Our Team
Meet the Team
Charmaine Botha
Charmaine Botha is a well-known face in the South African Information Technology Industry. Starting her career at Eskom in the early nineties; she progressed to work for big global IT companies such as HCL Axon, Huawei, Wipro Technologies, Crystal Decisions, Business Objects (SAP) and Dell to name a few.
Being a female in the male dominant world of technology both challenging and exhilarating this shaped Charmaine into the phenomenal woman that she is today; Innovative, creative, always ready to explore new ventures and passionately driven to find ways to make a difference in society. Princess Diana and Mother Teresa were her biggest inspiration and role models. Her dream is to address critical challenges in poverty, unemployment and inequality around the globe.
Her greatest challenge was leaving the corporate environment, having decided to follow her dream of giving back to the community with a specific focus on Female Empowerment, Social Upliftment and Human development. She started Deffinity Africa in 2016 a Project Management Software Company and since then expanded to mining, renewable energy, and other innovative futuristic technologies.
which provide infrastructure solutions that is affordable.
As entrepreneur and business owner of ART Africa Innovations, she is ready to take on the challenges of forming an integral part of the Mega City Developments to include the 4th Industrial Revolution. ART Africa Innovations is set to be the game changer for providing Eco Green Smart technologies in the polymer construction industry.
She is the founder of Follow my Dream and Meerkat Foundation. Her vision is to take her dream to Africa, leave a legacy and contribute to the people of Africa. Her Humanitariansexpertise lies in collaboration and partnership with other professionals around the world to share world class knowledge to fast track her projects.
Dr. Eleanor Smith
Dr Eleanor Smith is an executive board member of Follow My Dream, with a PhD in Philosophy and Community Development.
She is currently Spiritual Mentor and Life Coach to an international clientele consisting of Entrepreneurs, Professionals, Leaders, Shamans in Africa, UK, Australia, Europe, and USA. She has been one of the first women from previously disadvantaged population to be employed by one of the major banks. She has moved up the corporate ladder to a managerial status, with accolades received for consistently being in the Top 3 marketers in the Western Cape. Thereafter she entered the tourism business leaving a successful footprint in the business world.
She established a NPO in the Arts and Craft market and trained and equipped unemployed women and youth with entrepreneurial and life skills. She is working with and mentoring African artists in crafting and sculpting,
after obtaining a license for artists to make Mandela items and sculptors which found its way to the office of the ex-President of USA Mr Bill Clinton and many others. She worked with many Spiritual Masters in servicing corporate executives in wellness and life coaching. Her experience and commitment to uplifting the oppressed communities has earned her the recognition of PHD in Philosophy and Community Development which remains her passion in life. This program is primarily for women to develop as leaders, being mostly the breadwinners in the rural areas.
Her passion is to roll out a “FOOD SECURITY” programme to volunteers in South Africa and Africa who wishes to empower themselves and their families within rural communities
Barbara Banda
Barbara has a MSc in Development Management. She is a trade and gender specialist with regional and international corporate exposure, conforming to international standards in private sector development. She worked as Trade Attaché representing big names in goods and services from Sweden for five years.
Barbara has successfully set up three international private sector institutions and three non-profit institutions in Malawi. She has served over thirty years in project management, including establishment of farmer groups and cooperatives supporting over 3,000 small enterprises in renewable energy, oilseeds, and legumes value chains. She is a consultant in organizational development, community capacity enhancement, corporate governance, and strategic planning. As well as a professional business and social enterprise coach, she is also a regional expert for Southern Africa Women Business Associations for Africa Continental Free Trade Area, the focal person (Malawi) for the COMESA Federation of Women in Business, Graca Machel Trust, and member of the Labour Migration Advisory Committee of the Africa Union. She sits on several boards including international organizations.
She is an accomplished negotiator in relationship management with governments, corporates and building community capacities around the sustainable development agenda in the Sub-Sahara Africa region, as well as an Accredited Technology of Participation Tutor (Institute of Cultural Affairs- USA 2000). She worked with many African woman in UN leadership with a strong focus on agriculture and developed a “SEED TO HARVEST” model to ensure that world-class technology is used to bring innovative change within her communities to be self-sustainable
Become a volunteer
Join Our Team
Together, we can put smiles on the faces of many people. So join us and together, we can make our dreams a reality.