Frequently asked questions.

The four Founders of Peotona Group Holdings (PGH), Cheryl Carolus; Thandi Orleyn; Wendy Lucas-Bull and the late Dolly Mokgatle, established the Peotona Foundation (“the Foundation”), a unique undertaking, through Peotona Development NPC (“Devco NPC”), a Not-for-Profit Company, as a non-profit, altruistic, philanthropic and enduring women’s network: a cohesive and vibrant network of remarkable women members with aligned values. It embodies the work done over many years through the Founders’ direct mentorship of women and their involvement in mainstream business partnerships aimed at leveraging sustainable opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged communities.

The three remaining founders are the Foundation’s Exco. Under them, a strategic project team, Kathy Harris and Linda Taljaard, ensure strategic alignment within the implementation process. An outsourced implementation team at Infundo Consulting, will be responsible for implementing strategy and establishing operations, reporting to Kathy Harris with a dotted line to Exco.
A select group of 6 women are invited to serve as Reference Group members – operational advisors to the Foundation. These RG members also mentor within the Foundation’s mentorship programme.

The Foundation has already created a Network community of remarkable and talented women sharing the same values and work ethic; supporting and enabling one another to live and to lead with courage, compassion, and integrity as they positively impact South African society and create a powerful force for positive change. The Foundation formally launched in 2025 and is favouring membership quality over quantity for organic growth.

The Peotona Foundation is to facilitate the leadership and personal development of these remarkable women in a safe space through the four Foundation pillars:

• its Mentorship programme,
• its Network of accomplished women,
• its Advancing Leadership Potential programme and
• through selected Self-development programmes.

In its inaugural year (launched in July 2025), the Foundation offered two of its Pillars: The Mentorship Programme and the Network. Additional pillars will be introduced over time.

Women who embody the Founders’ values— either within the Founders’ own networks or through network nominations— are considered, hand-selected by the Founders, and invited to be a part of the Foundation as:

• Mentors
• Mentees
• Network community members

A Code of Conduct details how the Foundation’s values are embodied by Network Community members, and Mentorship participants. This values- driven approach creates a supportive container for personal growth within the safety of the Peotona Network Community.

• Mentors give generously of their time and so their access to the Network community is free of charge
• Mentees pay a fee of R12 000 ex VAT for their year-long Mentorship programme
• Network Community Members, who are not Mentors, will pay the Foundation R6 000 ex VAT for their year-long Network Community Membership

Mentorship is a developmental relationship between two individuals, where an experienced and knowledgeable person (the Mentor) provides guidance, support, and feedback to an individual seeking to achieve specific personal and professional goals (the Mentee).

Through mentorship, you can expect:

• Guidance, support, and feedback from an experienced Mentor
• A trusting and respectful relationship
• Opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and confidence-building
• Improved self-awareness and understanding of your strengths and areas for improvement

Whilst mentorship is usually between members of a professional field, Peotona Foundation links Mentors and Mentees from diverse backgrounds. The focus is less on professional development in one’s particular field, and rather on sharing of experience and values between women with a desire to give back.

Mentorship the Peotona Way is a unique approach that encourages mutual respect, clear expectations, personal connections, shared values and effective actions relating to leadership and personal development, with an emphasis on work/life balance (work and personal).

Through a unique mentorship model that emphasizes authenticity, humility, vulnerability, and collaboration, the Peotona Mentorship programme provides women with the guidance, support, and connection they need, as they pursue their personal and professional goals.

Although there are similarities, mentorship and coaching differ in their approach and focus. Mentorship provides longer-term guidance, support, and sharing of experiences to foster personal and professional growth. Coaching, on the other hand, focuses on specific, short-term goals and objectives, using structured methods to develop skills and drive action.

The Peotona Mentorship programme’s objective is to facilitate the leadership and personal development of remarkable women in a safe space. This Mentorship programme is not a career advancement platform.

The Peotona Foundation requires each Mentee to take personal responsibility for maximising her growth within the Mentorship Programme.

