About the Foundation

The foundation was laid...

The SM Foundation was founded in 2020 on the back of the founder, Sylvester Mashilo, publishing his debut book titled “Sylvester Mashilo…A product of rape But I am Chosen By God”.  

Having been born out of brutality, Sylvester Mashilo, went on to later experience the same triple forms of abuse – physical, emotional and sexual. His journey as a man has not been an easy one. It is often said that the hurt go on to hurt others. 

It is only through the Grace of God that Sylvester Mashilo is still here today. His past could have been said to be tragic, but those events have, however, served to reveal to him the plan for his life. It is this second chapter of his life that has given birth to the Foundation.


Why we exist

In South Africa

  • a woman is murdered every 3 hours!
  • in excess of 40 000 rapes are reported annually!
  • over 60% of those infected with HIV are women!
  • new HIV infections among young women aged 15-24 years were more than double those among young men often exacerbated by the phenomenon of ‘blesser-blessee’ relationships heightened by unemployment and poverty.
The National Strategic Plan on GBVF

Our focus

  • The mentorship of boys between the ages of 8 and 16. These boys/pre-adolescents represent a ripe moment to make meaningful interventions in their social development at a time when they are going through significant changes in both their emotional, physical and mental.
  • The bold and courageous facilitation of conversations between men. These introspective, non-judgmental and safe-space dialogues serve to bring to the fore discussions about important but often hard to have conversations about GBV, the LGBTQI+ community and the role of men in an evolving society.
  • Supporting women through a connected network that facilitates personal growth through a sharing of intentional parenting knowledge, peer-peer emotional support and network strength for business and personal growth opportunities.
Partner with us TODAY

How can you get involved?

To address the culture of GBVF we need a social compact that at its core seeks to not simplify a complex problem but acknowledges that we ALL have a role to play.
  • Our boys need interventions TODAY. Partner with us to fund interventions aimed at the boy child.
  • Our boys need mentors. Partner with us TODAY to become a mentor with the SM Foundation.
  • Our men need a safe space to unpack what is on their hearts. They need a space that is without blame or judgement. Partner with us TODAY to fund our Bold and Courageous Programs for Men.
  • The women of our country need our heart. Let us Partner to fund programs that empower them both personally and professionally.
Make a Difference TODAY

Program Inclusivity Statement

We believe that a society where we practice tolerance, accommodation and universal love is one that we must all strive towards. Our programs are open TO ALL. It does not matter who and what you believe in, ALL are WELCOME. 

Our Values

We as a Foundation subscribe to the following Values:

  • Integrity & Accountability, for the SMF Integrity and Accountability means that we are honest in how we conduct ourselves as members of SMF and in our interaction with external stakeholders. We do not only account for every cent that has been gifted to the Foundation for public good but we are intentional in delivering a return on investment for all our stakeholders . We hold ourselves to the highest standards for ethical conduct and morality.
  • Forgiveness & Reconciliation, for the SMF Forgiveness & Reconciliation means that we identify and appreciate the strides that we have made as a country to heal the brokenness suffered by our people. We identify and appreciate that there are still many injustices and inequalities that persist in our maturing democracy. It is the intention of the Foundations work to promote and actively engage in work to heal a broken people as a result of family breakdowns, the absence of fathers and the legacy systems that men have created to the harm of vulnerable groups.
  • Trust & Safety, for the SMF Trust & Safety means that we are, transparent, open, accessible, courageous and promote not only a feeling of safety but an experience of being safe throughout our work and interactions with all our stakeholders.

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