The heartbeat of NGOs: Advocating for frontline workers’ well-being
Inyathelo (The South African Institute for Advancement) urges South African NGOs to focus on “the servant, not just the service” in 2026. The institute celebrated World NGO Day with an event in collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Social Development’s Institutional Capacity Building and Support (ICB) unit in Cape Town recently.
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Instead of focusing solely on institutional survival, the event was designed to protect the "heartbeat of the sector" — the frontline workers and leaders who navigate socio-economic complexities to serve the country’s most vulnerable societies 24/7.
“We have reached a critical reality where the servants of society are often pouring from an empty cup,” said Feryal Domingo, acting executive director of Inyathelo.
“For an organisation to be sustainable, its people must be resilient. This year, we chose to prioritise the servant, not just the service.”
The theme, "NGOs Navigating Complexities in 2026," acknowledged the dual pressure of increased compliance and a tightening resource crisis.
Keynote speaker Malibongwe Nkunkuma of the DG Murray Trust highlighted the staggering emotional and strategic toll these challenges take on NGO workers.
This sentiment was echoed by Professor Eric Atmore of the Centre for Early Childhood Development, who noted that acknowledging the emotional weight of the work is now a matter of sector survival.
The event served as a reminder that the non-profit sector's greatest asset, alongside its infrastructure and its funding, is its people.
By framing World NGO Day to celebrate, commemorate, and collaborate, Inyathelo wants the sector to view its own sustainability through the lens of human dignity and mental well-being.
“Nourishing the souls of our sector’s warriors was an emotional and mental reset that was long overdue,” concluded Domingo.
“If we want our NGOs to lead with impact, we must first ensure they are sustained from within.”