• Personalised Mentorship: Each mentee is thoughtfully matched with a Mentor who brings relevant leadership experience and seniority. This intentional pairing creates a tailored partnership that supports the Mentee’s personal and professional growth journey, regardless of industry or field.
• Mentees and Mentors also have the opportunity to engage in a deeply personal and reflective process throughout their mentorship journey, starting during the application stage(s). As part of this process, a Personal Development Plan (PDP) is created to provide an outline for both the Mentee and their Mentor to guide sessions and approach.
• Mentees benefit from eight one-hour, Customised Mentorship sessions designed to support their individual growth journey, with at least two taking place in person. The focus of each session is shaped by the Mentee’s Personal Development Plan and their evolving priorities, allowing the Mentor and Mentee to focus on what is most meaningful at each stage of the journey. The overall approach and goals are mutually agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding, during the initial sessions.
• Mentees experience two facilitated Mentee Connect Sessions, during the mentorship year, creating intentional spaces for shared learning, reflection, and meaningful peer connection within the broader community.
• Mentees gain thoughtful and Constructive Feedback throughout the mentorship journey, supporting reflection and helping them refine their approach as they work toward their personal and professional goals.
• Through their participation in the Mentorship Programme, Mentees also gain access to the wider Peotona Foundation Network, connecting with other Mentors and Network Community Members and benefiting from events, resources, and opportunities for learning, reflection, and collaboration.

The Mentor and Mentee roles and responsibilities are clearly outlined in their relevant agreements with the Peotona Foundation, which are signed prior to the commencement of the programme. The parties also sign a Mentorship Memorandum of Understanding defining their specific, mutual commitments to the mentorship relationship and to each other. These include, inter alia, reliable attendance, punctuality, preparation, confidentiality and proper behaviour.

The commitment is approximately two hours per month over a 1-year period. This includes:

• 8 mandatory mentoring sessions, held every 3-6 weeks
• 2 Mentor/ Mentee Connect sessions over the year (facilitated separately)
• Time for reflecting, completing evaluations and scheduling

After successful completion of the one-year Mentorship programme, Mentors and Mentees may request to:

• Remain in the Peotona Foundation Network as a Network Community Member only.
• (Mentees) Apply for an additional year of mentorship as a Mentee, enabling continued

mentorship while also remaining in the Network Community.

• (Mentors) Apply to serve as a Mentor again, allowing continued mentorship involvement while remaining active in the Network Community.
• (Mentors) Apply to be matched as a Mentee, for a year of intentional personal learning.

Each Mentee’s Personal Development Plan provides focus and direction for the mentorship journey. The goals within the PDP are personal and may evolve over time, part of the value is in the clarity gained through this reflective process. Responsibility for progress rests with the Mentee, with the Mentor offering supportive guidance throughout the journey.

The Foundation views mentorship as a co-learning experience. Mentors are an integral part of the developmental process and, when open, often gain meaningful awareness and growth through their engagement over the year.

Yes, confidentiality is a core principle of the Mentorship Programme. All participants sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) which protects the personal information and privacy of all participants. Mentors and Mentees are expected to respect each other’s privacy, maintain professional boundaries, and treat shared information with care.

In situations where safety, wellbeing, or ethical concerns arise, participants may consult the Foundation’s Consultative Support team, which offers a confidential thinking space for reflection and support.

The Founders personally match Mentors and Mentees with care, considering multiple factors including diversity of perspectives and personalities, levels of leadership, avoiding conflicts of interest (as applicable), and geographic proximity. The aim is to support meaningful connections and optimal growth for both participants.

If an issue is raised the Consultative Support team will work with the mentorship pair through a consultative pathway, guided by the specific need and the Foundation’s principles.

The Foundation views conflicts, disputes, unmet expectations, and other concerns as valuable opportunities for self-reflection, introspection, and personal development. Discomfort in a learning relationship may be a sign of stretch rather than an incorrect match, and this will also be considered during the process.

The resolution process that will be undertaken, is designed to align with, and reflect, the organization's core values, ensuring that all issues are addressed constructively and supportively. Should re-matching be identified as the most appropriate resolution, the process will be undertaken in a restorative manner, with care taken to respect and preserve the integrity of the original mentoring relationship.

Early terminations are addressed in detail in the Refund Policy (found in the relevant Contracts). Please read this carefully to understand the conditions under which you may, or may not, be eligible for a refund.

Yes. In future cohorts the Foundation will welcome corporate sponsorship. Sponsored Mentees will still be required to meet the Foundation criteria.

Limited bursaries are available, at the Founders’ discretion, for applicants who may not have the financial resources where payment is required for their participation— most notably Network Community Members and Mentees in the Mentorship programme.

A Bursary Motivation section forms part of the online application form and will be reviewed by the Founders and the Foundation project team as part of the assessment process.

Please note: Mentors are not required to pay programme fees.

