Namritha Sivsanker, is the visionary founder and CEO of Hope SA Foundation which is an empowering force in South African social services, offering vital aid and holistic support in communities affected by poverty, disasters, and gender-based violence. Through initiatives like food drives, safety packs, and education-focused projects, the organisation has made meaningful strides in empowering people with dignity and hope.

Namritha Sivsanker brings a powerful and personal drive to the work she does, transforming her early life challenges into a mission to uplift others and build long-lasting change. From providing meals to launching empowerment initiatives, she’s anchored Hope SA’s growth on compassion, innovation, and resilience.

Namritha Sivsanker founded Hope SA Foundation in 2000, driven by her experiences growing up in a home affected by domestic abuse. Those early hardships still continue to inspire her passion to provide support, safety, and empowerment to vulnerable women and children.

She envisioned Hope SA not just as a relief organisation but as a vehicle for long-term empowerment.

They run daily food drives, providing around 400 hot meals in areas across Johannesburg (such as Diepsloot, Tembisa, Brixton) and KwaZulu-Natal (including Durban and Pietermaritzburg).

Key Initiatives & Impact

• Food Aid & Disaster Relief: Since March 2020, the foundation has distributed 200 000 hot meals and assisted 60 000 people with essentials like food and PPE.
• They run daily food drives providing around 400 hot meals in areas across Johannesburg (such as Diepsloot, Tembisa, Brixton) and KwaZulu-Natal (including Durban and Pietermaritzburg).
• #SaferWomen Drive: A gender-based violence initiative started in 2020, where safety “handbags” filled with items like sanitary pads, toiletries, pepper spray (or a safety alarm), a book, chocolate, and an inspiring handwritten notes are distributed, often through GBV shelters.
• Upcoming Projects: Plans include establishing a skills training centre, community gardens, and entrepreneurship training programs to further uplift communities.
• Global Relief Efforts: In February 2023, Hope SA organized a relief mission to Türkiye to deliver aid following devastating earthquakes, despite facing significant logistical and safety challenges on the ground.

The foundation operates in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with the ultimate aim of empowering individuals to live with dignity and hope and you can support her endeavors by voting for her as a finalist of the Santam Women of the Future Awards.

You can vote for her HERE, Voting closes on the 31st of August 2025.