For three decades, the Zenex Foundation has been at the forefront of shaping a legacy built on collaboration, evidence, and commitment to systemic change in education. From literacy and numeracy to leadership development and research, Zenex has worked to connect the dots between innovation, policy, and practice.
Our philosophy has always been clear: real and lasting educational change happens through partnership. No single organisation can solve the complex challenges of the education system alone. Progress depends on an ecosystem of partners, government, funders, NGOs, and researchers, who are willing to learn from one another, share insights, and co-create solutions that can scale.
As we reflect on our 30-year journey, we are reminded that the Zenex story is, above all, a story of collaboration. One that continues to evolve through strategic partnerships such as our work with the National Association for Social Change Entities in Education (NASCEE).
From Coaching Classrooms to Strengthening Systems
When Giles Gillett, CEO of NASCEE, first worked with Zenex in 2010, he was leading the New Leaders Foundation, an NGO focused on improving school and district performance through coaching and data-driven approaches. It was here that a long-standing partnership with Zenex began to take shape.
“Our early work with Zenex was focused on leadership coaching at district and school level, helping school management teams to improve their capacity to lead, plan, and execute interventions that could boost learner outcomes,” Gillett recalls. “It was all about using coaching as a methodology to strengthen systems of support, which is something Zenex deeply believes in.”
Over the next decade, this collaboration evolved into multiple projects, from leadership development to literacy, grounded in shared learning and responsiveness to context. Gillett notes that one of Zenex’s standout contributions was the Zenex Literacy (ZenLit) Project. The experience and evidence generated from this project influenced the creation of Ulwazi Lwethu African Language Readers Project, a collection of high-quality graded readers and storybooks, anthologies, classroom libraries, big books and worksheets for Foundation Phase learners developed in nine indigenous African languages.
“The Ulwazi Lwethu project has been an incredible contribution to the sector,” says Gillett. “There’s a desperate need for literacy materials that reflect learners’ languages and realities. Zenex stepped into that space with vision and commitment, and I believe we’ve only begun to see the long-term impact of that work.”
A Catalyst for Collaboration in Civil Society
In 2023, Gillett took on the role of CEO at NASCEE, an organisation Zenex helped to establish and continues to support as a founding member. NASCEE’s mission – to build capacity and foster collaboration among NGOs in education – is one that mirrors Zenex’s long-standing belief in the power of collective action.
“Zenex has been incredibly supportive around the need to improve the quality and cohesion of civil society,” Gillett explains. “They’ve been instrumental in strengthening the sector’s ability to collaborate, to move from working in silos to working together toward common goals.”
Gillett describes Zenex’s support for NASCEE as both visionary and practical, helping to address two critical challenges facing the education NGO sector: fragmentation and limited capacity. NASCEE is tackling these through targeted capacity-building programmes, from finance and governance to monitoring and evaluation, and by developing tools like the National Education Directory, a digital dashboard that maps who is doing what, where, across the sector.
“The directory helps government, funders, and NGOs to see the bigger picture,” says Gillett. “It’s about connecting the dots, helping us understand where we can collaborate and where the gaps lie. That kind of systemic thinking is something Zenex has always championed.”
Grounded in the Problem, Open to Innovation
“One of the words that comes to mind when I think of Zenex is grounded,” he reflects. “They’ve always been deeply engaged with the real problems, not just theoretical ones. They fall in love with the problem, not the solution, and that allows them to stay open to innovation and new ways of thinking.”
This openness has allowed Zenex to evolve with the needs of the education sector, from supporting foundational literacy and numeracy to exploring how data, research, and collaboration can drive systemic improvement. Projects like FLOAT, which build on the legacy of ZenLit, demonstrate Zenex’s forward-thinking approach to supporting early learning.
“I’m excited about where Zenex is heading,” says Gillett. “FLOAT represents the next evolution of their literacy and numeracy work, an expansion of impact that stays true to their core philosophy of supporting quality education from the ground up.”
Shaping the Next 30 Years of Impact
As Zenex looks to the future, it is guided by lessons learned from decades of listening, learning, and partnership. Our next chapter is about amplifying collaboration, not just between NGOs, but between funders and government, and between funders and implementers.
Gillett shares this sentiment:
“I think government really trusts Zenex. They see them as a credible and respected partner. Going forward, I’d love to see Zenex continue playing that leadership role, aligning government priorities with private sector innovation and helping to bridge the gap between strategy and implementation.”
At Zenex, we see this alignment as essential to systemic transformation. We know that building a better education system requires trust, evidence, and collective action. It requires funders and NGOs to work alongside government, not around it.
As we celebrate 30 years of impact, we are inspired by partners like Giles Gillett and organisations like NASCEE that remind us that transformation is not a solo endeavour. It is the outcome of a shared commitment to the next generation, to the learners, teachers, and leaders who will define South Africa’s future.
We remain steadfast in our mission: to be a learning organisation that drives collaboration, thought leadership, and innovation for educational justice.
