About the Fellowship
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The GreenMatter Fellowship welcomes outstanding graduates, passionate young professionals and experienced leaders from all walks of life. It emphasises camaraderie, community and peer learning, while encouraging individual excellence.
It promotes the view that leadership for biodiversity can and should be evident across sectors, occupations, qualifications and positions. The GreenMatter Fellowship has several unique characteristics. These include: • specifically targeting the priority skills needs of the biodiversity sector, as informed by research; • providing a quality, holistic support package, supplementing financial awards with mentoring, personal and professional development support; and • supporting individuals, but also connecting them to the wider national context. 
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To what does the GreenMatter Fellowship respond?
South Africa's wildlife and natural resources are a precious source of wealth. In addition to its intrinsic value, the country’s biodiversity supports income generation and job creation for communities, and is fundamental to the ecological infrastructure needed to sustain and enhance human well-being and development. Issues such as climate change, ecosystem degradation and resource constraints affecting supplies of food and water, have increased society's desire to safeguard this vital natural capital. In order to achieve these goals, we need a steady flow of the best minds to help sustainably manage our natural resources for the benefit of all South Africans, both present and future generations. Studies have revealed critical skills shortages in the biodiversity sector. South Africa urgently needs to develop highly skilled professionals who are able to play leading roles in conserving, managing and researching the country’s biodiversity. The GreenMatter Fellowship is nested in a systemic programme of aligned initiatives that addresses the critical skills shortages in the biodiversity sector, within the context of broad-based, socio-economic transformation. |
Programme Impact
The GreenMatter Fellowship affords Fellows and Senior Fellows the opportunity to fully engage, through a dynamic community, in tackling biodiversity issues through their study and career paths alongside peers who share in that commitment.
Overall goal: to improve the levels of availability, quality and relevance of biodiversity professional skills, enabling South Africa to effectively manage its natural resources to sustain human well being and development.
Focus: to increase the number of talented, particularly black South Africans attracted to working in the biodiversity sector, providing them with opportunities to advance their skills, expand their networks and influence, thereby opening doors for employment and leadership possibilities.
Developing a consortium of support
This is an ambitious project. Within 10 years we hope to have created a generation of motivated leaders and change agents in the biodiversity sector, able and willing to take on the many challenges facing our country.
We realise that we cannot achieve this vision on our own and are actively seeking partners who share our passion for conservation and the development of talented young South Africans to join the programme consortium.
The GreenMatter Fellowship is implemented through GreenMatter association if partners, tasked with implemneting the National Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy (BHCDS) for South Africa.
The founding partners of the Fellowship are the Lewis Foundation and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), three organisations that share the mission of contributing to the conservation of South Africa’s people and natural heritage.
Other supporters of the Fellowship include the Crossley Trust, in partnership with the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University. The fellowship is also supported by Nedbank Green Trust and the Eyethu Community Trust , and the CATHSSETA, in partnership with Rhodes University. The Fellowship funds are administered by Nedbank Private Wealth.
The Fellowship is seeking to create a consortium of support that will enable GreenMatter Fellows to achieve their potential and serve as true ambassadors of South Africa's natural resources.
To learn more about the GreenMatter Fellowship and how you could be involved, please contact Janavi Da Silva: [email protected] or 011 447 5112. Please also refer to the GreenMatter Fellowship page to view updates and profiles of GreenMatter Fellows.
The GreenMatter Fellowship affords Fellows and Senior Fellows the opportunity to fully engage, through a dynamic community, in tackling biodiversity issues through their study and career paths alongside peers who share in that commitment.
Overall goal: to improve the levels of availability, quality and relevance of biodiversity professional skills, enabling South Africa to effectively manage its natural resources to sustain human well being and development.
Focus: to increase the number of talented, particularly black South Africans attracted to working in the biodiversity sector, providing them with opportunities to advance their skills, expand their networks and influence, thereby opening doors for employment and leadership possibilities.
Developing a consortium of support
This is an ambitious project. Within 10 years we hope to have created a generation of motivated leaders and change agents in the biodiversity sector, able and willing to take on the many challenges facing our country.
We realise that we cannot achieve this vision on our own and are actively seeking partners who share our passion for conservation and the development of talented young South Africans to join the programme consortium.
The GreenMatter Fellowship is implemented through GreenMatter association if partners, tasked with implemneting the National Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy (BHCDS) for South Africa.
The founding partners of the Fellowship are the Lewis Foundation and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), three organisations that share the mission of contributing to the conservation of South Africa’s people and natural heritage.
Other supporters of the Fellowship include the Crossley Trust, in partnership with the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University. The fellowship is also supported by Nedbank Green Trust and the Eyethu Community Trust , and the CATHSSETA, in partnership with Rhodes University. The Fellowship funds are administered by Nedbank Private Wealth.
The Fellowship is seeking to create a consortium of support that will enable GreenMatter Fellows to achieve their potential and serve as true ambassadors of South Africa's natural resources.
To learn more about the GreenMatter Fellowship and how you could be involved, please contact Janavi Da Silva: [email protected] or 011 447 5112. Please also refer to the GreenMatter Fellowship page to view updates and profiles of GreenMatter Fellows.
