Our team is comprised of smart and dedicated people who believe in our long-term vision, that it is indeed possible for all South African kids to learn to read for meaning and calculate with confidence by age 10 by 2030. These are the people we trust to lead our programs, develop our materials, and advocate for their widespread uptake by government.
CEO
Phumi is a well-rounded and mature strategic leader who is passionate about children and early grade literacy and numeracy. She brings extensive and strategic leadership experience in human resources management, government and public affairs, stakeholder engagement; communications, programme implementation and grant/fundraising from both the corporate and education NPO/NGO sectors. She has spent most of her career in the corporate environment, working for companies in the food manufacturing, telecoms, and oil & gas sectors industries. She transitioned to NPO sector in 2019, following her passion for children’s education and development.
Phumi has a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree and Post-grad Diploma in Human Resources Management from the University of KwaZulu Natal. She has completed leadership development programmes from Wits Business School and the Graduate School of Business’ Centre for Coaching. She has also served as a non-executive director on company boards after completing a Certified Director programme at the Institute of Directors of South Africa.
Head: Research & Development
My research interests focus on effective foundational literacy and numeracy education as well as labour market programs. I am driven by interventions that are informed by research and have the potential to have a real impact on socio-economic conditions of people.
Head: Content & Training
Permie Isaac is currently the Head of Content at Funda Wande. Initially employed as a coach in the Eastern Cape intervention, Permie was quickly promoted to Maths Specialist, to Head of Maths Implementation, and finally to Head of Content. Her rapid career progression highlights the fundamental role she plays in Funda Wande and the clear advantages her deep knowledge of all content areas as well as teacher practice has for the organisation.
Before joining Funda Wande Permie worked as a lecturer at Rhodes University teaching PGCE and BEd students. She lectured two courses, IsiXhosa Methods and Education Environment. She also later lectured the Foundation Phase Literacy Teaching Short Course. Permie started her career as a successful Foundation Phase teacher in a struggling environment and holds a PGCE in Foundation Phase from Rhodes University.
In addition to her rich career and educational history, for the past 9 years Permie has emersed herself in many aspects of education, from working with experts in literacy and numeracy, curriculum planners, subject advisors, school management teams, teachers, parents and learners. Together this vast network of experience gives Permie essential insights into the educational system at various levels, providing her with critical knowledge into how key stakeholders work together to either ameliorate or exacerbate existing social inequalities.
Permie strongly believes that teachers are the most essential ingredient in shifting learner outcomes. Her key interest is in strategies to improve and sustain teacher practice within classrooms.
Talent Manager
Ms. Sarah (Mamikie) Melane is a well-seasoned and highly experienced professional and leader in Human Capital Management, with generalist expertise acquired both in the Private and Public Sectors respectively, spanning over 25 years including HR & Business Strategist Consulting.
She’s recently been appointed as a Talent Manager for Funda Wande, one of the entities of the Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies South Africa. Her role focuses on HR strategy development, leadership development, organizational development, talent acquisition and on-boarding, change management, performance management and coaching.
During her tenure in the Public Service, she served in different capacities as Director: Integrated Human Resources Management, Director: Human Resources Management; Acting Chief Director: Human Resources Management & Development and Chief Director: Fisheries Operations Support in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of the Premier: Western Cape Government respectively. This is where she provided extensive strategic leadership in HR Policy development and leading projects in transformation and disability strategy development, integrated HR & Knowledge Management, Information Systems; Virtual Knowledge Hubs, Learning Forums, Strategic Planning, Legal Services; Intergovernmental & International Relations; Stakeholder Management and Communication Services strategies as well as coordinating the implementation and monitoring of organizational-wide Enterprise Risk Management Strategy and Fraud Prevention Strategy among others.
She has also worked for the University of Fort Hare, the University of the Western Cape as well as Old Mutual respectively in the beginning of her career as an academic and a Human Resources consultant.
Head: Finance & Operations
Holly joined Funda Wande as head of finance. She comes from a background in audit, consulting and retail and has extensive experience in financial management, project management and team leadership.
She's passionate about creating learning environments and developing potential.
Head of Programmes
Zolani Metu is a Mandela Rhodes scholar and M&G Top 200 alumnus with a Masters in Social Work from the University of Cape Town. He also holds a BSW Majoring in Social Work & Psychology from UCT.
His work experience spans across Educational programme management, Corporate Social Investment Management (Private Banking), Entrepreneurial development and private mental healthcare.
Having worked in three countries including the USA, Burundi and South Africa, Zolani has experience in designing programmes, building corporate partnerships, Quantitative research and Teaching at university level.
“To scale programmes that have a tangible impact on foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes, we have to leverage private partnerships while advocating for government adoption and usage…”- Z. Metu.
