Khulisa Social Solutions is proud to announce that it is well on its way to piloting the Collaborative Implementation Model (CIM) in three provinces: North West, Northern Cape, and Limpopo. This milestone marks a bold step forward in Khulisa’s mission to create inclusive, data-informed, and community-led responses to some of South Africa’s most pressing social challenges.

The CIM is a replicable, ecosystem-based approach that integrates dialogue circles, AI-assisted community diagnostics, and local NGO capacity-building to co-design solutions alongside community members, local government, and other stakeholders. Pilots are underway in Danielskuil and Postmasburg (Northern Cape), Blouberg and Musina (Limpopo), and key locations in the North-West Province.

“We have spent years building relationships and testing models across the country. CIM brings it all together – it’s not about parachuting solutions in, but about working with people on the ground to unlock the assets they already have,” said Lesley Ann van Selm, Founder and Managing Director of Khulisa Social Solutions.

The CIM pilots involve intensive dialogue circles using the SIT (Systemic Inventive Thinking) method, engaging a broad cross-section of community members – from youth and traditional leaders to educators, police officers, and community-based organisations.

Early Community Reflections

Community members have responded with enthusiasm and hope.

“This is the first time we’ve been asked what we think can fix our town,” said *Mpho, a youth leader in Danielskuil. “We’re not just participants. We’re planners now.”

In Limpopo, Ms. Sarah M., an elderly community member from Blouberg, shared: “We’ve had many projects come and go. But this one listens. I felt heard when I spoke at the circle.”

A representative from a local NGO in Rustenburg added: “For the first time, we’re not just being trained – we are being equipped to lead. Khulisa is making us ready to stand on our own.”

The pilot phase also includes capacity assessments of local CBOs and NGOs, integration of real-time AI-generated feedback from narrative sessions, and laying the groundwork for localised social compacts between communities, government, and the private sector.

What’s Next?

Over the coming months, Khulisa will:

• Finalise community asset maps and shared development agendas in each area
• Train local NGOs in data use, governance, and systems thinking
• Create provincial CIM learning hubs to share successes and lessons
• Begin planning for national and regional replication

“CIM is not a quick fix,” said Van Selm. “It’s a shift in how we relate, how we solve, and how we invest in each other’s futures.