Strategy & programme design
Participatory planning, programme frameworks and practical roadmaps that connect a shared ambition to everyday decisions.
Strategy rooted in people
Better systems.
Stronger
communities.
We help organisations turn purpose into practical action, and design the connections that enable communities to shape their own futures.
Connected by design.
People · Organisations · SystemsSouth Africa
Purpose into practiceStrategic planningOrganisational strengtheningMonitoring & evaluationStakeholder engagement
01 / Consulting & advisory
Clarity for the work.
Capacity for the change.
For NGOs, community-based organisations and social-impact partners, good intentions need strong foundations. iThemba connects strategy, people and learning to support work that is focused, coordinated and responsive.
Organisational strengthening
Support for the systems, capabilities and ways of working that help organisations deliver on their purpose.
Monitoring, evaluation & learning
Meaningful outcomes, useful indicators and learning processes that help teams understand progress and adapt their work.
Stakeholder engagement
Thoughtful facilitation and relationship building that bring communities, institutions and delivery partners into the same conversation.
02 / Community Resilience by Design
The iThemba model · In developmentResilience grows
Resilience grows
through connection.
What becomes possible when local knowledge, essential services and community organisations work as a connected system?
Community Resilience by Design is iThemba’s proposed approach to building community-owned resilience. It starts with listening, maps the existing ecosystem and strengthens the relationships that help people access support and opportunity.
Explore a partnership ↗Community
Connectors
Trained local people who understand households, surface community priorities and help connect residents with relevant services and support.
The Resource
Hub
A coordination backbone linking local organisations, specialist expertise and learning, through physical and digital spaces suited to the community.
The Community
Resilience Lab
A structured space to make sense of evidence, design responses together and refine what works, with community priorities guiding the process.
Designed to adapt to local priorities, including GBV prevention and response, youth opportunity, mental health, food security and child protection. Partnerships and pilot opportunities are welcomed.
Our starting point
“Strong communities need connections they can rely on, and a voice in how those connections are built.”
The thinking behind iThemba
03 / About iThemba
Experience across
the ecosystem.
Led by Nada Mxube, iThemba brings experience across corporate social investment, nonprofit organisations, programme development and stakeholder engagement.
Nada’s work spans public health, HIV/AIDS, GBV, education and community development, bringing a practical understanding of both funding environments and community-level delivery.
Our approach is participatory and grounded in systems thinking: understand the context, build on what exists, and help people work together towards clear outcomes.
Community-ledSystems-mindedEvidence-informedPractical by design
Insights / Thinking from practice
A longer view
of lasting change.
Reflections from Nada Mxube on community resilience, organisational capability and the future of social investment.
Explore Insights ↗04 / Start a conversation
What are you
working towards?
Whether you need a clearer strategy, stronger organisational systems or a partner to explore community resilience, let’s start with the challenge you’re trying to solve.
Based in South Africa · Working with organisations and communities