Marion is the Director, having previously worked as Breadline Africa’s Group Marketing Executive in 2014. She has specialist skills in marketing, eCommerce and large scale programme management as well as extensive experience in the corporate world where she headed major global projects in a 20-year career with Shell International.

Marion has a BA.Hons degree as well as a Diplom Betriebswirtschaft (Degree in Business Administration) and MBA from Heriot Watt University. Her compassion has led her to roles in the NGO sector including Chief Operating Officer at Umthombo Wesizwe, followed by a Deputy Director position at African Solutions to African Problems in Cape Town. She is passionate about her civic responsibility and is a previous chairman of the Muizenberg Improvement District; volunteered with the Homestead Street Children’s Project; a former Neighbourhood Watch committee member and volunteered for five years as wildfire fighter with the Volunteer Wildfire Services. She is also an outdoor junkie and has run more than 50 marathons including 11 at ultra-distance and completed the Enduroman team challenge which included relay swimming the Channel.

Jaco joined Breadline Africa in 2018 as head of Finance. He has 8 years of corporate experience and expertise in corporate finance, governance, empowerment, business development and management. Jaco has a BAcc degree from Stellenbosch University and a BComp (Hons) from UNISA. He successfully completed his auditing articles at Baker Tilly Greenwoods, Cape Town.

Jaco is passionate about his civil society roles: he is the current vice chairman of Hope Street (a Cape Town-based NGO that works within the homeless community to build bonds with the community and to assist in connecting with viable employment opportunities). He is also an avid volunteer at numerous animal welfare charities. A keen sportsman, Jaco has completed more than 5 warriors OCR races and has participated in multiple trail running races. In 2016, he even participated in a charity boxing fight (which he won) to raise funds for the Peninsula School Feeding Association.

Lene has more than 20 years’ experience working across Africa in the not-for-profit world. She has served as a strategic leader for a medium-sized and a large public health organisation, one focused on child eye health and another one on HIV prevention. She has managed multi-country operations and worked across organisational levels and departments.

Lene thrives in an environment where she can nurture relationships with a diversity of donors, government officials, partner institutions, diplomats, representatives of UN organisations and other key players relevant to the vision of the organisation she works for.

Lene is driven by impact and locally relevant innovation that pushes individuals, communities, and financiers to co-create and deliver for tomorrow what they believe is unimaginable. She believes in enabling all players to contribute to reduce the impact of what hampers our ability to optimise a better future.

Inspired by her vision to solve everyday challenges by bringing the best and most pioneering minds and sectors together, Lene co-founded a social innovations catalyst, Creativity Will Save Us, in 2021 and she continues to serve on the Board of Directors.

Lene’s experience of good governance, strategy and operational excellence adds depth and diversity and makes her a champion of strategic collaboration.

In her spare time, Lene enjoys time in nature with her family, usually where it is quiet and peaceful. She also likes to occasionally travel out of the country, including to Norway, where she grew up.

Selina moved to Breadline Africa in 2004 from Isonka Trust, the administrative arm of Breadline Africa. Selina refers to the NGO sector as “the place where she truly belongs” and she is extremely passionate about the work that Breadline Africa does in under-resourced communities. She has extensive marketing experience and is determined to use her skills to contribute to the greater good.

Selina is very family orientated and spends her free time with her family, “doing things her children love”. She is committed to raising children who are committed to doing good things for others.

Adrian Kearns has over 15 years of experience in project and programme management. He began his career as an admissions clerk at Hanover Park Community Health Centre, in his hometown, and spent 15 years working across all three spheres of government in South Africa. Adrian has held various leadership roles, including Assistant Director and Head of Department.

He holds two degrees, one in Public Management and another in Project Management. Adrian is passionate about working with youth and engaging in human-facing projects. Among his notable achievements are project managing two internationally recognised data portals, Vulekamali and Municipal Money, both commissioned by the National Treasury of South Africa. He has also consulted for various national and international NPOs, as well as government institutions in South Africa.

Born and raised in the Eastern Cape and now residing in Cape Town, Warren joined Breadline Africa in January 2024 as the Head of Strategic Partnerships. In this role, he is responsible for managing partnerships, driving new business development, and advocating for the organization. Another significant aspect of his work involves leading the Pit Toilet Campaign, where he collaborates closely with our Director, Marion. Warren brings with him 16 years of experience from a multinational corporation. He is an alumnus of Grey High School and has pursued his studies at Nelson Mandela University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and UNISA.

Outside of his professional life, Warren enjoys a good braai and even appeared on The Ultimate Braai Master Season 8. He loves traveling with his wife, Tlangelani, whether abroad or simply embarking on a Sho’t Left adventure in South Africa, where they can experience new cultures and traditions. Warren is also an avid lawn bowler, despite being one of the younger members. When not engaged in these activities, you’ll likely find him watching sports—any sports.

Mette, with 15+ years of entrepreneurship and 6 years in marketing at the London Stock Exchange Group, now heads up Breadline Africa’s marketing. Born in Denmark, she’s called Cape Town home for 12 years, drawn to its vibrant culture.

Beyond work, Mette cherishes time with her adult children and family, travelling, and strolls the beach with her dog. Yoga and Pilates fuel her spirit. Her journey from entrepreneurship to corporate marketing reflects her mission: to impact lives, one child at a time.

Nonjabulo is a dedicated social impact professional specializing in research, monitoring, evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and impact reporting. Passionate about driving positive change in communities, she effectively applies her multidisciplinary skills to align with international standards, aiding organizations in understanding their social and environmental impact. With experience in conducting social impact studies using methodologies like Social Return on Investment (SROI), Nonjabulo holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Geography & Environmental Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently pursuing her BSc Honours in Environmental Science part-time at the University of South Africa. Active in Climate Action initiatives at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, she is a proactive learner with interests in public speaking and sustainable development.

