Full Circle: Reflections on Six Years with GSGC

A Different Kind of Development

It was early 2020, after more than 15 years working in the responsible travel, safari, conservation and community development sectors across Southern Africa, that I joined GS Giving Circle. From my first meeting, when Founder Priscilla Plummer spoke about addressing root causes rather than symptoms, I recognised a depth I hadn’t often encountered in the development world. Too many projects attempt to fix visible problems without investing in the long-term relational work required for real change. GSGC was doing the opposite.

Through a conservation lens, I’ve  understood that environmental sustainability and human empowerment are interconnected. After completing postgraduate studies in Biomimicry and Ecological Design Thinking, I had become increasingly aware that empowering women and girls is not only a matter of justice it is also a long-term ecological strategy. As the great Sir David Attenborough has noted, where women have education and agency, environmental pressures ease. Over time, I saw firsthand how mentoring girls and young people living alongside wildlife areas could create ripple effects far beyond what I had previously seen.

Seeing Mentorship in Action

In 2021, once COVID travel restrictions were lifted, I travelled to Victoria Falls to manage the filming of GSGC’s first professionally produced video, . Getting to know Mentor Procedure Chikosi and her story deepened my understanding of the model.

Mentorship, at its core, is simple but powerful: local adults consistently walking alongside young people with patience, belief and steady encouragement. It is not rushed. It is relational.

Spending time with mentors and young people in Zimbabwe and Zambia shifted my perspective. This was not just education; it was nurturing confidence, resilience and leadership. I saw many examples of young lives being shaped through steady, long-term investment.

What struck me equally was the bottom-up nature of the organisation. Relationships have been built slowly and intentionally. That kind of relational development — both on the ground and within the global supporter community — is rare in international development.

Stories That Stay With You

Over six years, I had the privilege of watching young people’s stories unfold in real time.

I’ll never forget arriving at Sisonke Boys & Girls Clubs in 2021 and being enthusiastically approached by a 14-year-old Nqobile, eager to show me his filled with visions and goals for his future. Now, years later, seeing him participate in donor conference calls as a confident member of the iTHUBA Alumni Club has been deeply moving.

Ratidzai’s journey is another I was honoured to help share. From a shy member of Girls Time Club in Victoria Falls to winning an international scholarship to study abroad — and now contributing to the organisation herself — her story reflects the long arc of mentorship. Handing over some of my communications responsibilities to her was a meaningful full-circle moment.

These stories remind me that change rarely happens in dramatic bursts. It unfolds steadily, through consistent encouragement and opportunity.

Looking Ahead

As I step away after six years, I do so with gratitude. The heart of GSGC has always been its mentors and young people, supported by a dedicated team and global community who care deeply about long-term change.

The future feels bright. Young people are stepping into alumni and leadership spaces. Mentors continue to grow in confidence and capacity. The next chapter is already unfolding.

I remain grateful to have been part of this journey, and I look forward to remaining part of the global community, supporting and watching it continue to shine.

I’ll leave with lines from a collective poem curated by Dear Tomorrow (USA) and Climate Lounge in Cape Town, South Africa:

Written by Devon Concar