their impoverished circumstances.  I am delighted to be part of an organization that nurtures their optimism and dreams, by providing them with educational support so they can take their rightful place in society and help build a successful future South Africa.

I've worked in Communications and Marketing in the non-profit space in Canada and internationally for the last 8 years. Having also fundraised for international development and education projects from the age of 11, I understand the importance of empowering disadvantaged and at-risk children around the world through educational opportunities. I am inspired by the mission and vision of EwB and SAFF and am excited to be part of this organization.

I was fortunate to be introduced to Cecil and Ruth and was inspired by the work they’ve done in creating EwB and the important work they are doing to help educate the less privileged youth of South Africa. It’s very meaningful to work on something that will make a difference to people’s lives. The South African Film Festival is a fantastic way to raise funds for EwB and at the same time showcase South African films and film makers.

Stephen N Murefu is married, with 2 children and based in Cape Town. He is an Economic Development specialist who has been involved in the South African renewable energy sector for the last 7 years.

Anthea has been a social service practitioner in South Africa for nearly twenty years and has dedicated herself to the country’s most disenfranchised young people and their families. She holds a national certificate for Care of the Handicapped and is working towards her B-Tech degree in Child And Youth Development.  Anthea was formerly the Programme Manager for Afrika Tikkun, spent years as a trainer and mentor supervisor in the Isibindi programme for the National Association of Child Care Workers. She is the founder of Building Bridges an after-school organisation that provides psychosocial and educational support to children and youth facing extreme poverty and a lack of community programming in her home community.

Unathi is unwavering in his commitment to youth development and has worked with several NGOs in Cape Town such as Afrika Tikkun(5 years), Grassroots(1year 3months), Lead 4 life (freelance for 3 years) and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (6 months). He holds certificates in child and youth care (level 5), facilitation and football coaching. He has extensive hands on experience of working with children, youth and people at large in the community and within the operation of organisations.  EwB is playing a big role in the academic side of youth development which is an important tool for today’s young South Africans. Education provides opportunities. Education creates an awareness of possibilities and motivation towards the creation of goals.

While waiting to start a new position in Cape Town after graduating in 2019, I discovered EwB by searching my favourite words: "Canada, South Africa, and education." I was then involved in a couple of fundraising events in Vancouver before moving to Cape Town. On the ground, I have been supporting EwB with the collection and analysis of data from EwB after-school sessions and learners' progress. I am also supporting EwB tutors with training, and learners with physics catch-up sessions. I enjoy making people's lives easier so they can focus on their main expertise.

I left South Africa as my birth country 26 years ago and after a long period of disconnection, I have experienced enormous personal significance through this deeply moving Festival, and the power of film as an artform, that has connected me back to my roots. My social orientation and deep commitment to serve the greater good drives my desire to enhance the lives and opportunities of present-day citizens of the Rainbow Nation.

Inspired by a family of remarkable women who have contributed significantly to education in South Africa, by others who do what they can to make a world a better place, by those individuals who work so hard to overcome seemingly insurmountable adversity, and by the values, integrity, passion, and commitment of this group of extraordinary volunteers, I found my way to working with EwB, an organization I feel privileged to be part of. I am grateful to EwB for the opportunity to give back, in some small way, to the country that has given me so much.

I have always been on the lookout to support non profits working in South Africa, particularly in Education where my Australian dollar is multiplied 10x or more. After Claire mentioned EwB and Film Festival I was fortunate to be able to meet Ruth and Cecil in Cape Town and to be able to hear first hand about the work EwB is doing. As a result of that meeting I decided to make a donation to EWB. The following year I decided to become more involved in the project and accepted an offer to join the board in Australia.

What inspires me about EwB is the fact that for over 20 years a group of people thousands of miles away from South Africa have volunteered hours of their time to create a safe space for less privileged children to study, battle poverty and realize their potential.

I am inspired to work with EwB as an opportunity to give back to the country that gave me so much, and in a way that makes an enormous and meaningful difference to the lives of the people who we are able to help.

‘It takes a village to raise a child’ (African Proverb). Education without Borders is committed to  providing education support to children from vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in South Africa and Canada. Math and English are key areas of focus in after school tutorial programs. As an educator and senior system leader in Canada with experience working in disadvantaged communities in South Africa, I am delighted to join the EwB community.  