Programmes Manager
Qhamani is an experienced development practitioner, researcher, policy analyst and registered professional planner. He has experience managing a range of community development projects and programmes related to informal settlement upgrading, urban governance, urban reform and early childhood development.
He holds a masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the Free State and is currently pursuing his PhD in Urban Planning at the University of Stellenbosch. His activism is underpinned by ideals of social justice, concepts of shared citizen power and the pursuit of an equitable society.
He often writes on the intersection between space, people and basic services, his work has been published on many of South Africa’s popular news platforms.
Lead: Eastern Cape Intervention
Zaza Lubelwana is the manager of the Funda Wande Intervention in the Eastern Cape. The intervention is in 30 schools focusing on developing Foundation Phase teachers in teaching Reading for Meaning.
She is heading a team of six coaches in the intervention and was one of the content writers for the Funda Wande course which in now offered at Rhodes University. She has been a teacher for 10 years before joining Molteno Institute as a literacy coach in the Gauteng Primary Literacy and Mathematics Strategy (GPLMS). Thereafter she joined Zenex literacy programme as a coach in six schools, isiXhosa Home language.
Lead: Limpopo Intervention
Maphale Julia Maphutha is the Head of Sotho languages at Funda Wande Organisation. She is passionate about education and loves to see children succeeding in reading and writing. Julia is a philanthropist who likes to make a difference by empowering the youth and adults in various communities across the country. She initiated the Library Practice Learnership in Limpopo Province in 2015. She was fully involved when the Programme was implemented from 2016 to 2017 and it was completed with a huge success (ETDP SETA UP SKILLS MAGAZINE Issue no: 1 2017)!
Julia holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Limpopo. Prior Funda Wande, she was as a Primary School Language teacher for 14 years and received Awards for being the Best reading teacher. From 2012-2018 Julia worked for Room to Read (an International Organisation) where she has gained an in-depth knowledge on early literacy and skills ranging from coaching, facilitation and material development.
Joining the Funda Wande team in 2019 has been the most exciting and fulfilling experience she has ever had. Her main responsibilities at Funda Wande are; to version the existing materials into Sepedi, Setswana and Sesotho, identify master teachers in each of these languages and supervise the filming and editing of the content.
Her motto is, “Intensive support should be geared towards adults so that many children will receive more help, and more appropriate help.”
Lead: Western Cape Intervention
Portia October joins the Funda Wande team as Literacy Specialist: Western Cape. She is a qualified teacher, registered counsellor and trained coach. Her teaching career has spanned 28 years from Primary to High School.
In 2014 she joined READ Educational Trust as a literacy coach in the Zenex Foundation Literacy Project. In 2018 she became part of the Education arm of New Leaders Foundation-a coaching and management NGO.
She has worked intensively in 7 schools in Mitchell's Plain. This included working with principals and SMTs around leading for reading, capacitating HODs as instructional leaders and coaching teachers to become expert reading teachers in English HL and Afrikaans FAL. For the past 6 months she has worked as a FP Curriculum Advisor for WCED.
Currently Portia is completing the Rhodes University Teaching reading for meaning course. She is passionate about impacting literacy in South Africa and partnering to improve reading levels.
Maths Lead
Ingrid Sapire has been involved in mathematics teacher education for 25 years. After teaching mathematics in schools, she began lecturing at the Johannesburg College of Education (JCE) (1993-2001). She was a materials developer and lecturer based at the RADMASTE Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) (2003-2006) and then became a part time staff member (primarily as a researcher) in the Wits Education Department (2007 to present). She has been involved in the development and presentation of materials for mathematics teacher education courses and training programmes, has developed numerous systemic mathematics assessment instruments and has written and edited both high school and primary school mathematics textbooks and resource material. She has also developed and reviewed print based and online OER (open educational resource) material for mathematics teachers and teacher educators. She has worked as a writer and researcher for Wits, SAIDE (The South African Institute of Distance Education), the HSRC (Human Sciences Research Council) and JET (Joint Education Services). She has been involved in the implementation (at scale) of mathematics lesson plans (which are supported by bilingual learner material) for Foundation Phase teachers. In 2017-2018 she was the leader of the project Researching Multilingualism in Foundation Phase Mathematics and was the chairperson of a ministerial task team that developed a framework for the teaching of mathematics in South Africa schools. She is currently still based at Wits University and is working on her PhD, on multilingualism in Foundation Phase Mathematics. In 2019 she began working as the Head of Mathematics for the Bala Wande project.
