Hombisa Ntsikanye – Founder and Project Director – Grandmothers Movement in South Africa (GMISA) Hombisa Ntsikanye is a community development leader, psychosocial practitioner, and experienced trainer with over two decades of experience in HIV/AIDS response, child and family psychosocial support, and community-driven development in South Africa. She is the Founder and Project Director of the Grandmothers Movement in South Africa (GMISA), a grassroots initiative that mobilises grandmothers as community leaders supporting vulnerable children, families, and older persons affected by poverty, illness, and social inequality.
Hombisa holds a Diploma in Psychology and has completed numerous specialised trainings in mental
health, HIV counselling and testing, adherence counselling, psychosocial support, and community health
programme implementation. Her professional journey began in community education and evolved into national and regional leadership in programmes addressing HIV, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and adolescent wellbeing. Over the past 20+ years, Hombisa has worked extensively with both government and non-government organisations, building bridges between communities and public health systems. She has played a key role in designing, piloting, and implementing psychosocial and health programmes that support children, adolescents, youth, and caregivers in both rural and urban communities. she coordinated an Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme, leading a team of staff in Durban and
establishing new programmes in other regions. During this period, she trained teachers, caregivers, and community leaders while building partnerships with the Departments of Health, Social Development, and Education to strengthen sustainable child protection and support systems. She served in multiple roles including Paediatric and Psychosocial Technical Advisor, Counsellor Mentor, Community Linkage Officer, and Executive Secretariat. She contributed to the national implementation of the different programme, including innovative child-centred HIV counselling and disclosure intervention endorsed by the South African National Department of Health.
Through this work, she trained and mentored healthcare workers, NGOs, and community organisations across South Africa and internationally, including Uganda. Her expertise includes programme design, training and facilitation, action research, baseline and needs assessments, psychosocial counselling, and community mobilisation. She has successfully trained diverse groups including health professionals, teachers, youth organisations, caregivers, and government officials, demonstrating strong cultural competence and an ability to work across diverse communities. Hombisa has presented her work at several national and international conferences, including presentations on adolescent treatment adherence, caregiver support interventions, and psychosocial support for vulnerable children.
Her contributions to programme development include involvement in the Journey of Life (JOL) Manual, KidzAlive Foundations for HIV Testing, Disclosure and Adherence and Caregiver support training resources. Through the Grandmothers Movement in South Africa, she continues to champion the leadership of older women who are often the backbone of caregiving in communities affected by HIV, poverty, and social challenges. Her vision is to strengthen the voice, protection, and leadership of grandmothers while building community-led systems of care for children, youth, and families. Hombisa is deeply committed to community empowerment, lifelong learning, and the development of locally driven solutions that transform the lives of vulnerable families across South Africa.