As the festive season approaches, I wanted to share my notes from the past year and let you know about the exciting new pages that will be unfurled in the near future.
Let me start by thanking you for the chapters of the KLM Empowered story we have written together over the last 12 months. I have to say, it’s been a year of heavily juxtaposed emotions. There were moments that literally took my breath away and inspired me with unparalleled awe and delight, and there were moments where I struggled to breathe through the sadness and pain of losing two of my precious tribe members. Yes, in writing our story this year, at times the narrative flowed easily, and the words just poured onto the page, but at times the words were deep-rooted, and they weren’t easy to find or express.
I want to pay tribute to the two warriors that left us this year, Nontombi Ndamase and Elbri Viviers. Dearest Ntombs and Elbs, it was such a privilege to know you, to work with you, and to have you as family members of our Tribe and dear friends. You may not be with us physically, but the pages of our history will always carry your legacy of passion, dedication, and excellence. While our future story will not be literally penned by you, the pages will always be indelibly beautified by the contribution you have made. Rest in peace, dear ones.
I also want to pay tribute to my remarkable KLM Empowered and Knowledge X Change tribe. Our tribal mantra at the moment is When we tribe, we become. Over the last few months, we have most certainly tribed, and we have most certainly become. At the most recent Gender Mainstreaming and Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards, KLM Empowered walked away with three glittering awards in recognition of our commitment to equal representation and participation and mainstreaming gender and disability. I was overwhelmed with pride and gratitude as KLM Empowered was recognised amongst such esteemed company and personally receiving the third winning award on the night for Leadership Commitment to advancing women and people with disabilities in the workplace. What’s more, I’m excited to share that both our KLM Empowered tribe and I are nominated as finalists for the upcoming Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
Creating opportunities, breaking down barriers, and fostering environments where everyone can thrive and contribute fully has become the essence of our story, with many more anecdotes still to be discovered. Together with our esteemed partners, we’re building a future that celebrates diverse strengths, embraces potential, and champions equality—because true progress leaves no one behind.
Talking of progress, hasn’t it been fantastic to be loadshedding-free for the last eight months? It’s hard to believe that we lived with loadshedding on and off for the last 17 years. As South Africans, I truly believe we don’t give ourselves enough credit for our resilience. If I had to write a biography of South Africa, the main theme of the story wouldn’t be her mineral riches or her beautiful landscapes, but rather her friendly, hopeful, and compassionate tribespeople.
I had the opportunity to travel to the US earlier this year, and I was excited to see the world once again after what had been far too long. My travels to the US and to the Caribbean proved unsettling, though, when witnessing the real impact of the Covid storm, which left so much deprivation still visible almost three years on. Long-established institutions and infrastructure are just no longer, and the shops and boutiques along New York’s Fifth and Seventh Avenues stand hauntingly empty. Homeless is everywhere and the suffering of many blatant as they mingle amongst the en mass tourists that at most continue in oblivion The world was definitely shaken as was ours and the imbalances starkly more visible more than before.
I look back on our Covid story and it’s only now that I realise how proud I am of the action that was taken by our President back then. Controversial on some agendas, however, we were ahead of the rest and were, in hindsight, protected. How proud we must stand knowing our scientists discovered the next strain ahead of the following wave. How proud we must stand as a nation that can take our rightful place amongst the world’s leading powers as a vigilant and resilient nation and how we continue to swim upstream no matter the odds.
So, here’s the story I will pass on to anyone who will listen: We are overcomers, we are runners. When we pain, we pain together. And when we are victorious, we celebrate as one. We know we have work to do when it comes to fighting crime, fostering inclusion, and dealing with climate change. But we also know that when we gather as a collective, as a tribe, we can overcome… and we can become.
As my trip came to an end, my love for this country grew even deeper, and I knew…my soul belongs to this land.
While the people of South Africa hold my heart, I have to say that her natural wonders stir my imagination and enkindle deep devotion. This year, I had a profound calling to explore the symbolism and power of the flow of water, the estuaries they create and the expansiveness of the oceans. I have developed a special affinity for the beauty of South Africa’s estuaries. I couldn’t help myself, and literally gobbled up every piece of information about estuaries I could find. And what I uncovered is that estuaries are probably the most diverse habitat on earth. They are a meeting point and melting pot of multitudinous plant and animal species, and a critical transition zone that supports growth, health, and environmental resilience.
The fascinating symbolism of estuaries really ignited my entrepreneurial spirit, and I’m delighted to introduce you to PRO-SOURCE, an outsourced project management partner for People and Business Transformation. The mission of PRO-SOURCE is to build a dynamic and vibrant business ecosystem (like an estuary) that will enable organisations and SMMEs, to access a wide range of services and platforms designed to boost their own balance, strength, and longevity. As a project management powerhouse, PRO-SOURCE aims to allow you to do what you do best while entrusting your People and Business Transformation imperatives to a team of experienced, erudite experts.
