Meet The Team

Siphokazi Jonas is a multi-award-winning poet, playwright, actor, and producer based in South Africa. She holds an MA in English Literature and a BA in Drama and English. She is the author of Weeping Becomes a River, which was awarded 2024 The Book Lounge Book of the Year, listed among the 100 Notable African Books […]

Shannon is an education and programme management professional with extensive experience leading learning, training and organisational development initiatives across the higher education and early childhood development (ECD) sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), equipping her with a strong foundation in strategy, leadership and

Llewellyn Fredericks is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and impact investment leader with over 20 years of experience. He has held senior impactful roles, including Executive Director at Innovation Edge and Investment Principal at ESquared Investments, managing a diverse early-stage portfolio. Currently, he advises on capital strategy and impact-driven growth across sectors on the continent, and

Nozipho Swelindawo is a creative entrepreneur, filmmaker, and community builder from Lusikisiki, South Africa. She is the founder of Imbudu Community Arts Centre and Imbali Films, initiatives dedicated to nurturing creativity, storytelling, and social change in underserved communities. With a background in acting, film facilitation, and mentorship—shaped through her studies at Nelson Mandela University and

Nonkululeko Portia Mputi is an Impact Facilitator and Sunshine Cinema alumna, committed to fostering positive change within communities. She has led over 20 public screenings, initiating meaningful conversations around social issues and reaching over 800 individuals. A graduate in graphic design, Nonkululeko’s creative journey extends to filmmaking, where she has worked as a videographer, subtitle

refilwe@sunshinecinema.org Refilwe is an alumna of the Sunshine Cinema Spark Impact Programme with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, International Relations, and Sociology, a certification in Data Analytics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation. Through the Sunshine Cinema programme, she gained valuable skills and tools, enabling her to leverage her passion

Simone Arendse is a passionate operations professional who believes that behind every successful programme is a strong foundation of people, systems, and support. With experience across administration, finance, grants management, and executive support, she has spent her career helping mission-driven organisations work more effectively and sustainably. Driven by a commitment to social impact and a

manager@makhulu.co.za An award-winning producer, Shanna Freedman brings unflappable competence and a wealth of valuable experience to the table of any production. Organisation is an art form, after all, and Shanna is a creative master of her craft. Able to stretch a budget, handle logistics, effortlessly put people at ease, manage a team of brilliant individuals

rowan@makhulu.co.za Rowan Pybus is an impact campaign specialist. His work for the last 20 years has been focused on social and environmental development. He founded Makhulu Media in 2005 to create film stories that matter and is the co-founder of Sunshine Cinema. In the course of his career he has won awards from the UN

sydelle@sunshinecinema.org Sydelle Willow Smith is a South African photographer, storyteller and impact producer working at the intersection of visual storytelling and social change. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sunshine Cinema, a solar-powered mobile cinema network reimagining how films are shared across Southern Africa, bringing stories into community spaces as catalysts for dialogue