Meet the team behind the change

Our consultants bring hands-on experience in community organising, micro-enterprise, and social programme design across South Africa.

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Lead Consultant, Community Strategy

Thandeka Ntuli

Ten years facilitating participatory planning in Cape Town townships. Led the Khayelitsha garden co-op and trained 40 local facilitators.

Programme Director, Youth & Skills

Nadia Morris

Designed the Youth Mentorship & Skills Exchange, reaching 180 young adults. Previously managed a R2m skills fund for the Western Cape government.

Senior Advisor, Local Governance

Hon. Thulani Andrews

Former municipal councillor with 12 years in integrated development planning. Advises on co-operative policy and informal settlement upgrading.

Operations & Partnerships Lead

Jackie Solomon

Built the supply chain for the Enkanini recycling co-op. Manages stakeholder relations with NGOs, businesses, and ward committees.

Research & Impact Analyst

Teboho Carstens

Leads data collection and evaluation for all micro-initiatives. Holds a master’s in development studies from UCT and has published on community asset mapping.

Community impact starts with listening

We are a South African consultancy that works alongside local leaders, residents, and organisations to turn small ideas into lasting change. Our focus is on micro-initiatives, social responsibility programmes, and practical consulting that strengthens communities from the inside out.

We believe real progress happens when people who live in a community drive the solutions. That is why every project we take on begins with conversations, not assumptions. We work in townships, informal settlements, and peri-urban areas across the Western Cape and beyond, helping groups identify their own priorities and build the skills, systems, and partnerships needed to act on them. Our team brings experience in community organising, programme design, and local government liaison. We do not parachute in with pre-packaged plans. Instead, we facilitate, train, and step back so that ownership stays where it belongs — with the community. Whether it is setting up a food garden, launching a recycling co-op, or designing a youth mentorship track, our role is to provide structure without taking over. We work with neighbourhood committees, small NGOs, schools, and socially-minded businesses. If your organisation wants to fund or run a programme that actually reaches people, we help you design it for the local context, not the other way around. Our tone is direct, grounded, and respectful. We do not use jargon. We do not promise quick fixes. We show up, listen, and build from what is already there.

Who we work with

  • Neighbourhood committees and resident associations
  • Small NGOs and community-based organisations
  • Schools and youth groups in under-resourced areas
  • Socially-minded businesses designing local CSI programmes
  • Municipal departments seeking community engagement support

Our story in milestones

From a single conversation to a network of community-led initiatives across South Africa.

First community workshop

We gathered 14 residents in a church hall in Khayelitsha to map local needs. That meeting shaped our entire approach — listening before planning.

2018

Pilot garden launched

With R8,000 in seed funding, we turned a neglected plot into a cooperative vegetable garden. The first harvest fed 30 families and proved the model works.

2019

Formalised as a non-profit

Registered as SmallChangeHelps NPC, we hired our first two staff members and began documenting our methodology for replication.

2020

Youth mentorship pilot

Paired 20 young adults with local professionals. 85% reported increased confidence and 40% secured jobs or internships within three months.

2021

Recycling co-op launched

Co-designed a kerbside sorting scheme with the Enkanini community. Processed 18 tonnes of recyclables in the first year, generating collective income.

2022

Advisory work with municipality

Invited to advise the City of Cape Town on replicating our recycling model. Our toolkit is now used in three other informal settlements.

2023
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