OUR ALUMNI
We are so inspired by our fellows – they are go-getters, world-changers and big-picture-thinkers who are passionate about their ventures having a cultural, societal and economic impact in Southern Africa.
U-TURN
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
U-turn is a Christian non-profit organisation that equips people with skills and work opportunities to overcome homelessness. U-turn works with unemployed, dependent and addicted individuals and walks a journey with them to lasting employment, independence and sobriety. Six months after graduating from the programme, more than 80% of participants remain employed and sober. The programme is designed by Occupational Therapists and includes initial assistance, substance abuse rehabilitation, skills training and work experience in one of U-turn’s social enterprises.
JON HOPKINS
2020 FELLOW
COO | U-TURN
Jon loves using data to look at how systems and processes can be improved, whether it is improving client flow within a health facility, or effectively rehabilitating people facing homelessness. After graduating from Oxford University, Jon worked for a church, spent time as a primary school teacher in Tanzania and completed a Masters Degree in Development. Then, he spent nine years working in the field of public health for an international non-profit and the UN, including a stint in eSwatini. Jon moved to South Africa with his family in 2016 to join U-Turn, and, as COO, overseas all U-Turn’s client facing work, the retail business, and turning U-Turn’s replication dreams into reality.
SAM VOS
2020 FELLOW
FOUNDER & CEO | LUCEO SOLUTIONS
Sam Vos is the founder of Luceo Solutions, a consultancy to help organisations systematise how they create value. He is passionate about doing business in developmental ways that ensure inclusive growth. Upon graduating with a degree in Industrial Engineering from Stellenbosch University, he moved to London and spent six years working as a project manager at Schroders Asset Management. At the end of 2004, Sam returned to South Africa with his wife and young family. In 2005 he joined U-turn Homeless Ministry. He built the organisation up from a soup kitchen with four staff to a multi-site, multi-business, industry-leading institution with more than 80 staff members. During his 15 years at U-turn, Sam founded a retail division in U-turn as a social enterprise that provides training and work opportunities and maintained an annual growth rate of 27% per annum. The retail division has continued to grow and flourish, now comprising multiple sorting facilities, over ten stores and a reputation as one of the best charity retail operations in Cape Town. Sam formally handed the organisation over in Apr 2021.
Sam is married to Jane, and together they have two boys.
VALCARE
PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA
Valcare is a social funding platform that optimises the impact of donations to multiple stakeholders, ultimately enabling social change in communities. In 1999 a group of passionate leaders from the Cape Winelands was stirred to take action against the area’s overwhelming needs. Their shared solution-driven vision resulted in the establishment of a central platform from where donations are distributed responsibly. Valcare officially opened its office in April 2003 and has evolved into a thriving Impact Funding Platform with a national footprint, governed and empowered by some of South Africa’s foremost business leaders.
IVAN SWARTZ
2021 FELLOW
CEO | VALCARE
“Fighting and building” is part of Ivan’s DNA and a role he has been in for as long as he can remember, serving his community on various levels. He has a degree in Communications, an Honors Degree in Industrial Psychology and an MBA. In 2014 he founded Labit, a small business incubator focused on developing entrepreneurs in rural communities. In 2017 he joined Valcare as CEO, establishing it as a social impact investment platform. He enjoys long-distance running and endurance races. Having convinced his wife, Lecia, to marry him eight years ago remains his personal, most impressive achievement.
Vision Meat Group
Klerksdorp, South Africa
Tinus Kits
2023 FELLOW
CO-FOUNDER & CEO | VISION MEAT GROUP
VOLLAR
STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA
Vollar is an award-winning social enterprise that makes it possible for volunteers to earn reward points, called Vollars, which they can spend at local small businesses.
Vollar offers cities a unique and holistic approach to social development and impact investment that empowers communities and invests in the local economy through small businesses.
KYLE UECKERMANN
2020 FELLOW
FOUNDER | VOLLAR
Kyle found a passion for computer animation at 13 years old and shortly after finishing high school was hired by the top visual effects house in South Africa. Just over a year later, Kyle’s faith was reborn, and he couldn’t put aside the desire to make a real difference in the world. Leaving a promising career behind Kyle went into mission work where he saw the need for technology to connect those needing help to those offering it. He taught himself to program and went on to co-found volunteering platform, VOMO, in the US before moving back to South Africa to start Vollar.
WILSON’S JUICE CO.
IJU-OTTA, NIGERIA
Wilson’s Juice Co. is a renowned Nigerian not-from-concentrate lemonade brand. They apply simple technologies to process and neatly package indigenous produce.
The brand is energetic and creative, with a big emphasis on building communities that inspire positive change and hope for a better Africa. Wilson’s Juice Co. exists to make healthy living more fun, accessible and absolutely delicious. Their vision is to be Africa’s most prominent natural beverage company by December 31, 2027.
Seyi Abolaji
2022 FELLOW
CO-FOUNDER & CEO | WILSON’S JUISCE CO.
Seyi Oluwaseyi Abolaji was born in Nigeria and spent his elementary through to university years in the USA. He graduated from Stanford University, and after spending a couple of years as a professional football player, he returned to Nigeria. Seyi co-founded Wilson’s Juice Co. with his brother, Seun. Their initial $10 investment birthed Nigeria’s first federally-approved not-from-concentrate lemonade brand. Currently, Wilson’s Juice Co. is one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing beverage companies. Seyi sees Wilson’s Juice Co. as a platform to train the next generation of leaders to be mission-driven, profit conscious, disciplined, and operate with integrity.
YON International
Groblershoop, South Africa
Johan Fourie
2023 FELLOW
CO-FOUNDER & CEO | YON INTERNATIONAL
ZEAL HR
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Zeal HR is a specialist recruitment and HR consulting company specialising in engineering, IT and finance career placements. They have a particular soft spot for Small to Medium Enterprises, as well as NGO’s. They value authentic relationships and partner with clients to grow together by finding the best match for their clients’ current and future needs by understanding where they have come from and where they are heading. These are strategic partnership relationships rather than transactional relationships, and they believe this is where they uniquely add value for their clients.
CALLISTA GREEFF
2022 FELLOW
FOUNDER & Solutions Director | ZEAL HR
Callista Greeff is the founder of Zeal HR, award-winning recruitment and HR solutions provider company. She completed a B.Com Human Resource Management degree through the University of Pretoria before completing an Honours degree in Strategic Management through UNISA. Callista is passionate about providing service in a relational manner and enjoys finding innovative solutions to problems while embracing technology. She has realised that redemptive entrepreneurship is her calling, and she is excited to follow where He leads.
CATHY VAN DER MERWE
2022 FELLOW
Solutions Specialist | ZEAL HR
Cathy van der Merwe is the Solutions Specialist at Zeal HR. With her two Honours’ degrees (one in HR Management and the other in Corporate Communication), she followed a career in HR. She enjoys puzzles and views recruitment as an opportunity to make great puzzle pieces come together to create a beautiful picture. Cathy is thankful to have spent the last decade embracing her passion for recruitment and headhunting to help build and foster lasting relationships. She loves the heart and zeal that the team members at Zeal HR all share, and views it as a purpose-driven agency.