AMPLIFY | MOBILISE | CHANGE:
An opportunity for civil society in South Africa.

Looking to learn and join a community of online communication change-makers from civil society?

Amplify Mobilise Change is a DG Murray Trust innovation project designed to help South African civil society shift its thinking about and develop more creative, impactful and efficient online communication and technology practices.

Amplify Mobilise Change offers two streams for civil society-based communication practitioners wanting to upskill and engage more with online and technology: our learning programmes and online webinars and workshops.

Our Learning Programme

Our popular, flagship, seven-month long Learning Programme runs every year from March to November. We cover core areas like communication planning, content strategy, audience research, campaigning and more. Visit the Learning Programme page for more info. Applications are open from January to mid February each year. We will also soon launch a self-paced learning options for practitioners who don’t participate in our 7-month learning programme.

Our ONLINE WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS

We run virtual sessions with sector specialists, open to anyone in civil society who wants to learn from others and see how they have solved strategic, practical or social issues with online communication and technology. We also offer longer form online workshops on deeper topics. Find out more on our Webinars and workshops page.

Since 2019, over 120 South African organisations have participated in our flagship programme. We count over 300 practitioners in our network – and we are growing!

100% of our alumni report immediate and meaningful improvements to their online communication work and feel better equipped to lead change.

Our team, content and workshop contributors are dynamic and diverse with specialists from civil society, tech and design, academia, education, publishing and activism.

What our alumni have to say about our learning programmes

The content always blew me away because of the attention to detail and relevance to my work. It answered many questions and validated the work we have already done.

Zero 2 Five

Our staff are now excited about comms and storytelling. I was able to communicate in ways with our staff that really resonated with our organisation, repeating things with confidence, which leads to a change in our productivity…the message in the programme was to get organised!

Wordworks

The biggest benefit doing the course as a change maker in the sector was the boost in my confidence in posting public content, doing social media and then generally, in digital communications. I have also had a lot of success with Canva, adding graphics to our work.

Butterfly Art Project

We have been able to apply for a grant based on what we learned and from the interactions Shine gained from the programme. I gained so much confidence…I feel so much more empowered now.

Shine Literacy

This new knowledge has helped us shift how we want to work with young people. We wanted to be inclusive. But we weren’t; now we know how to be...

Youth Capital

ABOUT US

Now in our sixth year, our core team of digital content and communication specialists from civil society, business and education lead the programme. We also work with tech and communication contributors – from activists, academics, social development and social justice practitioners and campaigners.

Emma O'Shaughnessy

Founder and first Project Lead

Emma O’Shaughnessy was the project lead from 2018-2025. She designed and ran the AMC project, our learning methodology and approach as well as our interventions. Emma has a PhD in South African literature and modernity from UCT, and more than a 20 year history in broadcast, technology, online media, education and social development. Emma thrives on learning, new ideas and collaboration and brings a passion for transformation and new ways of doing things to her work, relationships and to her teaching.

Connect with Emma on LinkedIn

Pumza Marubelela

Programme Manager

Pumza Marubelela is our programme manager. She assists programme participants in their learning and mentorship cycles, maintaining their engagement and workflows. She is also a content contributor and core facilitator. Pumza hails from UCT with a degree in Media, Writing and Politics. She thrives on collaboration and curating the best experience for participants on the programme. With over ten years in communication roles, Pumza is a creative whose passion for social justice and strategy helps others flourish.

Connect with Pumza on LinkedIn

Gadeeja Abbas

Communications & Multimedia Specialist

Gadeeja Abbas is a Communications and Multimedia Specialist focused on bridging communication gaps in public health. As a Communications for Impact Specialist at AMC, she educates the non-profit sector on Community Participation and Social and Behavioural Change Communication. She is pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Cape Town and holds a Diploma and BTech in Investigative Journalism from CPUT. With years of storytelling experience, she blends strategic messaging with empathy to create impactful, meaningful communication.

Connect with Gadeeja on LinkedIn

Aphiwe Mame

Social Impact Media Practitioner

Aphiwe Mame is a dedicated media practitioner with a passion for leveraging communication strategies to drive positive social impact. With a strong background in social impact communications, Aphiwe specialises in social media management, marketing, crafting compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Her expertise lies in creating engaging content that fosters meaningful connections and inspires action towards social change. Through a strategic and creative approach, Aphiwe is committed to using the power of media to amplify voices, raise awareness, and drive lasting impact in communities.

Connect with Aphiwe in LinkedIn