Shaping the Next Chapter: Welcoming Morreenie Legote to the IAWA Team
We’re excited to welcome Morreenie Legote to the I Am, We Are (IAWA) team! Her journey with IAWA began in May 2025 as a Research Assistant for the 10-Year Impact Study. In this role, she conducted focus groups and questionnaires with both program beneficiaries and facilitators to assess IAWA’s overall impact over the past decade. The insights gathered from this study are helping shape the future direction of the organization. Now, as a full-time Operations and Development Coordinator, she is committed to driving IAWA’s mission forward and ensuring the next ten years are even more impactful
What drew you to join I Am, We Are (IAWA) at this exciting moment in our 10-year journey?
What excites me most about joining I Am, We Are now is the chance to be part of its growth phase. Over the last 10 years, IAWA has proven its impact through mentorship, leadership training, and international exchange. I have always believed this is a unique program and has the potential to have a greater impact, I have shared with the founder of the organization that in fact this is not a small organisation, this organisation is achieving things that most Non-profits can only dream about and I am happy to be a part of that.
How does IAWA’s mission connect with your personal values or professional passions?
At the age of 24 I was fortunate enough to become a center manager of a non-profit organisation, this was a dream come true for me but the bigger lesson was yet to come. For the first time I understood what it meant to sacrifice your own money so programs could go on, I understood that there was no such thing as working hours but most of all it created a passion within me to help those who are disadvantaged in my community. I learnt that all the things I cry about were little compared to the daily issues youth in South Africa face and that was it for me, I wanted to be part of the change. This aligns with my values because My mentor, my grandmother, is in the same field, she has taught me that the world is bigger than me and that I can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution. She is my moral compass and inspiration.
What skills, experiences, or perspectives do you bring that you feel will strengthen IAWA’s impact?
As someone who has navigated the challenges that many young people in our communities face, I bring lived experience and determination to IAWA’s mission. I know what it means to need mentorship, opportunity, and a supportive network. This perspective allows me to connect authentically with youth and ensure that our programs are inclusive and empowering. I have over 7 years experience in the NPO sector, I started of as a facilitator on the field, doing the ground work to working with a great team in the office, all this has given me experience both from a perspective of being in the field to all the office work that goes unnoticed but impactful. I hope I can bring that energy to IAWA but I also wish to learn a lot from the already amazing team.
As we celebrate a decade of IAWA, what impact do you hope to make on the program and the youth we serve?
For me, the impact I hope to make is deeply personal: I want every young person who passes through IAWA to feel seen, valued, and empowered to dream boldly. If I can help create spaces where youth find their voices, connect with mentors, and gain tools for success, then I will know I have added to IAWA’s next chapter of transformation but most all to create a sense of community and family with everyone I meet during this time.
