Jane Simmonds
Founder & Executive Director, goGOGOgo
In South Africa, an estimated 4 million children are being raised by their grandmothers, locally known as gogos.We work with, co-create with, and support one of South Africa's most overlooked resources. Grandmothers are already leaders, earners, and change-makers.
Why This Work Matters
When you empower a grandmother, you change an entire household.This work began with a single conversation.After a talk on HIV and AIDS, a grandmother approached Jane for help. She had lost all five of her children and was raising their children, who were already becoming parents themselves. She was trying to break a cycle without the tools to do so.This is the work we’ve been building ever since.Today, goGOGOgo partners with grandmothers across South Africa, equipping them with the knowledge, tools and opportunities to support their families and lead within their communities.This is research-driven, community-led and already proven.
What We Do
goGOGOgo designs and delivers programmes that:
Build health knowledge and education
Create income-generating opportunities
Develop digital literacy skills
Support maternal and family health
Strengthen intergenerational learning
Everything is co-created with grandmothers themselves.When a grandmother is supported, entire families stabilise and futures shift.
Who Am I?
Jane Simmonds is a public health activist and social innovator focused on building stronger communities across South Africa.She is the Founder and Executive Director of goGOGOgo, a non-profit that works with grandmothers as agents of change, developing programmes in digital literacy, health education and intergenerational learning.Jane holds a Master's in Public Health from Wits and brings a background in education, research and community development. Her research career at the South African Medical Research Council spans national behaviour change initiatives, health promotion, HIV programmes and vaccine studies. She is a published author in BMC Public Health and the South African Medical Journal.Her research feeds directly into goGOGOgo's work, closing the grey divide and equipping grandmothers with the skills and tools to support their households and the young people in their care.
Let's Connect
If you’re looking to fund, partner, collaborate, or bring this work into your organisation, let’s connect.
