For organisations working to address inequality, international partnerships can provide more than just financial support. They can bring new perspectives, expertise and networks that strengthen programmes on the ground, while connecting communities that may be (literal) worlds apart.
For The Love Trust, a South African faith-based organisation working across the education sector, its growing network of international supporters has become an important part of the broader approach to creating opportunities.
While international donors have supported the organisation for many years, its relationships with international trusts and foundations have grown more significantly since 2023. Today, these partnerships span countries including France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States.
For Mmatsie Motimele, Fundraising Team Leader, the value of these relationships lies in their collective contribution. “Individual international donors are often motivated by the opportunity to create lasting, measurable change,” she says. “They recognise that education is one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of poverty and inequality.”
This is particularly relevant in communities where access to quality education remains unequal. The Love Trust’s work extends from early childhood development and schooling through to teacher development, reflecting an understanding that education can influence far more than one individual.
At their Nokuphila School in Thembisa, this includes supporting children from Grade 000 to Grade 9, alongside programmes that address some of the barriers that can prevent children from fully participating in education. These include nutrition, transport, and psychosocial support.
The organisation also invests in the adults who educate young children. Through its Nokuphila Teacher Training Academy (NTTA) in Johannesburg and teacher training centres around the country, educators are equipped with skills they can apply throughout their careers. This model maximises impact well beyond a single classroom and across the country.
“One teacher impacts on average 20 learners a day,” says Motimele. “Over time, it creates a large ripple effect.”
That multiplier effect is central to understanding why education remains such a powerful focus for international philanthropy. Educating one child can influence future employment opportunities and the ability to contribute to their family and community. Equipping a teacher, meanwhile, can influence hundreds of learners over the course of a career.
But the relationship between international supporters and local organisations is not simply one of funding flowing in one direction. Some international partners have contributed expertise, strategic thinking, and access to networks.
A school in France, for example, regularly exchanges letters with learners at Nokuphila, creating opportunities for children to form friendships and learn about lives beyond their own borders. Another international partner has supported research and development of a digital dashboard to track the success of their internship programme.
These partnerships can also challenge local organisations to reconsider assumptions that may otherwise go unquestioned. Motimele points to transport as one example. While reliable public transport may be taken for granted in some countries, international partners have questioned the need for a dedicated transport programme in Thembisa. Explaining these differences can lead to deeper conversations about the realities facing our learners in South Africa.
Building these relationships requires great communication. Different countries have different fundraising cultures, expectations, and reporting requirements. For The Love Trust, consistent and transparent reporting is critical to maintaining relationships with supporters who can’t easily visit the projects they fund.
“Reporting is so important,” says Motimele. “Providing reports of the impact that they’re making is critical to what we do.”
The organisation has deliberately diversified its funding rather than relying on a single major benefactor. Motimele says this diversity provides greater sustainability in a funding environment where donor interests and priorities can change.
The impact of these partnerships is measured not only by the amount of money raised, but by the opportunities that investment makes possible.
“Education creates opportunities that expand across generations,” says Motimele.
A child gaining access to quality education can change the trajectory of a family. A teacher gaining the skills to educate young children can influence generations of learners. And an international supporter who contributes funding, expertise or a connection can become part of that wider chain of opportunity.
Beyond funding, true international philanthropy is defined by the collaborative bonds built, the ideas shared, and the long-term potential unlocked in local communities.
The Stats: The Love Trust’s international donor network
- 79% of its international donor base comprises individual donors.
- Some international support comes from community-driven initiatives, where individuals raise funds through activities such as book sales and fundraising events.
- International donors have collectively contributed R11,768,875.86 to date.