Janine joined Breadline Africa as the National Business Development Manager in June 2021. With many years of experience managing high-profile exhibition stands and trade show infrastructure – a sector badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic – Janine very quickly found herself shifting gears and instinctively changed direction by using her broad skill set and high energy to positively influence the lives of others in her local community and beyond.

As an effective relationship builder, Janine thrives on developing relationships that foster significant collaborations to support community development. In her free time, Janine loves to explore all that Cape Town has to offer with her family and friends!

Kim joined the Breadline Africa team as a digital marketing specialist in 2019. She thrives on developing and enhancing digital marketing campaigns and growing digital channels to drive and grow business. She enjoys the creative side of digital marketing adventures and has demonstrated successful results in planning and executing digital marketing campaigns in various business sectors. Kim takes an in-depth, hands-on approach to new social business technology and is invested in implementing new and creative digital marketing strategies at Breadline Africa.

An avid cyclist, she considers herself a slightly serious rider but is keen on most outdoor experiences. She spends most of her free time armed with a camera, capturing life through the lens while diving into new adventures.

Johan joined Breadline Africa in May 2020 as the Marketing Manager following nearly ten years at Media24 where he gained valuable experience in digital and print subscription marketing and business development. Johan studied advertising at AAA School of Advertising, a Post Graduate Diploma in Enterprise Management at UCT and he earned an MBA degree from UCT’s Graduate School of Business.

Johan is an avid woodworker and loves nothing more than hiking in the great outdoors and discovering wide open spaces. Johan is married and has a young daughter that keeps him exceptionally busy building treehouses and doll furniture.

Cleon joined Breadline Africa in 2007 as a Junior Marketing Assistant. She has since obtained a Marketing degree and is currently a valuable member of our Marketing Team. Cleon is responsible for Breadline Africa’s extensive Direct Mail Programme which spans South Africa, Ireland, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. She is the proud mother of two young girls and is very enthusiastic about her contribution to community development.

Debbie works as Breadline Africa’s financial administrator. Her drive for meaningful work led her to the organisation in 2002. She has extensive experience of the non-profit sector and has worked in all departments at Breadline Africa in one form or another, gaining not only valuable insight into all aspects of the organisation but also building a reputation as Breadline Africa’s institutional memory centre.

When not in front of a computer, you will find Debbie painting or exercising her considerable creative talent in one way or another.

Gail joined Breadline Africa in 2009 as Allocations Assistant and is now an important member of our Programmes Team. She previously worked at Grow Peace in Africa, a non-profit organisation, where she managed the office and administration. Currently, she engages on a daily basis with Breadline Africa’s beneficiary organisations. This feeds Gail’s passion for working with people at grass-roots level who run inspiring projects in their communities.

Gail believes that the community is her university. When she’s not in the office, she loves a good run, hates a messy room and can do a mean push-up. Working at Breadline Africa has taught her that “all of us can and should contribute to the humanitarian effort needed in our societies”.

Graeme studied Architecture at the University of Natal and worked at various architectural firms for a few years before realising that his passion lies in Construction Project Management and Property Management. He then added a Project Management Diploma to his C.V. Graeme managed a multi-million rand property portfolio in Cape Town for a foreign investor, where he held the position of CEO for nearly 28 years.

Graeme joined Breadline Africa in 2016, bringing a wealth of hands-on construction/project management experience with him. Graeme plays golf when time allows, is married to Wendy and has two adult sons.

Jodie joined the Breadline Africa team in 2023 as our Technical Field Manager, bringing with him a decade of invaluable experience spanning both the public and private sectors. With a proven track record of implementing and overseeing successful project builds, particularly in the realms of education and healthcare, Jodie possesses extensive expertise in alternative building methodologies. From the initial stages of design to the final installation, he is well-versed in all aspects of the process, including manufacturing and site establishment.

Having attained South African colours in BMX and represented his country on the global stage, he has spent 15 years competing at a national level across various terrains. With extreme sports ingrained in his lifestyle from an early age, Jodie now channels his adventurous spirit into pursuits such as fishing, travel, and contributing to outreach programs both locally and internationally.

Nyaradzo, our MERL Specialist since February 2024, brings over a decade of expertise in socio-economic development gained from her diverse experience with organizations in South Africa. With a keen focus on Impact Measurement and Management, Nyaradzo is driven by the imperative question of “so what?”, ensuring that every resource invested yields tangible outcomes.

Her comprehensive background spans various sectors including public health, job creation, community care, gender-based violence, and financial inclusion and education. Nyaradzo holds a Master of Development Studies (Cum Laude) from the University of the Free State and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education at the University of Witwatersrand.

Passionate about leveraging education to uplift disadvantaged communities, Nyaradzo is deeply committed to improving livelihoods and quality of life. Outside of work, she enjoys indulging in motivational literature, movies, and exploring nature through hiking.

Yazid joined the Breadline Africa team in 2024 as a Maintenance Contracts Quantity Surveyor. He brings with him 10 years of experience in roles such as Construction Manager and Quantity Surveyor, working on both government and private sector projects, as well as 11 years of writing manufacturer detail specifications. Yazid holds a National Diploma in Construction and a BTech in Quantity Surveying.

Outside of his professional life, Yazid enjoys spending time with his family, fishing as a weekend warrior angler, and supporting Liverpool, the Stormers, and the Springboks. As a father of four, he is excited to be part of an organisation that provides safety and dignity to young children.