Infundo Consulting

Infundo means I. to pour in, upon, or into (syn. invergere).

Proudly Chinese SA recently got in touch with Charmaine Smith, a co-founder and director of Infundo Consulting, to chat about the work that Infundo does.

1. When did you start your organisation, and why?

Started officially in 2007. We have operated in every province of South Africa; but head office is in Johannesburg – Randburg. We run projects all over the country and this year one of our projects is expanding into 9 African countries.

2. What does your organisation do? What do you specialise in?

We work in transformation – working with people across the country helping them to live emotionally healthier & happier lives and therefore being able to perform better in their lives and in their jobs.

Article credit: Courtesy of 'Sandton Chronicle' (Friday, 18th December 2009) newspaper

3. What is your organisation's biggest achievement?

So many on a personal and professional level; but on a professional level; that we have a client who has worked with us for over 7 years in a specific community – this means that we have built relationships on a deeper level which allows for us to do the kinds of healing work to create long lasting impact. On the back of this we placed 17 youth in schools to teach; the results were significant and many of them were inspired to get bursaries (we helped them to get organised); and now are studying – many of them to be teachers who come back during university holidays to teach matrics at their local schools. On a personal level; that I was able to resurrect my life post-divorce; bring up 2 wonderful boys and get remarried and be stepmother to 3 more children and have just become a granny – family is my recharge space.

4. What is your organisation's biggest challenge?

An over-reliance on skills which only 2 of us have at the moment; this makes replicating and sharing the work very difficult and intense work for us. Our work is also quite contextually driven so although we have models the customisation for each project makes it difficult to scale. We are working with about 27 people nationally on a range of projects though so hoping that they will become the people we can use to replicate and scale some of our work with us.

5. Why are you proud of your business?

We make a difference. We are able to influence at strategic levels and on the ground. We have relationships at every level of life – on the ground and on strategic levels.

6. Is there anything that you'd like to share?

We do pay for young unemployed kids in our projects to work in our under resourced schools, so if the community wants to sponsor a young person with good marks to learn the skills they need to go forward and take charge of their lives then that would be great. Skills development money in companies can be used to put youth into learnerships; who assist in the schools and then go onto university to get their degrees – please contact us.

Visit: