Every day began in a circle
Morning Circle is part of daily life on every GWF campus. Each morning, our teams stand together, share a quote, sit in five minutes of quiet and lift their voices in song. At the Annual Gathering, that circle grew to hold all 200 of us.
Each morning opened with an activity to wake us up and draw us closer. Then came a quote to carry through the day, five minutes of stillness, and a song led by our own colleagues. Musa and Teaman, Fumani K and Ntsako facilitated across the three mornings, with songs from Nqobile and Floyd, Joy and Zanele, and Thembi and Rakie.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with the entire organisation, singing together as the day began, set the tone for everything that followed.
Wednesday: no one wins alone
We spent the morning with the team from Ants4Africa, who led us through an ‘amazing race’ of challenges in seven separate teams, built on four simple words: Challenge, Connect, Grow, Impact.
“The Ants4Africa challenge was my wow moment. I loved how we were teamed up with colleagues from different campuses and how we interacted. No one could win alone. We had to listen, communicate and trust each other to get past each challenge. Seeing everyone cheer one another on and solve problems as one team reminded me why I love the work we do together.” Thembi Nquma, OLA Facilitator
Learning from one another
From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, the learning was led by our own people.
Jabu Simelane explored our Values. CEO, Kate Groch and Abel Rios unpacked the GWF Strategy. Verena Wagner mapped our Ecosystem. Fiona Roche guided us through Wellbeing, and Gemma Thompson through a creative exercise. Sarah Matthes hosted a session on Storytelling, and Nadia Lambrechts and Musa Mokoena brought Finance and Operations to life.
Small groups made space for real conversation. People asked questions, shared ideas and heard how their own work connects to the bigger picture.
“We got to know one another and our teams better. This includes their strengths and weaknesses. In one word the gathering was insightful.” Katekani, IT Department
“The experience was beautiful because I got to spend time with colleagues from other campuses and experience the teamwork we shared during the activities. I also enjoyed learning about the new opportunities coming next year.” Jane, JDLC Campus Manager
Fun Friday
Fun Friday brought our Singing Contest, hosted by Fumani Mathumbu and Yingisani Khoza, and the barn filled with music, dancing and a great deal of brave and beautiful singing.
“I got to sing in front of everyone which was nerve wracking but amazing at the same time. We are truly grateful.” Nqobile Ngwenya, OLA Intern
“Seeing everyone dancing and laughing together in the same room reminded me that fun is one of GWF’s values.” Yingisani, LDLC Campus Manager
Two hundred people under one roof
Then came a first in our history. All 200 members of the Pink Family sat down together for lunch under one roof, under our Digital Tree, in the barn at HDLC. There was a giant cake, and there were so many smiles.
Our Hospitality Academy students took care of every guest, and for them the day was a chance to put their training into practice.
“It felt like we were taking the theory we had learned in class and putting it into practice. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn, grow and experience teamwork in action!” Pat Junior Mnisi, Hospitality Academy Student
Growing, bigger, expanding
Before lunch, our CEO Kate Groch spoke to the room. During the strategy sessions she had asked every person to finish one sentence: “In 2027, GWF is…” From hundreds of responses, a word cloud emerged, and three words rose to the top. Growing. Bigger. Expanding.
Kate reflects on this:
“I also see growth that is measured not in buildings, but in opportunity. Not in statistics, but in human potential. Not in size, but in impact. Because growth means one more child discovering a love for learning. One more young person stepping into meaningful work. One more community accessing world class digital education. One more family seeing a different future.”
She also pointed to the words surrounding those three words: Family. Hope. Creative. Nurturing. Innovative. Excellent. Fun. Transformative. She called these our cultural commitments, the Pink Thread that runs through everything we do.
“If GWF is going to be bigger in 2027, it must also be kinder. If GWF is going to expand, it must also stay deeply connected to the communities we serve. If GWF is going to grow, our humanity must grow with it.”
Kate closed with the same three reminders that opened our gathering. Look around the circle and be amazed, and remember that somebody in the circle is amazed by you. Be grateful for work that matters. And stay courageous enough to challenge what is possible.
Beyond titles and roles
What made these three days special was who was in the room. Everyone played, learned, sang and ate together as one family.
“We really enjoyed ourselves. The fun was overwhelming at times. The gathering brought everyone together, beyond titles and roles.” Carol, Cleaner
“We met new people, experienced togetherness and found one voice. Seeing our leadership play with us made it even more special. I’m proud to be part of the 2027 mission.” Thandiswa Mnisi, Presenter at GWF’s BlueHazyFM
“Since it was my first time attending the gathering, I learnt a lot, gained knowledge, met new people and got acquainted with everyone. It showed me that GWF is not only about education; it can be a lot of fun too. I can’t wait for next year!” Donald, Driver
For the team who planned it all, the joy in the room was the reward.
“What stood out for me was being part of a team that translated a vision into such a remarkable experience. Seeing everything come together so seamlessly, and witnessing the joy it brought, was priceless.” Jabu, HR Manager
Carrying it home
Our teams are now back on their campuses and in their communities, carrying this energy into every classroom, every lesson and every conversation. As Kate reminded us, our greatest strength has always been our people. In 2027, we will keep growing together.
Thank you to every person who planned, hosted, cooked, sang, served and showed up.
Thank you, Pink Family.
