NCAZELO WINS 3 GLOBAL AWARDS
The Executive Director of Phola, Ncazelo Mlilo has brought home, not one, or two but three awards at the Women Changing the World awards ceremony that took place in London, United Kingdom, on 2-3 April 2025.
Ncazelo was initially nominated in the categories of People’s Choice Award for Non-Profit and Social Enterprise and the Women in Therapy and Counselling Services Award. To her surprise she also received the Golden Heart award. The Golden Heart award is a special award for women serving the world from a place of love and care.
The recognition extended by the Women Changing the World institution reaffirms Ncazelo’s groundbreaking work in mental health, her development of Afrocentric, culturally sensitive narrative-based methodologies, and her dedication to empowering communities worldwide. It is an expression of the confidence and the positive impact Ncazelo’s work makes in low-income communities.
On this prestigious global stage, Ncazelo was recognized for her sterling work, along with other women across the world, for their incredible work that is making a positive difference in various industries and areas including business, sustainability, leadership, health, education, product development, innovation and technology. The nominated women hail from over 50 countries, ranging from Kazakhstan, Honduras, Australia, Bahrain, USA, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Netherlands and Poland to name a few.
Ncazelo founded the Johannesburg-based Phola NPO in 2016. Phola’s mission is to provide community based, culturally responsive mental health, trauma counselling and psychosocial services to marginalized and disadvantaged people world-wide. Through Phola, Ncazelo is able to reach over 15,000 people directly every year. Phola benefits from Ncazelo’s over 25 years of experience as a world renowned Narrative Therapist and Psychosocial Specialist, and trauma counseling specialist. It also incorporates the Tree of Life (ToL) methodology, which Ncazelo developed with Michael White. The ToL methodology is employed in over 60 countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Japan, India, Iran, Sweden, and across the African continent.
Through Phola, Nczelo is able to continue her work with children, youth, women, families, and communities to address the effects of HIV/AIDS, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), poverty, conflict, and many other hardships.
Phola would like to express its appreciation to the Women Changing the World Awards founders and organisers; Dr Tererai Trent, Katy Garner, and Peace Mitchell, for recognizing Ncazelo Mlilo for her local and global work. We would like to thank the media and our stakeholders for their continued partnership and support.
If you would like to know more about the work of Ncazelo and Phola and also would like to contact us, we invite to visit our website at www.phola.org.
Phola NPO Registration number:2019/553773/08
