Halala! Let’s extend a warm and joyous GWF welcome to our new UK board trustees

All of us at Good Work Foundation (GWF) are delighted to officially welcome Dominic and Camille Burrows and Mosidi Modise as the three trustees of GWF UK – our new fundraising arm focusing on the United Kingdom and Europe. Siyani amukela!

All three are no strangers to GWF, having forged close bonds with us and our students over the course of several years. They all embody the spirit of philanthropy and bring not only excellent networks and sound business acumen to their roles, but also the dedication required to boost GWF’s international fundraising efforts to make education more accessible and impactful for the youth of rural South Africa.

Husband and wife Dominic and Camille’s connection with GWF began in the early 2000s when Dominic met GWF founder Kate Groch during a sabbatical in South Africa. It’s a bond that’s only grown stronger over the years.

Dominic recalls, “I wanted a break from my business in 2003 and Angela Groch, who was my executive assistant at the time, jumped in and said, ’If you’re taking a few months off, you’ve got to go to South Africa and meet my sister Kate ...’” And that started the ball rolling.

Dominic soon found himself in South Africa’s Free State province, rolling up his sleeves and pitching in to help build a preschool in the far-flung Karoo town of Philippolis, along with Kate and a group of community volunteers – which laid the foundation for what is today GWF’s Philippolis Digital Learning Campus and GWF’s five other campuses in Mpumalanga. 

It wasn’t long before Camille also flew out to sprinkle her own fairy dust over the fledgling GWF to help it find its feet and grow – and even their children have not been able to resist being drawn into the GWF magic!

Since then, their involvement has evolved from providing advice and hands-on support to officially joining GWF’s leadership team. As close friends and passionate advocates of the work we do, GWF is thrilled that Dominic has agreed to be the chairman of the newly constituted GWF UK board and Camille a trustee.

Dominic believes that education is the key to helping people step out of poverty and tap into the digital advancements of our times. “I’m 100% certain that digital education is the way to improve the lives of not just children, but also teenagers and adults throughout the age range, empowering them to develop and fulfil their potential,” he says. “So that’s why Camille and I are very passionate about it. Kate’s journey and mission are not only inspiring but also incredibly logical, using education and leveraging the technology at our fingertips to empower others.”

He says the goal of GWF UK is to build a stable and trusting relationship with UK and European corporations that can contribute financially and through knowledge exchange. “Kate has built an enormous network of contributors, but finding that much money each year [to sustain GWF's operations] is a real grind,” Dominic says – which is where the new UK board’s role comes in.

Mosidi Modise, who serves on GWF’s South African board, has been instrumental in guiding the foundation’s expansion and strategic direction. Now, with the addition of her new role as GWF UK trustee, she brings a critical on-the-ground presence in London and Dublin that will aid in diversifying and strengthening GWF’s fundraising efforts in the UK and Europe.

Mosidi’s deep connection with GWF’s mission and her professional background in sustainable business practices have helped expand GWF’s horizons – and her involvement has only served to deepen her passion for philanthropy. She says it is “an amazing privilege” to sit on the GWF board. “It’s an organisation that’s truly transforming the economic trajectory of marginalised communities in South Africa.”

Having consulted for the likes of investment management company Allan Gray, she has seen corporate philanthropy in action first-hand. The time is ripe to tap into international fundraising opportunities, she believes, because companies are increasingly investing in social impact ventures to meet their environmental, social and governance targets, while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

A highlight of Mosidi’s involvement with GWF was our 10-year anniversary celebration at our Hazyview campus in 2022. It left a profound impression on her, she says.

“I got to spend time at the campus and it was such a euphoric moment – being in a room full of people who’ve been there as students since day one and now, 10 years on, several are still involved with GWF [as facilitators and in other roles],” she recalls. “I was asking some of them: What makes you love GWF so much? They told me that GWF is like a family, and it’s an example of true community-building.”

Mosidi envisions a more digitised future for the foundation, including the establishment of a virtual campus. “Yes, the magic of GWF is being on the ground on campus, but making that scalable will require significant investment. Although it’s hard to package the spirit and enthusiasm of the people on the ground at GWF, I do believe that technology can help us capture that magic.

“As we move into a world where immersive learning becomes more prevalent, I would like to see how GWF can embrace innovative technologies and broaden the reach of its successful model of digitised rural learning – even beyond South African shores.”

With dedicated individuals such as Dom, Cami and Mosidi playing a hands-on role in shaping a future where education and technology converge to uplift communities, GWF is not just dreaming of a better future for South Africa’s youth – it’s actively building it.