South African rural education non-profit Good Work Foundation (GWF) is excited to announce the appointment of a new board of trustees, led by chairman Dominic Burrows, to spearhead its fundraising efforts in the United Kingdom.
He is joined by fellow trustees Camille Burrows and Mosidi Modise – all long-time friends and associates of the foundation – who have come on board to help GWF ramp up its fundraising efforts in the UK and Europe through a charitable trust. GWF CEO Kate Groch is the fourth trustee of the newly constituted board.
Good Work Foundation UK will join Good Work Foundation US as the non-profit’s international satellite fundraising arms, tasked with raising global awareness of the valuable work GWF does in bringing wonder-filled, digital-led and creativity-fuelled education to rural communities in the Mpumalanga and the Free State provinces in South Africa.
Since GWF UK is formally registered as a charity, donations are eligible for tax relief.
Harnessing the power of networks to unlock support
Dominic has spent nearly three decades in executive recruitment, working with blue-chip clients. As GWF UK chair, he will connect with his vast network of senior business leaders across the UK and Europe. This network, which he refers to as his “little black book”, will be instrumental in driving GWF's fundraising efforts in the region.
“Our aim is to add another fundraising channel to support the important work GWF does in South Africa,” he explains. “We want to bring bigger corporates into the GWF fold to contribute financially, send their staff to South Africa to volunteer at GWF campuses, and enable South African students to travel to the UK to develop their skills.”
Camille Burrows’ business pedigree is equally impressive. She wields considerable influence as a global human resources executive for Warner Bros. Discovery and, having acquired immense experience in navigating global markets, is perfectly positioned to advocate for GWF's mission on an international scale.
Camille and Dominic Burrows share a close bond with GWF that goes back some 20 years. “Our family has become part of the GWF family and we are delighted to now be involved in a more formal capacity as trustees on its UK board,” says Camille. “I am looking forward to reaching out to potential donors to help sustain – and hopefully scale – the GWF model so that it continues to have a lasting, tangible impact on thousands of young lives every year.”
Why having an international footprint matters
Mosidi Modise, the third GWF UK board trustee, also serves as a director on GWF’s South African board. Her professional background is anchored in the financial services sector and management consulting, and she is the founder of Moop, a company specialising in integrated and sustainability reporting for businesses. She also has a passion for social impact projects and is an alumnus of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community.
Mosidi’s appointment as a GWF UK trustee is a significant step towards diversifying and strengthening GWF’s fundraising efforts. Currently living between London and Dublin, she sees Europe as fertile ground for seeking donors and new growth opportunities for the foundation, especially given the continent's increasing focus on sustainability and social good.
“I'm now going to be based on this side full-time, and that serves as an opportunity to be GWF’s feet on the ground in and around the UK and Europe. We’ve seen how having a footprint in the US has helped us diversify our fundraising efforts, so we are hoping to do exactly that in the UK,” she says.
“If we can have as many of us as possible on the ground, understanding the UK’s funding landscape, it’s going to give us an opportunity to reach and meet a lot of people over here – including expatriates – who have an interest in doing good in South Africa.”
Expanding GWF’s fundraising reach to advance rural education
These appointments come at a critical time, with GWF seeking to expand its fundraising capabilities to meet the growing needs of its educational programmes across its six digital learning campuses. The new UK board of trustees plans to leverage the trustees’ networks and influence to attract long-term corporate donations; facilitate staff/student exchanges between Europe and South Africa for mutual learning; and support events like the annual Steadfast Africa charity auction in the UK.
“By adding a fundraising channel in the UK, we aim to significantly contribute to GWF's yearly financial target, allowing it to focus on its core mission of education and skills development,” says Dominic Burrows, adding that the value of digital literacy in a Fourth Industrial Revolution-driven workplace cannot be overstated.
More information: Good Work Foundation
Donate to Good Work Foundation: Donate | Good Work Foundation
Get in touch with GWF’s UK office: dom67burrows@mac.com
