{"id":3560,"date":"2026-10-01T09:03:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T09:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/?p=3560"},"modified":"2026-10-01T16:09:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T16:09:29","slug":"message-from-the-executive-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/2026\/10\/01\/message-from-the-executive-director\/","title":{"rendered":"Message from the Executive Director for the 2025\/26 Integrated Report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Wiseman<\/figure>
\n

As I reflect on 2025, I do so with deep gratitude, humility, and hope. This year marked my first full year serving as Executive Director of Outreach Foundation following the remarkable leadership of Mr Robert Michel. For more than 8 years, Robert helped shape Outreach Foundation into the trusted and respected organisation it is today. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n


Stepping into this role carried both privilege and responsibility. While leadership transitions often bring uncertainty, I was fortunate to inherit an organisation with strong foundations. \u00a0I am grateful to the committed staff, supportive partners and a Board of Trustees that remained steadfast throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At programme level, we continued to support vulnerable communities through psychosocial services, legal assistance, skills development, youth empowerment, and community engagement. Across our offices, thousands of individuals accessed counselling, legal support, training opportunities, and educational programmes that contributed to improved livelihoods and greater social inclusion. A highlight of the year was the continued growth of our work in Mpumalanga. What began as a smaller intervention has developed into a significant programme area. We were encouraged by the strengthening of our partnership with Terre des Hommes and the commencement of a new multi-year commitment supporting work in the province. This investment reflects confidence in both the programme and the communities we serve. It creates opportunities for deeper and longer-term impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Outreach Foundation was not directly funded through United States government programmes, the effects of global funding shifts and the withdrawal of certain US-supported initiatives were felt across the sector. Several partners experienced funding reductions, including programmes that indirectly supported our work. These changes required us to adjust planning assumptions, reassess priorities, and find alternative ways to sustain important activities. Internally, staff transitions in key positions also tested our adaptability and highlighted the importance of strong systems, compliance and succession planning. While these moments were not without difficulty, they provided valuable lessons that have strengthened the organisation and positioned us for future growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these pressures, we were encouraged by the continued commitment of our long-standing funders and supporters. We remain deeply grateful to Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Lower Saxony (ELM), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Terre des Hommes (TDH), Brot f\u00fcr die Welt, The Hermann Ohlthaver Trust, the Department of Social Development, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Alliance Fran\u00e7aise, Gold Youth Employment Accelerator, Save the Children, The Learning Trust, and many other partners who stood with us throughout the year. Their trust, investment and belief in our mission make our work possible. We are especially grateful for the loyalty shown during a period when many organisations across the sector faced growing uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we look ahead to 2026, our priorities remain clear. We will continue strengthening organisational sustainability, deepening programme quality, expanding strategic partnerships, improving monitoring and evaluation systems, and pursuing innovative approaches that respond to emerging community needs. We are excited about opportunities to grow our sustainable food initiatives, strengthen youth-focused interventions and deepen our presence in underserved communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of this work would be possible without the dedication of our staff, volunteers, Board of Trustees, church partners, community leaders, donors, and beneficiaries. Thank you for walking this journey with us. Together, we continue to demonstrate that meaningful change is possible when communities, partners, and organisations work hand in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we move forward, we do so with confidence, guided by our mission, strengthened by our partnerships and inspired by the resilience and potential of the people we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wiseman Ntuthuko Ngobese<\/strong>
Executive Director
Outreach Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I reflect on 2025, I do so with deep gratitude, humility, and hope. This year marked my first full year serving as Executive Director of Outreach Foundation following the remarkable leadership of Mr Robert Michel. For more than 8 years, Robert helped shape Outreach Foundation into the trusted and respected organisation it is today. Stepping into this role carried … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,198],"tags":[171,30],"class_list":["post-3560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-integrated-report","tag-integrated-report","tag-outreach-foundation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3560"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3671,"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3560\/revisions\/3671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outreachfoundation.co.za\/wpof\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}