About us

In 2000, Monique Strydom survived a harrowing four-month hostage ordeal at the hands of Al-Qaeda terrorists in the Philippines. On the morning of her release, she made a life-changing vow to dedicate her future to helping those in need. This commitment took shape in 2002 following the horrific rape of Baby Tshepang, when Monique founded Matla A Bana – A Voice Against Child Abuse, formerly known as the Callie and Monique Trust. She was also appointed to chair a national task team investigating child rape in South Africa, where her work exposed a critical gap: the lack of immediate support for child victims in the crucial hours following sexual abuse. Since its founding, Matla A Bana has grown into an award-winning organisation with national impact, working closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Alice Pretorius is a South African art gallery owner and entrepreneur best known as the founder of Alice Art Gallery. She established the gallery in 1990 in Ruimsig, and it has since grown into one of Africa’s largest privately owned art galleries, showcasing thousands of works by leading South African artists. Before opening the gallery, she had a background in computer science and business, later moving into framing and art sales.She has been recognised as a top business executive by winning the South Africa Business Woman of the Year award.

With a background as a social worker, fundraising specialist, NGO manager, and business entrepreneur, Annora Mostert has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by NGOs in South Africa. She is best known as the founder of Casual Day South Africa, a highly successful fundraising initiative that generates millions in support of people with disabilities. After transitioning from the NGO sector, she established a starch manufacturing business with a strong focus on job creation, and later launched her own retail brand, Anja’s Banting Pantry. She recently retired as Chairperson of the Board of Badisa West Coast.

Corné Davis is an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Strategic Communication at the University of Johannesburg. She teaches strategic communication and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, with presentations at both national and international conferences. Her research focuses on gender-based violence (GBV) as a global sustainability challenge. She collaborates with the Shared Value Africa Initiative on advancing multi-sector partnerships for GBV prevention and intervention in South Africa’s private sector. She also serves on Pillar Six of the Presidency’s National Strategic Plan on GBV, contributing to research and information management.

Adv. Veerash Srikison is the founder of Fair Practice, based in Johannesburg, and serves as the South African representative for ADR ODR International (AOI). She is a Harvard-trained mediator and negotiator, and a cum laude graduate of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA) in alternative dispute resolution. She holds an LLM from the University of Pretoria, graduating with distinction for her dissertation on mediation in family law. In addition, she is an internationally accredited civil and commercial mediator and negotiator through CEDR (UK) and AOI (UK).Adv. Srikison is a respected media speaker who advocates for peaceful conflict resolution and the empowerment of vulnerable individuals. She also serves as lead trainer for both Fair Practice and AFSA, specialising in mediation and negotiation skills.

Esmé works with a wide range of organisations, from blue-chip corporations to newly listed companies across various industries. Recognised in Maverick Magazine’s Portfolio of Coaches as a “visible conscience,” she supports executives in unlocking their passion and realising their full potential. Her areas of expertise also include facilitating strategic planning and leading large-group change interventions. She holds an M.Com in Human Resource Management (RAU), a postgraduate diploma in Strategic Marketing (Unisa), and a B.Com (Hons) in Industrial Psychology (RAU).

Ndaba is an ordained Baptist minister and serves as Associate Pastor of Community at Rosebank Union Church in Johannesburg. He has held several prominent leadership roles, including Chair of the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), President of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA), and Principal of ICBM College. He has been a member of the Mission Aviation Fellowship International (MAFI) Board since 2016, and also serves as a Council Member of The Gospel Coalition Africa (TGC-A). In addition, he is a Research Fellow at the Olivet Institute for Global Strategic Studies (OIGSS), based in San Francisco, USA. Ndaba has participated in numerous forums and church gatherings, where he addresses and advocates for issues of justice, compassion, and righteousness.

Monique Strydom is widely known for surviving a kidnapping and hostage experience at the hands of an Al Qaeda group. Following her release, she dedicated her life to helping others in need. She went on to host her own television programmes as well as a travel radio show.She is the co-author of Shooting the Moon and the author of Vrygekoop, both of which became bestsellers. Her work and impact have earned her numerous accolades, including the Press Club Newsmaker of the Year Award, the Rotary International Paul Harris Award, the Lions International Hero of the Year Award, and the White Ribbon Award. She was also a finalist in the Sunday Times Johnny Walker Nation’s Greatest Hero Award. And was recently a finalist in the Santam Woman of the Future Awards.