By the Chief Strategic Partnership Officer– Regaugetswe Netshiozwe
Good morning SayPro colleagues, valued partners, and fellow South Africans,
Today, we gather in unity and remembrance to celebrate a day that forever transformed our nation — Freedom Day. On this day in 1994, South Africans stood together, side by side, to cast their votes in our first democratic election. That act marked the beginning of a long walk toward justice, equality, and shared opportunity.
But as we commemorate Freedom Day 2025, we are reminded that the journey is not over. The promise of freedom must be renewed — not just through remembrance, but through action, inclusion, and collective effort.
As the Chief Strategic Partnership Officer at SayPro, I believe deeply that freedom cannot be achieved in isolation. It is a shared responsibility. A national mission. A vision that demands collaboration across sectors, institutions, and communities.
At SayPro, we understand that partnerships are powerful tools for transformation. Every collaboration we build is a bridge — a bridge to opportunity, to innovation, to resources, and ultimately, to a more free and equitable South Africa.
This Freedom Day, I want to speak to three ways that strategic partnerships drive real freedom:
1. Freedom Means Access — and Partnerships Create Access
Whether it’s access to education, employment, funding, or skills — partnerships help us open doors that young people can walk through. Together with government, corporates, NGOs, and academia, we are building pathways for youth to thrive.
2. Freedom Requires Scale — and Partnerships Create Scale
No organisation can do it alone. When we align with others who share our values, we multiply our impact. What starts as a pilot becomes a programme. What begins in one region becomes a national movement. That is the power of unity.
3. Freedom Must Be Inclusive — and Partnerships Must Be Purposeful
We must be intentional about who we partner with, why we partner, and who benefits. Every partnership must centre the voices and needs of South Africa’s youth — especially those from disadvantaged and marginalised communities.
Colleagues and friends, Freedom Day is not just about looking back. It’s about looking forward — and building together.
To our partners: thank you for walking this journey with us.
To our funders and supporters: thank you for believing in the power of youth.
To our communities: thank you for your trust and collaboration.
And to the young people of South Africa: you are the reason we partner, the reason we build, and the reason we never give up.
At SayPro, we commit to forging partnerships that don’t just sound good — they do good. Partnerships that are grounded in justice, fuelled by purpose, and driven by the vision of a country where every young person can rise, lead, and live free.
May we honour the spirit of Freedom Day by working not just in our own silos, but side by side — across sectors, across divides, and across the country.
Because freedom is a shared responsibility. And its future is in our hands.
Happy Freedom Day. Thank you.
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