Maths Specialist
Thobeka is currently a Literacy Coach at Funda Wande based in King William’s Town where she is coaching teachers in the Buffalo City Metro. She has a B.Ed honours degree, is a qualified assessor and is currently completing her Masters in Development Studies. Thobeka has 28 years teaching experience of which 26 years was dedicated to teaching mathematics in the intersen phase and other subjects informed by unavailability of a teacher. She has taught foundation phase in many schools and is currently tutoring students specializing in Grade R at SANTS
Maths Specialist
Vuyokazi Mafilika is currently a Maths Specialist Coach at Funda Wande based in Grahamstown. She has been involved in the field of education for 30yrs and has 20 years of experience working with schools in the Eastern Cape Province. She taught Maths for 10 years at Thandokhulu High School in the Western Cape. In 2001 – 2004 she joined Maths Centre and was involved in the National Maths project called Quality Learning Project working with High School Teachers. In 2005 – 2006 she worked for different organisations in the field of education and later in 2007-2020 she joined Edupeg / Edufundi as mentor supporting teachers in Maths and instructional practice.
She obtained Bed Hons from University of South Africa, FDE (Maths) from University of Cape Town, Senior Teachers Diploma from Lumko College of Education and she is currently studying towards Masters in Science Education with University of Fort Hare. She is passionate about Education.
Maths Specialist
Dr Lorna Sako joined Funda Wande on 19 April 2021. She holds the position of Maths specialist: Limpopo intervention. Her focus is on supporting the implementation of Bala Wande in participating Sepedi LOLT schools by building Teacher and Teacher Assistant mentor capacity and understanding of instructional Foundation Phase Mathematics and participating in Bala Wande materials development.
Prior to joining Funda Wande Lorna worked as a temporary lecturer at the university of Limpopo and taught BEd Foundation Phase Literacy and Life Orientation. She is a teacher by profession and worked in special schools for 21 years. She is passionate about early intervention in the Foundation Phase in order to address barriers to learning and making learning fun and comfortable for learners. She holds a PhD degree in Adult Community and Continuing Education from the university of Limpopo.
Maths Specialist - GP
Samantha is a talentd research and developmental leader with a background in primary maths education. Prior to embarking on her journey as a researcher, she spent 19 years teaching. She holds a Masters' degree (with distinction) in primary maths education (2013) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (2018 from of the University of the Witwastersrand.
She brings with other years of hands on experience running educational interventions with learners, teachers, and primary maths Subject Advisots. She recently served a Project Manager at the Wits Maths Connect Primary.
PM: Workbook Development
My first job in education publishing was as a curriculum developer and writer for the PROTEC World-of-Work course. That was 1994. Many years in the commercial education publishing sector honed skills from authoring, to editing and publishing. This broad-ranging experience has led to a deep understanding of the educational content development process and curriculum requirements.
I am grateful to have come full circle, back to working with an educational NPO. For me there is no more meaningful or fitting reason to put shoulder to the wheel. I work alongside the Funda Wande Production team, who happen to be a group of very accomplished and committed contributors to learning and making meaning.
Materials Coordinator
Jermaine has over 21 years of print procurement and publishing experience and has freelanced for some of the major educational and trade publishers in the country.
His current role in the Funda Wande production team involves Print Procurement & Publishing production trafficking & sourcing freelance production consultants.
Typesetter
Ingrid has been a typesetter in the publishing industry since the early 80s. Her main focus has been the design and layout of educational material for various publishers. She is part of the production team at Funda Wande.
Senior Typesetter
Claudine is part of the design team at Funda Wande which produces the educational material for print. She studied Financial Information Systems and planned to work in the IT sector. Things took a different turn though, and Claudine now has 25 years of design and typesetting experience and has freelanced for all the major educational and trade publishers in the country.
PM: Content & Training
Jolene was one of the first team members to join Funda Wande in July 2017. She started her career off in London working as a designer and layout artist for various newspapers and magazines. Her adventurous spirit took her to all corners of the earth volunteering and working at various organizations in Uganda, India, USA, Hong Kong, Ireland and the UK.
With a degree in Video Technology, filmmaking and telling stories is at the heart of who she is. Having gained experience in production on award-winning, international films, commercials and documentaries she has a knack for juggling a million balls in the air at the same time. At Funda Wande, she ensures the engine room keeps running smoothly with all operations and supporting the full Funda Wande team.
Senior Literacy Coordinator
Clare Verbeek is part of Funda Wande’s content development team. Clare has been involved in the education field in both rural and urban contexts since 1981. She has worked as a teacher, community educator and educational materials developer, and as an academic at the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town. Clare’s PhD was about teaching reading for meaning in mainstream South African schools.
Senior Literacy Specialist
Debbie was a lecturer at Wits until a few years ago, was part of the GPLMS project for a year and before that worked for many years for a literacy organisation, READ (Read, Educate and Develop).
