I started my rural development career back in 1992 at the Institute of Natural Resources (INR) at the University of Natal then. I have extensive experience in sustainable livelihoods and community economic strengthening programmes, financial and entrepreneurship education, organisational development, training and capacity building and mentoring programmes. My skills and competencies include partnership facilitation, participatory research, facilitation of strategic planning workshops, organisational development, training and capacity building. I have participated in many rural development programmes and projects. These include provision of programme support and facilitation in: food security, community-managed water supply, water conservation, household sanitation, rural low-cost housing, local economic development, smallholder farmer support, conservation sensitive farming and climate resilient agriculture, conservation restoration, enterprise development, emerging and small contractor development, and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) programmes. I have gained extensive experience from working in different programmes implemented by the public sector, business and non-governmental organisations. I was employed by different organisations between 1992 and 2003. After the Institute of Natural Resources, I joined the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), followed by Built Environment Support Group (BESG) and the Mvula Trust. Working for these organisations helped me to grow my skills and competencies required in community development practice. In October 2003 I moved to the freelancing space. Through my career adventures I have learnt to observe, listen, probe and engage in constructive dialogues that add value to development agencies and their programmes. I have also discovered that training and capacity building interventions transform into serious game changers for organisations when combined with mentoring and/or coaching. This has led me to use my learning and development experience to develop and promote mentoring of filed staff responsible for implementation of projects. Coaching and mentoring have been very empowering to me. It has helped me to see the greatness and potential for growth in everyone I coach or mentor.