Peotona means “Seeds of Greatness”, and the Foundation Network is an inter-connected eco-system in which the women of the Foundation stand as individual trees, growing alongside one another—connected yet strongly individual, supporting rather than over-shadowing. The Foundation Network is a safe, enabling space where Network Community members actively engage with one another and form meaningful networking circles.

The PEOTONA Foundation Network is comprised of selected talented, like-minded women leaders in diverse sectors, who have used their accomplishments wisely and effectively to make a difference wider than themselves, and who are part of the transformation of South Africa. These women are intent on forging their own personal evolution whilst enabling the evolution of other remarkable women.  Each woman embodies a key founding principle of the Foundation – to ‘lift as you rise’.

Network members connect regularly, both formally and informally, building meaningful relationships within a safe space, actively created and safeguarded by the Foundation— by and for each one of the women.  The Foundation holds space for connections to grow organically over time.

In a world where individualism can be competitive and isolating, the Network offers a counter- cultural space of vulnerability and deep sharing— a community where each woman is seen, challenged and affirmed, and where she experiences a true sense of belonging.

Peotona Foundation Events, either in person or virtual, are facilitated. In-person events will eventually be spread across major centres in South Africa to ensure all members have access, initially Johannesburg and Cape Town. The Foundation also hosts events virtually.

• Individual Founder Round Tables: Each of the Founders hosts an intimate Round Table for a maximum of nine members. The topic (and possibly a co-host) is selected by the Founder, and members apply for seats on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Network Founder Events: These events explore themes and topics that emerge organically within the Network and are considered timely and relevant for members. The themes are shaped by the evolving needs and insights of the Network Community.
• Peotona Connection Circles: Peotona Connection Circles are member-driven platforms to connect, and reflect, around shared values, fostering deeper collaboration and engagement. They create spaces where Network Community Members offer one another support for reflection, connection and belonging, while contributing to a legacy of collective social change. These Circles also provide a ‘unique canopy of cover’ for members to reflect together.

No.

As is already covered in the Confidentiality section above, Network Community members would be bound by the same guidelines pertaining to information they have access to within the Network Community.

The network is a closed space for the women who are Network Community Members, accessible by invitation, and active membership, only. After a successful Mentorship programme, a Mentee may be invited to retain their membership to the Foundation Network Community.

Foundation Mentors volunteer their time to mentor Foundation mentees, so for active Mentors, the Network fee is waived, including all Networking sessions, and a travel policy governs travel reimbursement should their in-person attendance be required.

Network community members who are not actively mentoring will pay an annual fee of R6 000 ex Vat to renew their Network Community Membership.

Mentees who are eligible are granted Network membership at no extra cost, whilst within the mentoring programme.

In specific circumstances the Foundation will cover the travel costs incurred to attend Network events or Mentorship sessions in person. This is detailed in the Travel Policy (found in the Mentor/ Mentee Contracts).

Yes. In future cohorts the Foundation will welcome corporate sponsorship. Sponsored Network Community members will still be required to meet the Foundation criteria.

Limited bursaries are available, at the Founders’ discretion, for applicants who may not have the financial resources where payment is required for their participation— most notably Network Community Members and Mentees in the Mentorship programme.

A Bursary Motivation section forms part of the online application form and will be reviewed by the Founders and the Foundation project team as part of the assessment process.

Please note: Mentors are not required to pay programme fees.

Your Network Community membership is annually renewable. Provided you continue to meet the Foundation’s requirements and pay the applicable annual fees, you will be eligible to renew your Network Community membership.

An incumbent nominee is endorsed by an existing Network member to join the programme. Thereafter, nominees are invited to begin the application process through the portal by completing the online application form. This self-reflective form is the initial step in the application process, designed to explore alignment between the applicant’s goals, needs, and aspirations and the programme.

All the nominees follow largely the same considered process – customised based on the role they will occupy in the Foundation: Mentor, Mentee or Network Community Member.

The information gathered through this reflective process is used in the following ways:

• To support prospective Mentees in developing a Personal Development Plan, which serves as a blueprint for the mentorship journey
• To support prospective Mentors in gaining insight into their mentoring style and internal patterns, helping them be more conscious and integrative in their role.
• To assist the Founders in considering the most suitable Mentor–Mentee matches, ensuring the best fit for participants
• To assist Network Community Members in identifying shared interests and areas of alignment, supporting meaningful networking and collaboration within the community.