I have a keen interest in giving back and am passionate about environmental causes, social justice and the development of lower-income countries. On top of this, despite not being South African, I have a particular interest in South Africa which started with a trip to Cape Town in 2010 and then grew through subsequent visits and especially after marrying into a South African family. Through these family connections, I was lucky enough to be connected into EwB. Education is consistently shown to be a catalyst for positive change and it’s exciting to think about what the world would look like if people who don’t have access to quality education did.

Evidence indicates that education and especially child education is one of the critical measures that breaks the vicious cycle of generational poverty. I am a long term finance committee member striving to break this cycle through consistent funding. My primary role is corporate, institutional and private fundraising with a focus on long term donor engagement. Long term donor engagement delivers sustainable program funding; learning outcomes are significantly improved with  multi-year student enrollment enabled by sustainable funding.   

As a management consultant, I have for the last three decades been passionate about talent management, as well as assisting corporate and public service organizations with training, coaching, and mentoring. When I learned about the goals of EwB, I realized that the model I developed in the corporate world might also have some application by matching successful people in North America with high-potential youth in South Africa. After a one-year pilot program, the process has been fine-tuned to increase its effectiveness. Mentors are now being offered to students in one of EwB’s schools as well as graduates who are now at university.

I've taught in four different Canadian cities and three different countries. That's why I was drawn to Education without Borders' vision: I've seen first-hand the impact learning can have on a person's life. Now, as a digital marketer, I'm hoping to combine my education background with my communications experience to help Education without Borders and the South African Film Festival tell their story and reach new audiences.

Thato Makgolane is a Canadian designated chartered accountant who spent 10 years in Canada during which time, he volunteered and served on EwB (Canada) Board. Today, he lives in Johannesburg and continues to provide strategic insights to EwB South Africa. 

Jon Clark is a Member of the South African Board of EwB.

Likho joined the EwB team at the beginning of 2020. She brings with her a variety of experience having worked and studied in different industries. She studied Management at the University of Joburg, worked in retail and hospitality, but fell in love with community development. She is devoted to community upliftment projects and is a part of Ambassadors of Change, a network of youth for social change. She serves as Head of Women Capable Forum. She also currently works with her mother running a catering business. Likho is a welcome addition to the EwB team.

I bring my personal lived-experience to Education without Borders having been raised in a similar community to Bellville South. I was a community worker for Kethempilo in Delft Township (her home community) and spent four years as a Family Support Case Manager for Afrika Tikkun. I have provided on-the-ground youth work for many years and also has a background in facilitating leadership camps, both in South Africa and the United States. I started my journey at EwB as an intern in March 2018- from there I took on the role as Site Coordinator for Bellville South Primary in March 2019. I fully believe in the vision and mission of Education without Borders and will go above and beyond to execute it to the best of my ability. I consider myself blessed to form part of such an impeccable team and organization as a whole.

Cape Town is my place of birth and I retain a strong connection to the land and the mountains and the peoples of South Africa. I came to Australia in ’94 without the desire to leave the country where I had worked in leadership with young people. I am the director of the SAFF (Australia) and have loved the reconnection with the spirit of the country that film so uniquely offers. 

Education is pivotal to enabling children to achieve in life. It is a privilege for me to work with EwB in supporting the innovative efforts to educate children in South Africa. Having worked for many years with children as a paediatrician in South Africa, I am delighted to continue to make a small contribution to their wellbeing in this way.

EwB offers a range of after school programs for children from impoverished communities. I’m inspired by young people who, despite the challenging circumstances of their lives, are committed to educating themselves. It is a privilege to be a part of an organization that creates these opportunities for learning. 

I spent the first fifty years of my life in South Africa. Those years made a massive imprint on my values and world view and they have continued to occupy my thoughts and influence my actions in both my personal and work life since arriving in Australia almost twenty years ago. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities it gave me to work with some very special people on issues that really mattered, not only for South Africa but for many other countries wrestling with very similar challenges. I received as much, if not more than I was ever able to give. Education without Borders has provided a vehicle to reengage in some small way with the country of my birth for which I still hold the greatest hopes despite the many struggles that lie ahead.