45
Days
12
Hours
44
Mins
29
Secs
left to apply
.jpg)
In Cape Town, Mabuse Kau is building what he calls Modern Villages: spaces inspired by the African philosophy of Ubuntu. Through Connected Development, Mabuse works with young people, community-based organizations and men and boys across the city.
A former public school teacher, Mabuse joined Global Fellows in Courage in 2026. During the Fellowship, he is building a year-long program that invites men to talk honestly about masculinity and relationships and to help prevent gender-based violence in their communities. As he explains below, he has learned that courage can look quite ordinary.
Being part of Global Fellows in Courage has given me space to step back from the day-to-day work and reflect on my own journey in social change. I have particularly enjoyed the Fellow Spotlights, where Fellows share the experiences that led them to this work. Hearing how others have followed their hearts, taken risks and remained committed to their work has given me renewed courage and confidence in my own journey.
The fellowship has also encouraged me to reflect more intentionally on my leadership. When you are deeply involved in the work, it is easy to become focused on doing and to not create enough time to reflect on what you are learning or where you are going. Learning alongside other Fellows has created that space for me. I have also been introduced to my coach, and I look forward to building that relationship and learning from their perspective.
I have learned that courage can look quite ordinary. Sometimes it’s starting something without having all the resources or answers you need, like when I left public school teaching to focus fully on Connected Development. Other times, it is having a difficult conversation, questioning something that has been accepted as normal or continuing to believe in an idea when the results are not immediate.
I do consider myself a courageous person, although I don't always feel courageous in the moment. Starting and growing Connected Development has required me to take risks, learn as I go and keep showing up despite uncertainty. Much of my work is also about creating spaces where people can question themselves and the world around them. To ask that of others, I also have to be willing to question myself, remain open to learning and have the courage to change.
The broader problem I am working to address is the disconnection that prevents people from recognizing their own agency and contributing meaningfully to their communities. Through Connected Development, we respond to this in different ways. The STEP Program supports young people in their personal and leadership development, Roots & Wings strengthens community-based organizations and the Unchained Platform creates spaces for men and boys to reflect on identity, masculinity and their role in society.
My focus during the fellowship is Men Unchained, which is evolving from periodic community conversations into a structured 12-month fellowship program for men aged 20–35. In South Africa, where gender-based violence remains a serious challenge, we need to engage men before violence happens, not only respond afterwards. The Fellowship will create a sustained space for men to explore positive masculinity, emotional wellbeing, gender equality, healthy relationships and violence prevention while developing accountability and community leadership.
One of the things that makes me proud is seeing people move from being participants in our programs to becoming contributors themselves. I have seen this through STEP, where young people often join at a time when they are still figuring out who they are, what they are capable of and what they want to do next.
A moment that really stayed with me was the 2025 cohort's final practical project, STEP Crossover. They created an event to share what they had learned and, importantly, used it to welcome the 2026 cohort into the STEP community.
It was a simple gesture, but it captured the kind of impact I hope for: young people recognizing their own growth, understanding that they are part of something bigger than themselves and choosing to help create that experience for those coming after them.
People keep me hopeful. I get to witness small but meaningful moments of change: a young person beginning to find their voice, a community leader realizing they don't have to carry everything alone or a man becoming willing to question something he has always believed about what it means to be a man.
These moments have taught me that change is not always dramatic or immediately visible. Sometimes it starts with a conversation, a new relationship, a difficult question or simply someone beginning to see themselves and what is possible differently.
That keeps me going when the challenges feel heavy. I remind myself that I don't have to solve everything and neither does Connected Development. My role is to keep nurturing spaces where connection and growth are possible and to do that alongside others who believe in the same possibility.
Mabuse's work is a reminder that preventing violence starts long before it happens, with honest conversations and spaces where people can grow. Through Connected Development, he is helping young people, community organizations and men across Cape Town take ownership of that growth. We are proud to have him in the 2026 Cohort.
