Columba Leadership

Name

Columba Leadership

Legal name

Columba Leadership Trust

Website

https://columba.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Communications, Parent/Guardian Engagement & Notification Systems (EDAJAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Values-based education
• School-based mentorship
• Social emotional learning
• Life skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Corporate Donations and Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support to fund school programmes, residential academies, and operational costs. Partners include major South African corporations such as Absa, Old Mutual, Standard Bank, MTN, Unilever, and others who sponsor specific schools or programmes.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the website using PayFast payment platform. Cryptocurrency donations also accepted via The Giving Block partnership.
3. Foundation and Trust Grants: Funding from foundations and trusts including Allan and Gill Gray Foundation, Trevor Noah Foundation, Peter Cundill Foundation, Goldin Foundation, and others.
4. Government Partnerships: Funding from government sources such as National Treasury Jobs Fund for specific programmes including Cool To Be Me social and emotional learning initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Columba Leadership runs a values-based youth leadership development programme that takes 12 Grade 10 learners and 3 senior educators (including the school principal) from each partner school to a lodge for a 6-day residential academy, anchored on six core values: Awareness, Focus, Creativity, Integrity, Perseverance, and Service. After the academy, it delivers ongoing school-based leadership support over a 4-5 year partnership, training a cohort of educators (Values Champions) to embed the programme in school culture while graduates recruit peers into catalytic groups that drive systemic school change. The offering is completed by a National Alumni Network of 8,000+ post-school youth, digital engagement platforms (The CAN Show, Columba Talks), and Life Orientation sessions.

Product overview

Columba Leadership operates a unified values-based youth leadership development programme consisting of multiple interconnected components. The core offering combines a residential Columba Leadership Academy (6-day intensive programme taking 12 learners and 3 educators to a lodge) with ongoing School-Based Leadership Support delivered over 4-5 years per school. The programme is anchored by six core values: Awareness, Focus, Creativity, Integrity, Perseverance, and Service. Additional components include a National Alumni Network providing post-school support to over 8,000 graduates, a Values Champions Programme training educators to sustain programme impact, and digital platforms including The CAN Show (YouTube streaming) and Columba Talks (career resources). Supplementary Life Orientation Sessions were introduced during COVID-19. The programme operates across 330+ schools in 8 South African provinces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Values-Based Leadership Programme Flagship multi-year values-based youth leadership development programme for South African high schools, built on six core values (Awareness, Focus, Creativity, Integrity, Perseverance, Service) and delivered over a 4-5 year school partnership. Designed for Grade 10-12 learners, senior educators and school principals in disadvantaged communities; develops 21st century skills including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, personal mastery, resilience and leadership.
• Columba Leadership Academy Residential academy component of the Columba Leadership programme: a 6-day intensive experience at a lodge where 12 selected Grade 10 learners and 3 senior educators (including the school principal) are taken through experiential facilitation using lessons from nature, history and culture. Intended to illustrate that every learner has the inner greatness to lead and drive change in their school and community.
• School-Based Leadership Support Ongoing in-school leadership support delivered after the residential academy, training a cohort of educators (Values Champions) to work alongside young people so the programme becomes embedded in the school culture. Each annual cycle builds on the previous, with graduates becoming peer supporters to subsequent cohorts, sustaining impact across the 4-5 year partnership horizon.
• National Alumni Network Post-school support network for programme graduates with 8,000+ youth members. Provides platforms for alumni to connect, share experiences, access digital resources, attend events, and obtain employment and tertiary education pathways through partnerships with employers and scholarship providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% of participants hold formal leadership roles at school
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cool To Be MecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to train alumni in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) principles and practices, with 45 alumni trained as SEL facilitators running 12-week programmes with high school learners.
• M4JAM (Money for Jam)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicro-jobbing platform partnership to create sustainable economic freedom for youth, shortlisted for Unilever Global Development Award in 2017.
• Harambee Youth Employment AcceleratorcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to connect Columba alumni with employment and training opportunities, particularly in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• The Very GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in Online Career Day providing employment pathways and career guidance for youth.
• WebhelpcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness process outsourcing company providing employment opportunities for Columba alumni.
• Moshal Scholarship ProgrammecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerScholarship provider for tertiary education access, participating in career days and providing guidance on scholarship applications.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator: South African non-profit tackling youth unemployment through skills training, work-readiness, and employer matching. Comparable in youth development and outcome measurement, though focused on the post-school transition rather than in-school leadership. Already a partner of Columba.
• Columba 1400 (Australia): Australian origin of the Columba model that inspired Columba Leadership South Africa. Runs values-based leadership academies for disadvantaged youth in Scotland and Australia. Same methodology, same residential academy model, same target demographic.
• African Leadership Academy: Pan-African secondary and gap-year leadership development institution based in Johannesburg. Similar values-driven leadership development focus for African youth, with comparable residential academy component and alumni network model.
• IkamvaYouth: South African non-profit providing tutoring, mentoring, and career development to high school learners from under-resourced communities. Directly comparable to Columba in target demographic (Grade 10-12 learners in quintile 1-3 schools), geography, and outcome focus (matric pass rates, post-school transition).
• Goldin Foundation for Excellence in Education: South African foundation recognising exemplary education programmes. Already a Columba partner; comparable in supporting values-based leadership development and recognised as a peer/funder in the youth leadership education space.
• LEAP Science and Maths Schools: South African non-profit operating independent no-fee schools focused on leadership, academic excellence, and character development in disadvantaged communities. Comparable target population, values-based leadership model, and matric outcomes focus.
• Starfish Great Hearts Foundation: South African and US non-profit providing educational support to vulnerable children and youth. Previously employed Columba's National MERL Manager. Comparable in youth development mission and disadvantaged school focus.
• OR Tambo Institute of Leadership and Youth Development (or similar SA youth leadership NGOs): Note: using general South African youth leadership NGO category. Comparable regional non-profits delivering values-based leadership and life skills programmes in schools, sharing similar target beneficiary and CSI funding base.

Regional players

• Salesian Institute Youth Projects: South African non-profit offering youth skills development, educational support, and holistic youth programmes in Cape Town. Comparable in mission to upskill disadvantaged youth, though more skills-trade focused than leadership development.
• Thandulwazi (St Stithians Foundation): South African foundation supporting township school educators and learners in Maths, Science, English, and Life Orientation. Comparable in supporting under-resourced schools and educator capacity building, though not specifically values-based leadership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzoVgBIAZfO7xlf12Yi_Nig
• Facebookfacebook.com/205766546155598
• Xx.com/columbaleads
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columba-leadership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columba Leadership