Early literacy development was the topic of her PHD.
PM: University Training
Training at Funda Wande. In collaboration with the Centre for Social Development at Rhodes University, she has developed an Advanced Certificate in Foundation Phase Literacy Teaching.
A variety of open-source resources have been created as part of this project, including videos and an on-line App. Sarah is responsible for continuing the development of the Advanced Certificate and fully aligned Short Courses. She is also responsible for extending the use of the resources to other contexts and for advocating for the improvement of literacy teacher education.
Sarah has extensive experience in teacher education and curriculum development, and has taught at undergraduate, Honours and Masters level.
Project Specialist: Universities and Training- Makhanda
Introducing Tabisa, a devoted Foundation Phase teacher, devoted to to cultivating young minds. With a Bachelor of Honours in Bilingualism for Access and Diversity, she crafts engaging and developmentally appropriate learning spaces. She also holds a BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching from Rhodes University has a wealth of experience teaching Grade R to Grade 3. Tabisa spends her time practicing her love for baking and enjoys working with children. She hopes to use her expertise to achieve the goal of having all learners reading for meaning by 2030.
PM: Digital Resources & Media
Khanya Mpahlwa is all round creative i.e. Video Editor, Videographer and a Music Producer and has been contributing to this industry for more than 10 years.
He is currently working at Funda Wande producing educational videos for the South African Educational sector as a Video Editor and Videographer. Khanya has a lot of experience in narrative storytelling and in the past 6 years, he has been doing work for Companies and Foundations i.e. VW Qubeka, UN, Children Radio Foundation, Red Bull, Red Bull Amaphiko, Bill Gates and Melinda foundation, UCT GSB, Raymond Ackerman Academy, UNICEF etc.
IT & Media Support
Thina Daniel is a Filmmaker and Community Journalist, she has graduate as a documentary film making. In 2011 Thina attended the Big Fish School Documentary filmmaking she studied under the tutoring on Melanie Chart, and that is where she received her training to be film maker. In 2012 she received her first job in the industry working as an Office manager for an Organisation called StreetTalk and was soon promoted to working as an Editor for the organisation, she was selected to go to the United States to go accept an award behalf of the organisation.
She has also worked independently and one of the biggest jobs she has done independently was a job she did for the Robben Island Museum in 2018. Moreover, she has worked for the Big Fish School of Digital Film making and some of films she edited were nominated for festivals.
Thina is currently working for Funda Wande as an Video Editor.
As Community Journalist she was amongst the group of women who fought hard for the Social grants, and has continued to be a journalist for the community.
E-Learning Coordinator
Vusumzi Mkhangeli is an E-Learning coordinator at Funda Wande, responsible for managing digital content on the Funda Wande App, WhatsApp chatbot and Website. His tasks extend to Translating and Editing text/ subtitles on videos and recording sound during Film shoots.
He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree - BA focused on Language and Communication at the University of the Western Cape. He is also part of the Desmond Tutu TB Centre (DTTC) Steering Committee at Stellenbosch University.
His fields of interests are Education and Community development.
PM: Operations & HR
Mehnaaz is extensively experienced with over 24 years’ experience with a demonstrated record in driving efficiency and productivity through evaluation of procedures, implementation of process improvements and motivating staff.
Prior to joining Funda Wande, Mehnaaz worked at Cape Nature for 9 years. Where she started off as the Personal Assistant to the CFO, then progressed to Supply Chain Management where she dealt with all forms of procurement for the company and finally to Shared Services as a Team Leader, heading up Facilities Management, Records Management, Concierge Travel Desk, ICT Projects and being the Covid Compliance Officer.
Her key strengths are that she is dependable, a quick learner, a team player and self-motivated.
Mehnaaz has a distinct ability to work well under pressure and thrive in applying innovative thinking to complex tasks, which shows in her vigorous work ethic.
Travel & Logistics Coordinator & HR Support
Siphokazi is an experienced Project Administrator with a demonstrated history of working within the non-profit organisation sector. Skilled in customer service, office administration, sales (Internal and External), and has great interpersonal skills. She hopes to use her skills and experience to further the Funda Wande mission.
Executive Assistant & Office Administrator
Phoebe provides administrative support to the Funda Wande team. She holds an honours in community development studies from the University of the Western Cape. She comes with years of experience in working within non-profit organisation sector and has a love for literacy and books. She hopes to use her knowledge and experience in facilitating the growth of Funda Wande.
Office Assistant
Nosithembiso Ndzamela joined Funda Wande in Septermber 2021 as a General worker for the Western Cape office.
