SayProCMR Human Rights Day SpeechBy Nancy Mdaka, Chief Strategic Partnership Officer, SayProDelivered on Human Rights Day

Good day, colleagues, partners, community leaders, and fellow advocates for human dignity,

It is both an honour and a responsibility to stand before you on this important day — Human Rights Day — a day not just of remembrance, but of renewed resolve.

At SayPro, Human Rights Day is not only about the past. It is about what we are building together — a future where every child has access to education, every youth has access to opportunity, and every person has access to dignity. And as Chief Strategic Partnership Officer, I can confidently say: we cannot achieve this future alone.

Partnership is not a buzzword. It is the foundation of sustainable change.

We remember today the tragedy of the Sharpeville Massacre — a moment when peaceful cries for justice were met with violence. But from that moment rose a movement. From pain came purpose. And from isolation came solidarity.

Today, I ask us all to embrace the lesson Sharpeville taught us: when we stand together, we rise.

At SayPro, we forge partnerships that are rooted in equity, inclusion, and real impact. Whether with government, corporates, community organisations, or international allies — every partnership we build is a bridge toward the realisation of human rights.

Let us be clear:

• No single organisation can end poverty alone.
• No government can reach every youth without help.
• No community can thrive in isolation.

We need each other — and the time to act collectively is now.

Strategic partnerships are about more than funding — they are about shared vision, shared values, and shared responsibility. When we come together across sectors, we multiply our reach, we strengthen our voice, and we create systems that outlast individual efforts.

Today, I want to say to every current and future SayPro partner:
You are not just supporting a project — you are standing for human rights.
You are investing in justice. You are helping us open doors, lift voices, and transform lives.

From training unemployed youth, to launching enterprise initiatives, to amplifying civic leadership — every collaboration has a ripple effect. And that ripple begins with belief in people.

Human Rights Day is a call not only to reflect — but to respond.

Let us respond by:

• Forming partnerships that reach those on the margins,
• Creating ecosystems that empower, not exploit,
• And designing solutions that are inclusive, responsive, and community-led.

At SayPro, we are building a world where rights are not reserved for the few, but respected for all. We are working with partners who understand that impact is stronger when it’s shared.

So, as we honour the past, let us also build the future — together.

Let today be the day we renew our commitment to working side by side — across industries, sectors, and borders — for one cause: a just, free, and dignified society for all.

Human rights are not optional. And neither is partnership.

Thank you. Let us continue the journey — united, focused, and fearless.