Understanding the Motivations Behind the Team of Friends of Inkululeko
Theresa Larre, Chair of Friends of Inkululeko and Julia Fancher, Member of Friends of Inkululeko, discuss their “Why” behind the work they do for the organization.
What does FOI mean to you? How did you become part of Inkululeko and FOI?
Theresa:
To me, FOI is a community. It is a community of people from different backgrounds that all have one unified goal – to support the learners and the people within South Africa in whichever way we can. It is an opportunity to be creative within either thought leadership, marketing, social media, outreach, etc. There is a space for everyone within FOI.
My journey with Inkululeko began when I was a student at Villanova University. I began as an intern the summer before my senior year. My internship in the summer turned into a mentorship opportunity for the fall interns. After this, I reached out to Jason and let him know I wanted to stay plugged into Inkululeko and help in whichever way I can. He connected me to FOI.
Julia:
I traveled to South Africa this past June (2023) for three weeks as a part of the Syracuse University abroad program. I was able to work directly with Inkululeko, and I loved having the opportunity to meet the learners and the dedicated staff. I wanted to remain involved with Inkululeko even after returning home, so I joined FOI so that I could continue to support the learners.
Where do you see FOI in the future?
Theresa:
I see the future of FOI being bright! I envision more people wanting to join the work and be inspired by the learners of Inkululeko. I see FOI building out certain projects, such as thought leadership or social media campaigns, to capture other volunteers and share what Inkululeko means to them. I also see an opportunity of partnerships throughout our growth. This could be partnering with large and small organizations throughout the world. I hope these partnerships will highlight unification between organizations as well as highlight our strengths within our differences. I believe partnerships would help us to continue to learn and grow from others who might have experienced similar challenges we have. I believe there is a lot of potential for collaboration within FOI and other organizations.
Julia:
I hope to see FOI grow both in number and scope of the projects that we take on so that we can better support Inkululeko.
What inspires you?
Theresa:
The learners. Each day, I am inspired by the learners of Inkululeko who strive to receive their education and work hard within their own communities. I had the opportunity to work with the learners of Inkululeko when I supported the Business Skills program. I was inspired by their aptitude to learn and take on new challenges. Whether it was new lesson or something they have seen before, each of the learners came with thoughtful questions and were engaged throughout each session, even though we were working in a fully remote environment. I strive to be more like the learners of Inkululeko embodying their tenacity and drive.
Julia:
The people. The learners I met on my trip are driven, passionate, and curious, but they have limited resources to help them reach their goals. I truly believe that Inkululeko - and FOI here in the US - has the unique opportunity to provide support to learners in South Africa so that they have the tools required for their success.
What would you say to people interested in joining Inkululeko and/or FOI?
Theresa:
There is freedom and opportunity for creativity within the organization. If you are inspired by the people of Inkululeko and you want to publish a piece on what you have learned, write a thought leadership article. If you want to learn more about how non-profits work with social media, take initiative and help our team to build our social media platforms. The team is very open to new ideas that could help differentiate FOI from other organizations. FOI is a place where all volunteers voices can be heard and individuals can work within what they are passionate about.
Julia:
Even small actions on your part can have a much bigger impact than you might believe. You have the chance to make a positive impact for so many people by getting involved with FOI!
What is the purpose of Friends of Inkululeko?
Theresa:
I believe the purpose of Friends of Inkululeko (FOI) is to connect individuals throughout the world that want to stay involved with Inkululeko to provide thought leadership that amplifies the voices of our learners in Makhanda. FOI volunteers truly resonate with the mission through the focus on the singular goal of improved learner outcomes and have a passion for the work that Inkululeko does and the people who are part of the organization. To me, FOI is a place where all are welcome and can volunteer, in whatever capacity that might mean for you. There is freedom to take initiative in the work you might want to do or how you want to contribute to Inkululeko. FOI is a place where all voices can be heard and volunteering can take many forms.
What are some of your goals as a leader of FOI?
Theresa:
One goal I have for FOI is to create a following and group of members who are dedicated to the organization and want to grow with FOI. It is important to me to work with individuals who have a passion for Inkululeko in a similar way that I do. I hope to work with volunteers who want to take initiative and bring creative ideas and thoughts to FOI. I also hope to see our social media grow, cultivating a community of members throughout the world who are able to follow Inkululeko and keep up to date. It is important to me to expand our group and network as much as we can. Through this, I hope to meet more individuals who are driven and creative to join our team. I want to continue to share the word of Inkululeko and grow into new thoughts and ideas that others might present. With this growth, I hope to share with more people the work that Inkululeko does and expand our reach within our own communities – either communities we are currently in or break into new ones.
Julia:
I hope to bring awareness to the state of education in South Africa and encourage others to join FOI. Of course, I also want to support the learners of Inkululeko in any way that I can.
Do you have any plans to visit the students and team in Makhanda, South Africa?
Theresa:
Yes. Planning a trip to South Africa is in the future for me! I have not yet been able to travel to Inkululeko, but it is something that I DEFINITELY want to do! It would be an honor to meet the learners and individuals on the ground who make it all happen.
Julia:
Absolutely! As I mentioned, I visited South Africa this past summer and would love to travel back someday soon. It is a place that has my heart!
How do you define successful collaboration?
Theresa:
To me, a successful collaboration means two organizations working together and learning from each other. I see success in conversations throughout leadership teams to people on the ground. This would help us to learn from others who might have been in the same position as us or allow us to brainstorm ways to move forward as organizations together. I also would define success as a collaboration that brings value to the people of Inkululeko. If we are able to learn something from others, I see value there. I would also define success as a prolonged partnership between two organizations. This could mean touching base every few months and keeping open lines of communication, both in a formal and informal way. Eventually, we could even host events together and expand our networks into each other’s. I see this partnership as a long-term commitment with a unified goal.
Julia:
Both organizations/parties achieve their goals with the possibility of future collaboration.
What are you curious about for the future of FOI?
Theresa:
I am curious about new trends that will take place over the next couple of years within the nonprofit space. Inkululeko has adapted to different worlds and how to best suit the needs of their people. I am curious how the nonprofit world might change again in the future. How has fundraising changed over the past 10 years and how will it change in the future? How can Inkululeko best capture their audience? How will social media change with certain platforms, and how will Inkululeko pivot and learn to adapt?
Julia:
I am a physics major, and so I am particularly interested in math and science education. I hope to work on ways that Inkululeko can help make math and science more engaging and easier to understand.