PRO-SOURCE is committed to empowering you to build a business model that is more efficient, more effective, and more economically sustainable. We’ve curated a diverse repository of business services that will catalyse innovation and drive execution, feeding your organisation’s productivity, profitability, and prosperity. The PRO-SOURCE portfolio of solutions includes the management and administration of techno driven recruitment, talent management, performance management, bursary funding solutions, and change enablement driven by cutting edge AI systems, supported by teams of experts in their relevant areas of expertise.
To support our PRO-SOURCE solutions, we have partnered with global leader, Ceipal, a software solutions company as the exclusive licenced partner to South Africa, Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, to provide curated AI-powered platforms that will drive intelligent, integrated, scalable human capital management and advance employee engagement and talent acquisition.
The PRO-SOURCE team has also developed the INKONKONI solution, a comprehensive outsourced partnership whereby QCTO and education specialists collaborate with you to develop a QCTO Strategy and identify relevant occupational qualifications for your organisational roles, empower your in-house subject matter experts to facilitate selected occupational qualifications, and establish your organisation as a Host Employer and Assessment Centre for the qualifications that are most important to your talent pipeline.
We’ve chosen to call the solution INKONKONI©, the Isizulu word for wildebeest, to encapsulate the adventurous and optimistic spirit with which we facilitate the big migration to QCTO-based qualifications and initiatives. It also underpins the idea of working together to navigate an exciting yet sometimes perilous odyssey.
I am thrilled with the way my tribe has navigated the QCTO transition. We’ve added so many layers to the KLM Empowered book of occupational certificate accreditations this year that we’ve had to create new volumes…and build volume as well. We have welcomed two new Instructional Designers to the tribe, and they have already made an immense contribution to showcasing KLM Empowered as a skills development partner that stages memorable and impactful learning experiences.
When it comes to impact, I’m absolutely dazzled by how the Knowledge X Change Centre of Leadership Excellence has helped leaders and organisations (including colleges and universities) to craft and breathe life into their tales of transformation. The leadership qualifications, skills programmes, and strategic planning workshops powered by the Knowledge X Change team led by Director, Clayton Lendrum have literally changed the lives of participants, their teams, and their organisations. Almost on a daily basis, leaders who have enjoyed the powerful learning experiences delivered by the Knowledge X Change report on how they’ve been empowered to turn dramas and tragedies into tales of self-discovery and intrepid adventure.
Knowledge X Change has also continued to embed its partnerships with platform providers such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Over the last two years, we have worked with TVET colleges around the country to expose them to the trends that are shaping digital transformation in the education sector and guide them in developing and implementing a digital transformation plan to navigate the digital age. Now, I am happy to report that we’ve recently concluded a collaboration agreement with Huawei to offer a comprehensive EdTech solution that will empower educational institutions to improve their teaching, learning, student management, and institutional performance outcomes.
It has indeed been a year of heady highs and crushing lows, but it has also reminded me of the importance of self-care and soul-nurturing. As wellness takes centre stage, I encourage you to prioritise your tribe and book an exclusive curated experience amongst the magnificent award-winning gardens and curated spaces at INARA, located in the Valley of Life (Val De Vie) in the Cape Winelands. Let’s all make 2025 a year of holistic leading and healing, of experiential learning, and one of deep meaning.
But for now, it’s time to exhale and honour your humanness as you take some time off.
Next year we will be celebrating our 20th year of operation, so upon your return in January, we’ll let you know how we will mark this incredible milestone and what fantasy stories are currently taking shape for publication in our new financial year.
In closing, and on behalf of myself and formidable leaders, Clayton, Portia, Bernice, Susan and Tshepang and the rest of our incredible tribe, please allow me to express our sincerest and heartfelt thanks to you for being an integral part of our story. Your partnership, support, collaboration and friendship have been the greatest gifts we could receive. As we embrace the festive cheer, let’s carry the spirit of optimism and resilience into the coming year. Together, let’s continue to compose the chronicle of “Keep on keeping on and continue to grow greatness together”.
Please note that our offices will be closed from COB on Friday 13 December 2024. The team will be back in the office on Wednesday 8 January 2024.
Warmest wishes for a peaceful, restorative Festive Season to you and your loved ones and Happy Holidays!
Warmest wishes and best regards,
Lyn Mansour
CEO
KLM Empowered | Knowledge X Change
Paving the way for a more inclusive future
Learning for the future unimagined
Celebrating 51% Women-Led Transformation