Her current role as the office assistant is to provide efficient cleaning and auxiliary services within the office and ensure a well-maintained work environment for employees and visitors alike.
HR Assistant
Meet Sisamkele, HR assistant. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources from the University of the Western Cape. Her journey with Funda Wande began as a versioner, where she converted educational materials from English to IsiXhosa.
Her short-term goal is to learn and understand the different fields that Human Resources has to offer. Ultimately, she envisions herself as a Human Resources Specialist. Sisamkele is known for her strong work ethic, collaborative spirit, and competence in her role.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Sisamkele finds joy in sports, particularly soccer, and delights in exploring new destinations through travel.
Foundation Phase Specialist - IsiXhosa
My name is Lumka Ndlungwana. I am the IsiXhosa specialist for all the Western Cape IsiXhosa primary schools.
My goal is to ensure that all the 10 year old read for meaning by 2030. I have been a teacher mentor and a subject advisor, supported and mentored teachers in their daily practices. I believe that every child has a potential to succeed when given a chance and adequate support in their learning.
These are the values I live by integrity, caring, courage, accountability, and responsive.
Project Coordinator
Juliet is an accomplished professional with extensive work experience in the fields of Publishing, Adult Learning, Education,Project Management and Training and Development. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management from Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a National Diploma in Early Childhood Development, and a certificate in Practical Labour Law, she has been able to apply her knowledge and expertise across a wide range of industries and contexts.
As an Adult Learning blended learning trainer, she focused on developing and delivering training programs that met the diverse needs of adult learners, specifically those who did not manage to complete or obtain a National Senior Certificate.
In the field of Education, Juliet has been able to leverage her knowledge of Early Childhood Development to facilitate, promote and manage effective learning experiences for young students. Juliet was responsible for the research and registration of the start-up, non-profit teacher training institute as a service provider with relevant governing bodies to offer Early Childhood Development (ECD) qualifications with the ETDP-SETA and QCTO. Furthermore, she was in charge of overseeing the alignment of the Teacher training institute’s local and international qualifications, the assessment of Portfolios of Evidence, quality assurance and compliance to ensure the outcomes and standards are met.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.In addition to completing the Associated Montessori International Early Childhood Development 3 to 6 programme, she has attended numerous professional development workshops and conferences.
Her passion for education and training has driven her to pursue opportunities to make a positive impact in her community.
PM : Western Cape Intervention
Khanya is a result-oriented project manager with a background in the Corporate Social Investment industry and non-profit organizations, complemented by a Btech degree in Marketing. She possesses a keen passion for education.
In her previous role within the CSI/Non-Profit Sector, Khanya successfully managed projects aimed at enhancing educational opportunities and fostering community development. Her experiences have equipped her with strong strategic planning skills, stakeholder management expertise, and a deep understanding of leveraging resources effectively to achieve impactful outcomes. She is passionate about initiatives that empower individuals through education, and she is excited to contribute her skills and knowledge to support Funda Wande's mission.
Outside of work, Khanya is an avid art enthusiast who finds joy in various creative pursuits such as painting, sketching, and engaging in any DIY projects. With her dream of one day amassing a collection of art pieces from various parts of the world, showcasing diverse cultures and artistic expressions.
Foundation Phase Specialist - Afrikaans
Hannah Esterhuizen enjoyed a fulfilling career in education spanning over 30 years, encompassing various roles such as Foundation Phase, Multigrade, Learning Support, Inclusive Team, Departmental Head, Principal, and Curriculum Advisor. She worked in both urban and rural settings across diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Each position she held served as a stepping stone for the next, leading her to her current role.
Reflecting on her journey, Hannah remarked, "Each role groomed me for the next one and now brought me here.” As of February 1, 2024, she assumed the position of Foundation Phase Specialist: Afrikaans.
Over the past four years, Hannah witnessed the effectiveness of Funda Wande’s emphasis on Reading for Meaning in enhancing learners’ competence and confidence across all subjects. She finds particular satisfaction in empowering educators to support struggling learners, stating, "Enabling educators to assist struggling learners gives her special joy."
Hannah views her new role as a "Coach of Coaches" as the perfect progression in her career
Communications and Advocacy Officer
Introducing Ambeswa Mgandela, our Communications and Advocacy Officer at Funda Wande. With her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology, Geography, and Environmental and Sustainability Studies from the University of the Western Cape, Ambeswa infuses warmth and dedication into everything she does.
She's not just about academics; Ambeswa's journey is a testament to her passion for making a real difference. She completed the Communications Course for Civil Society as part of the Amplify I Mobilise I Change 2023 Cohort, a testament to her commitment to growth and learning.
