The dream and the Karoo

It began with a dream that felt almost too big to touch. A vision of young South Africans gathered on the vast plains of the Karoo, a massive, desert-like expanse in the heart of South Africa. Future leaders from every corner of society, transcending the boundaries of color and background to truly see one another.

That was the ambition behind The Initiative. I’ve written before about how this plan first came to be.

And there we were, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains and silence. I was joined by my cousin Frits, who spearheaded the program with his experience from the School of Life, and Nicci Cloete, who added a layer of depth through her open heart, yoga, and breathwork. Lydia and I stepped into the roles that came naturally to us: acting as a kind of 'mom and dad' for a group that sometimes needed that more than they dared admit.

The program was simple in its design but confronting in its execution. We asked the participants to look back at where they came from. Then, they visualized where they wanted to go, and finally, we coached them in creating concrete plans.

Stepping stones—the first small steps toward their ambitions. For most of these young people, many of whom grew up in townships or dysfunctional families, the program was life-changing. The act of daring to dream and being among like-minded peers opened something new in them.

But as I absorbed their stories—stories that bore witness to unimaginable resilience—I also felt the weight on my own shoulders. It’s a thin line. You want to inspire self-reliance, yet you feel the questioning gazes: 'How are you going to help us further?'

Then there is the financial side. Although we decided to offer this first edition at cost, even that proved out of reach for most. In the end, we had to subsidize nearly everyone, which created a somewhat awkward dynamic. It sets expectations that chafe against the project's true intent.

When the program ended, I lived in a haze of euphoria for two days. It worked! Something magical had happened! But the journey back to Cape Town was a hard landing. As the landscape blurred past, I saw in my mind’s eye the mountain of work required to follow through, to forge this into a movement.

And there, in that car, the realization hit me: I don't have the energy to do this on my own again. Not like this. I have given everything I have, both organizationally and financially, but I have reached my limit.

Was it worth all the effort? Absolutely. The spark has been lit. But whether The Initiative sees a next edition cannot depend on me alone. It depends on the strength of the group and the people around us. The dream has become a reality; whether it becomes a lasting movement, only time will tell.

For now, I look back on those days in the Karoo with a mixture of admiration for those nine young leaders and a profound awareness of my own boundaries.

Sometimes the most beautiful lesson of a leadership program isn't for the participants, but for the organizer himself.