Reaffirming a shared commitment to sustainable social and inclusive development, Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa (LSFGFSA) celebrate the graduation of the fourth cohort of the Incubation Hub programme. The milestone reflects the solid partnership between MBSA and Laureus, which strengthens South Africa’s social development ecosystem by equipping non-profit organisations (NPOs) with the skills and technical capabilities required to assist them in delivering impact and be funding ready.
Since its inception in 2022, the Incubation Hub has onboarded 50 non-profit organisations into an intensive four-month skills development journey. This year’s graduation ceremony celebrates twenty exceptional non-profit organisations that completed a comprehensive training programme covering key areas such as organisational strategy, governance, child safeguarding and vetting, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, online learning modules, mentorship, access to networks, and other critical components of effective NPO management.
In 2024 the Incubation Hub expanded its footprint to Gauteng, complementing its presence in the Eastern Cape and aligning with Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s key operational regions. The inclusion of Gauteng has continued with the fourth cohort, ensuring that the programme meaningfully supports organisations across both MBSA’s footprint locations with a unified goal of advancing sustainable community development.
The fourth cohort also marked a significant milestone in the programme’s evolution. For the first time, the Incubation Hub welcomed disability-focused organisations, further reinforcing Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s commitment to inclusive development and equitable access to opportunity. Complementing this progress, the inaugural Hub Summit, held ahead of the graduation ceremony, brought together alumni from Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration and peer-driven organisational growth.
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Thato Mntambo, Head of Corporate Affairs, Mercedes-Benz South Africa, commented:
“Mercedes-Benz South Africa is a responsible corporate citizen; we acknowledge that we cannot tackle underdevelopment on our own and are proud to have partnered with Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa through the Incubation Hub. We recognise that through collaboration we empower the drivers of change in communities and make our impact scalable.”
As Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa deepen their shared commitment to building resilient and inclusive communities, the Incubation Hub remains a cornerstone of their long-term vision to strengthen the social sector ecosystem and enabling organisations to convert socio-economic challenges into sustainable development opportunity and measurable impact.
Commenting on the Incubation Hub, Marlene Coetzee, CEO of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa, said:
“The Incubation Hub is a powerful example of what can be achieved when corporate and civil society partners align around a shared purpose. Through our partnership with Mercedes-Benz South Africa, we are not only strengthening individual organisations but also contributing to a more resilient and accountable social development sector. By equipping NGOs with the tools, governance frameworks and strategic clarity required to become funding ready, we are ensuring that their impact is sustainable, scalable and deeply rooted in the communities they serve.”
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