Ambeswa's story with Funda Wande began as an eLearning Graduate Intern in 2022, where her energy and enthusiasm shone brightly. Over time, she's blossomed into the Communications and Advocacy space, driven by her deep-rooted belief in the power of early childhood literacy and the urgent need to address social inequality.
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” —Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Project Coordinator
Nomathamsanqa Octavia Mali otherwise known as Thami is a well-spoken individual, a team player who prides herself with a vast administration background with different private sector companies. She has studied Logistics and has been privileged to do the admin work with companies that deal with such. She has been into youth development programs since the early stages of her life in the church and in her schooling days. She hopes to use her experience to further the Funda Wande mission. She will be based in the Gqeberha office as the Office and Logistics Coordinator and will be responsible for supporting the Funda Wande team in the EC with all travel and logistics request and ensuring efficient day to day running of the office.
PM: Eastern Cape Intervetion
Fundiswa is an experienced project manager and skilled grants administrator. Her expertise spans from managing bursaries and supporting students in higher education institutions to working in the NPO education sector.
She holds a Project Management qualification from the University of Johannesburg, as well as an Undergraduate Degree and a Postgraduate Diploma from the University of Cape Town. Her motto is, "I will contribute towards the educational development of rural children, even if it's one learner at a time."
Her passion lies in community literacy development.
Instructional Coach- EC
Glory kickstarted her educational journey in 1989 at Algoa College of Education and served as a teacher at Ntyantyambo Primary School for over two decades. She joined Funda Wande in 2019 - 2021 diving into literacy and mathetics coaching.
Between 2022 and 2023 to Read Educational Trust as a Primary School Literacy Coach. Glory rejoins Funda Wande as an Instructional Coach based in the Eastern Cape. She is a devoted wife and a mother of three who treasures time with her family.
Instructional Coach- EC
Born and raised in the heart of rural Mqanduli, Eastern Cape, Tutula is a seasoned educator determined to be the catalyst for quality education. She has worked as a coach at Axium Education and Funda Wande.
Beyond the classroom, she channels her energy into the world of netball coaching, a passion that stems from her days as an accomplished player.
Coach / Foundation Phase Specialist
Nomazizi is currently a literacy and Mathematics coach at Funda Wande based in King William’ s town where she is couching teachers in Buffalo City Metro.She has a Bed honours degree. She has taught in foundation phase for 21 years of which in those years she managed to be a foundation phase HOD for 6 years. In 2016 she was chosen by the district officials in Gauteng province to be a language lead teacher of which she was leading 21 schools with 36 HOD ‘s. She also worked as a translator on a part time basis , translating foundation phase provincial mathematics paper in Gauteng.
In 2019 she worked as a project team assistant for Bala Wande where she was translating and editing the isiXhosa version of the material,working as video team assistant director,video footage coding and general office support in the Johannesburg office .She was also hired as a coach at Funda Wande on 2 months contract in 2020.
Her passion is on investing tremendously on the development of teachers in curricula related matter. Teaching and learning precisely is regarded as the core engine that the human capital that is a teacher has to drive in any school. Teachers hold a fundamental potential that creates and shapes our learners. Hence she more continous investment pertaining teaching and learning have to be done.This is the reason she joined Funda Wande which is an initiative that is aimed at improving and strengthening teachers effectiveness in teaching isiXhosa and Maths. In her view it goes without say that each child deserves to learn from a masterful teacher in order for them to read for meaning and calculate with confidence.
Coach / Foundation Phase Specialist
Nomalungelo is a literacy coach at Funda Wande. She joined Funda Wande in January 2021, after teaching the Foundation and Intermediate Phase for 23 years. Nomalungelo did her Senior Primary Teachers’ Diploma (SPTD) at Cape College of Education. She went on to complete her BEd degree majoring in Foundation and Intermediate Phase at Fort Hare University after teaching for a number of years. In 2021, Nomalungelo is completing her BEd Honours degree, with her mini research project focusing on the challenge that many primary school children in township schools have, which is the challenge of reading and writing.
Nomalungelo has been involved in literacy projects which aim to develop reading and writing at a primary school level. She has also been involved in many school committees which include being a part of the school management team. She was also the Foundation Phase Head of Department (HOD) of her previous school until 2019.
Her vision is to see all learners in South Africa being confident in reading, so that they may be successful in all their pursuits in life, using the skills they learnt in reading.
Coach / Foundation Phase Specialist
Babalwa Tyalana is currently a Literacy Coach for Funda Wande in Eastern Cape, in the Sarah Baartman District. Before joining Funda Wande, she was a Foudation Phase teacher for 5 years in the Western Cape Department of Education. She studied her Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. Before Rhodes University, she worked for Ubuntu Pathway, where she developed her passion for developing a child’s education and changing lives. At Ubuntu, she ran an After School Program and ran Holiday Camps for the orphaned and vulnerable children.
