Closed Project

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Project Description

The seed for The Health Foundation’s focus on Sexual and Reproductive health was planted by the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in the UK through their R30 million grant funding, towards the pilot roll-out of the programme which is now widely known as Leading Safe Choices. The overall aim was and continues to be the strengthening of sexual and reproductive health services in a number of ways including improved competence and raised standards of family planning professionals in South Africa.

Building on our experience with the Leading Safe Choices programme, the Foundation’s role includes employing and seconding programme staff to the Department and playing a governance and quality assurance role.

Goals/Outcomes

  • Contribute to skills building and mentorship in comprehensive family planning, through training and support systems thereby improving the quality of comprehensive family planning services available.
  • Enable the professionalisation of comprehensive family planning with accreditation and certification systems.
  • Minimizing the isolation and burnout of family planning providers through debriefing and peer support networks.

Through these objectives we aim to address the barriers that prevent the uptake of safe and healthy family planning services in designated health facilities.

With a new donor on board (IPPF), the Foundation is working with the Cape Winelands District to fulfil the rights of women and girls to access safe comprehensive family planning services. All programme implementation is embedded within the Department of Health’s women’s health programme to ensure sustainability and longevity.

Last group of MTOP providers trained for 2020

The last group of MTOP providers trained for 2020

About SAPRIN

SAPRIN is a network of Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) nodes in South Africa, funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). SAPRIN integrates three established HDSS nodes in South Africa, namely, MRC/Wits University Agincourt HDSS in Bushbuckridge District, Mpumalanga (1992); University of Limpopo DIMAMO HDSS in the Capricorn District of Limpopo (1996), and the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) HDSS in uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal (2000), linked to the University of KwaZulu-Natal to create a network of harmonised population-based cohorts for use by the wider research community and national policymakers.

To understand the particular challenges that urban communities face and the impact of rural-urban migration, SAPRIN has started expanding into urban areas. Along with C-SHARP, two other urban nodes have been established in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Zodwa Velleman - The Health Foundation Board Member

Ms Zodwa Velleman

Group Executive: Regulatory and Corporate Affairs

Zodwa Velleman is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa with international experience in litigation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and corporate and commercial law. She completed her articles at Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Africa (NSA) where she later worked as an associate, before joining Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, then ranked as the third-leading law firm in the United States.

She holds a B Juris and LLB from UWC and graduated cum laude from the GIBS Leadership Development Programme. She has also completed a short course in Public Policy at the London School of Economics.

Zodwa enjoys spending time with her family, mentoring young lawyers, and practising pottery.

Prof Lara Fairall

Prof Lara Fairall

Director of the Knowledge Translation Unit

Professor Lara Fairall is the Founding Director of the Knowledge Translation Unit (KTU). She left clinical medicine to join the UCT Lung Institute where she was charged with localising, implementing and evaluating a South African version of the WHO Practical Approach to Lung Health which became PALSA. Lara has led the expansion of PALSA to comprehensive primary healthcare across the life course, and its evolution into PACK. She has also established a partnership with the British Medical Journal (BMJ) to underpin the evidence base of the clinical recommendations made in PACK and to help spread PACK to other low middle-income countries (LMICs).

Lara is passionate about Universal Health Coverage and support for health workers to enable them to connect the communities they serve with the evidence-based care they need.

She is also an honorary Professor in the Department of Medicine at UCT and Professor and Chair in Global Healthcare Delivery at the King’s Global Health Institute at King’s College London.

Dr Japie du Toit

Dr Japie du Toit

Non-Executive Director

Senior Manager of Life Healthcare

Dr du Toit is a medical doctor and business graduate with extensive experience in the public and private health sectors. He has been involved in the Western Cape Department of Health, focusing on central hospital management, budget administration and facilitating public-private partnerships. In the private sector, he has worked as a specialist healthcare advisor at a leading consulting firm and is now with Life Healthcare, a private hospital group in South Africa.
Dr Mandla Moyo

Dr Mandla Moyo

Non-Executive Director

Chief Executive Officer of the Sports Science Institute

Dr Mandla Moyo is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and wellbeing. In addition to his role as Financial Director at National Health Group, he has worked with various healthcare organisations to advance this mission. Dr Moyo brings expertise in risk management, sustainability and governance, backed by 17 years of experience at Ernst & Young, a Big Four global advisory firm, where he served as a partner for 11 years. He has also acted as a strategic advisor to institutions across the public and private health sectors in the Western Cape. As a financial expert, his qualifications and professional memberships include Chartered Accountant (SA), MCom, BCompt [cum laude] (UNISA), Certificate in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). He also holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (Healthcare Management) from Liberty University, Virginia, USA. Mandla enjoys running and spending time outdoors with his family.
Mr Carl Liebenberg

Mr Carl Liebenberg

Non-Executive Director

Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Terayon Capital Partners

Carl Liebenberg has over 25 years of senior-level experience in financial services, spanning international tax, private banking, asset management and corporate finance. He has advised on equity and debt transactions in sub-Saharan Africa in sectors including waste management, retail, media, mining, ICT, financial services, infrastructure, clean energy and agriculture. Carl holds a Bachelor of Business Science degree in Finance and Economics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning from the University of the Free State and an MBA from the University of Cape Town.
Ms Letebele Jones

Ms Letebele Jones

Non-Executive Director

Communications Specialist

Letebele Masemola-Jones is a seasoned communications professional with extensive experience across various sectors, including film and television production, corporate communications in the oil and gas industry, international philanthropy and the legislative arm of the South African state. A global citizen with a diplomatic flair, she has travelled extensively across North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Europe for professional and personal endeavours. These experiences have enabled her to break down communication barriers and successfully navigate diverse environments. Letebele is passionate about the power of communication to build, develop and transform lives across society. Educated in Zambia, the UK, Canada and the United States, she holds a Higher National Diploma, two degrees in Public Administration, Communications, and Film and Video, and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Boston University. Until the end of 2024, she served as the Communications and Engagement Manager for SKAO in South Africa.
Dr Reinder Nauta

Dr Reinder Nauta

Non-Executive Director

Founder and Managing Director of National Health Group

Dr Nauta is a healthcare entrepreneur who pioneered low-income capitation models in South Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from Stellenbosch University and furthered his studies in Primary Health Care Development at Mahidol University in Bangkok. With extensive executive-level experience in the healthcare industry, he currently serves as a director of Akacia Healthcare, a local, independent pharmaceutical manufacturer. Dr Nauta is the founder and former Managing Director of CareCross Health, one of South Africa’s leading GP networks and managed care companies. He is also a past chairman of Occupational Healthcare South Africa (OCSA) and CareWorks, a leading HIV/AIDS management company. Beyond the healthcare industry, Dr Nauta is pursuing a personal dream — managing his guest farm, Stanford Valley, in Overstrand.
Harry Grainger, CEO of The Health Foundation, 2025

Mr Harry Grainger

CEO of The Health Foundation
Harry Grainger is a visionary leader with over 30 years of experience in finance and strategic management. He began his career in accounting, gaining insight and mastering the fundamentals of business operations. This foundation led to a career-long journey in strategic management and executive leadership at various private and civic companies. As CEO of The Health Foundation, Harry is dedicated to long-term value creation, fostering a culture of innovation and driving sustainable growth. Outside the office, you’ll find Harry experimenting in the kitchen or tending to his garden.