QCT Network members establish connections through the QCT Network hub and then go on to share wisdom and knowledge informally, as is the case with Lesego and Jess in South Africa:
Young Leaders spotlight: Jessica Dewhurst – Founder of the Justice Desk Africa and Lesego Ndhlovu – Co-founder of Marotholi Outreach
The Justice Desk Africa (JDA) is a human rights organisation which empowers everyday people to understand, defend and access their fundamental human rights.
Marotholi Outreach (Marotholi) identifies at-risk children from vulnerable communities with early signs of faltering growth and provides nutritional rehabilitation to them before they progress to established malnutrition.
“Through the QCT Network hub, I realised that Lesego and I were working in the social impact space in South Africa. There is a link between Justice and Malnutrition and JDA was setting up a Justice and Early Childhood Development Project. Lesego’s work in the children’s health sector was vital and after messaging her, we established opportunities where we could work together to impact our communities. We have since undertaken mutually beneficial activities for our organisations. We jointly conducted talks and trainings on malnutrition and its link to children’s rights and justice. I would not have found her without QCT’s Network hub” Jessica Dewhurst
“Jessica and I met through the QCT network and since then, our organisations have jointly hosted panel discussions on malnutrition and its link to justice issues. JDA has been providing Marotholi with safeguarding training and are also helping us develop a child protection policy. Since JDA has been in existence longer than we have, they have been great sounding boards with Jessica often connecting me to resourceful people for my line of work. For example, through her connection, I met the Chairperson of Philani Health, and we are now working towards a national call to petition the South African government for better child and maternal health policies.” Lesego Ndhlovu