Coach / Foundation Phase Specialist
Nomvuzo is a Literacy Coach at Funda Wande, for the Volkswagen Community Trust Program schools. She has 27 working years experience as a teacher and was a Foundation Phase Teacher and the Head of Department at Molefe Primary School, where she had the privilege of being the acting Principal in 2019.
Nomvuzo was also involved in a number of school programs and committees. She has a Junior Primary Diploma which she obtained at Algoa College and further advanced her qualifications by obtaining the Advance Certificate in Management and Organisation.
She was nominated and appointed as the Cluster Leader for seven schools where she supervises curriculum matters. In additions, she was elected to facilitate the CAPS document and Mathematics proficiency in the Nelson Mandela Metro.
She has enrolled and participated in workshops which cover a range of skills development and educational programs such as; Roles and Responsibilities of Subject Heads, Reading in the foundation phase, Funda Wande Anthology Training - just to name a few.
HR & TA Project Facilitator
Manoko joined Funda Wande in October 2020 as the HR Officer of the Limpopo branch. She holds honours graduate in Human Resource Management with 6 years experience in HR, Sale Admin, Payroll and Invoicing with a very good understanding of human resources.
Manoko is an energetic and career driven young professional and passionate about what she does.
Teacher Assistant Mentor
Lesley Makgakga joined Funda Wande Limpopo office as a Teacher's Assistants Mentor in March 2021. She has a BCOM Management Accounting degree and Post Graduate Certificate in Education specialising in Accounting and Economic and Management Science.
She has also completed a Course in teaching Foundation Phase Mathematics and a Programme in Language teaching in Foundation Phase. She has worked as an Accounting Clerk for a private company and served as a Bookkeeper and an Accountant for an NGO in Limpopo where she developed the love of working with people, especially the young ones. She has also served as a volunteer educator at a local primary school teaching Grade 3 learners. Furthermore, she is a local church board member and a secretary for Women Department.
Working at Funda Wande will improve her knowledge of working with children and is the right platform for her career development. She believes that education and hard work helps people to grow, develops and shapes a better and respectful society.
Teacher Assistant Mentor
Mahlatse Kubjane is a TA mentor who graduated from University of Limpopo with BA honours in Applied Languages and a Bachelor's Degree in Multilingual studies.
Before joining Fundawande she volunteered as a student mentor at University of Limpopo under Centre of Academic Excellence, worked with various organisations such as University of Limpopo Information and Communication Technology as Computer lab supervisor and at Department of Education as EPWP teacher assistant.
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart"
- Nelson Mandela.
Teacher Assistant Mentor
Reneilwe Matjutla joined FUNDA WANDE in March 2021 as a Teacher Assistant Mentor at Limpopo office. She holds a diploma in education for secondary phase and an advanced certificate in educational management. She is currently studying BCOMPT in financial Accounting at UNISA.
Prior to joining Funda Wande, Reneilwe worked 16 years at the department of education as a teacher and Head of department for commercial subjects. She also worked part time from 2009-2016 at IEC (Dr JS Moroka municipality) as counting officer and then got promoted to presiding officer, ensuring free and fair elections.
As someone who loves education, possesses excellent organisational skills and can connect easily with students, working at Funda Wande is the perfect opportunity for her to continue her professional development. She believes that her experience and passion for teaching would be the ideal fit for the philosophy and resources offered by Funda wande.
Office Assistant
Salome Kgaabi works as an Office Assistant at Funda Wande (Limpopo). She prides herself in being meticulous at providing support to the Funda Wande team with their day to day tasks. She has more than 11 years of experience working in the protection and sanitation sectors.
What Salome enjoys the most is working with people and in an environment that fosters personal and professional development.
Project Administrator
Kamzati Mphalalo is an Office administrator assistant. He is responsible for carrying out the internal administration of the Eastern Cape Office. A Psychology graduate from the University Of Kwa Zulu Natal, where he has served as an academic liaison and secretary for Usizo Foundation. A student & Non-Profit Organization that’s geared towards enriching lives of youth through access to Education and Entrepreneurship. His fields of interest also include Organizational development and Food security.
Office Assistant
Nyameka Manto joined Funda Wande in March 2021 as a General worker for the Eastern Cape office.
She has more than 10 yrs experience in the professional cleaning industry. Skilled in a wide range of cleaning and deep cleaning services, with the ability to clean and maintain commercial premises and offices in line with high quality standards. Trained in handling hazardous chemicals, she has a high level of efficiency and organisational skills.
Her current role as the general worker is to provide efficient cleaning and auxiliary services within the office and ensure a well-maintained work environment for employees and visitors alike.
Chair of the Board
Sizwe Mabizela is the Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University. Prior to assuming this position in 2014, he was the Deputy Vice- Chancellor: Academic & Student Affairs at Rhodes University. Sizwe Mabizela earned his doctorate in Mathematics at Pennsylvania State University in 1991. He has authored and co- authored several research papers in his field of interest, and these have been published in international journals. He has also presented several keynote/invited addresses at national and international conferences.
Between 1992 and 2003, Mabizela was an academic in the Department of Pure & Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town. He rose through the academic ranks to the level of Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Department. In 2004 he was offered and accepted the headship of, and full professorship in, the Department of Mathematics (Pure & Applied) at Rhodes University. For some years, Mabizela was a member of the South African Mathematics Olympiad Committee. In July 2014, he Chaired the 55th International Mathematics Olympiad, held at the University of Cape Town, the first time this international mathematics competition had ever been held under the African sky.
Mabizela has also served as a member and Chairperson of the Umalusi Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education & Training.
Board Member
Maya Makanjee has held numerous executive roles in South African companies and currently sits on the boards of Tiger Brands, Mpact, AIG, Truworths International, NOSA, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Maya Makanjee obtained a Master’s degree in Business Leadership (MBL) degree through the University of South Africa, graduating cum laude, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban. After her schooling, she spent four years at the University of Mumbai, where she obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. She has also completed the Program for Executive Development at the IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Ms Makanjee has held executive director positions in financial services, human resources, marketing communications, corporate affairs, strategy and business re-engineering. Her executive roles have included that of Chief Officer, Corporate Affairs at Vodacom; CEO of FinMark Trust; Corporate Affairs Director for Africa and Asia at SABMiller; Communications, Public Affairs and Human Resources Director for Southern and Eastern Africa at Nestle; and Deputy Group Executive for Strategic Planning at Telkom, amongst others.
Board Member
Dr Benjamin Piper is the Director of the Global Education Program at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Based in the foundation’s Ethiopia office, Benjamin Piper supports grantees that work to improve foundational literacy and numeracy in low- and middle-income countries.
Before joining the foundation, Benjamin was the senior director for Africa education for RTI International, where he provided support to large-scale education projects across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Earlier, he was the chief of party for the Kenyan national literacy program Tusome, a set of randomized controlled trials in Kenya called PRIMR, and Kenya’s National Tablets Programme. He was the principal investigator for Learning at Scale, a multi-country study of highly effective large-scale education programs and for an external evaluation of programs aimed at increasing playful pedagogy at large scale funded by the Lego Foundation. He was also the principal investigator for Science of Teaching, an effort funded by the Gates Foundation to increase knowledge about the technical details of how to improve pedagogy at large scale.
Benjamin has a doctorate in international education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and master’s degrees in international education policy and school leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Furman University, respectively. He has lived in East Africa since 2007 and currently resides in Addis Ababa.
Board Member
Nic Spaull was the Founder of Funda Wande and the CEO of the organisation from 2017-2021. He is an Associate Professor in the Economics Department at Stellenbosch University and part of the Research on Socioeconomic Policy (RESEP) group in the Department. Nic’s research centres on education policy in South Africa with a focus on inequality and early grade literacy and numeracy. In 2021 he was awarded the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) P-Rating, the highest rating possible for researchers under 35 and is also the only economist in the country currently with a P-rating, as well as the Royal Society's Meiring Naude Medal. During the COVID-19 pandemic Nic initiated the National Income Dynamics Study Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM), a nationwide consortium of more than 30 researchers from six universities, to measure the impact of COVID-19 in South Africa which has generated over 60 academic working papers in less than a year and has been cited by the President in parliament.
Nic has held visiting fellowships at Stanford University in the US and the OECD in Paris and is currently a non-resident fellow at RISE as well as the Centre for Global Development (CGD). Nic recently (2019) co-edited “South African Schooling: The Enigma of Inequality” with Jonathan Jansen and published by Springer and is currently co-editing a 3-volume series on reading and mathematics to be published by Oxford University Press in 2022. Nic comments regularly in the media and advises numerous high-level policymakers and philanthropists in South Africa and abroad. His research and commentary are available on his website nicspaull.com
Board Member
Zimkhitha Peter is the Chief Executive Officer at Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy South Africa. Her passion is to nurture entrepreneurial potential in young people and seeks to make a contribution to the alleviation of poverty and the improvement of socio-economic factors in the country.
Zimkhitha holds a Bcom Honours in Industrial Psychology (UNISA) and a Leadership Development qualification from Harvard Business School. Her desire is to see the Foundation as the centre of excellence in the development of entrepreneurial capabilities.
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