Lindiwe Mazibuko, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Apolitical Academy Southern Africa
“We have had the pleasure of working with Marike and Clinton as facilitators on our 9-month public leadership programme. We would be delighted to recommend their services to anyone seeking a facilitation team that is highly engaged, exceptionally creative and always builds a learning environment which is challenging, transformative and fun for all programme participants. We always look forward to working with them.
Marike and Clinton’s contribution to the work we do is invaluable. Their presentations and facilitation methods are insightful and thought-provoking, helping our participants achieve a grasp of new ideas in an accessible, engaging way. We recognise how Marike and Clinton always go the extra mile to make their sessions as rewarding and constructive as possible for all involved. The content provided is meticulously prepared to the highest possible standard, and we regularly receive feedback on how beneficial our participants have found the sessions as a whole.
Our programme participants consistently come away from their sessions with Anew feeling rejuvenated, abuzz with new ideas and perspectives to bring into their own work.”
Hubertus von Welck, Former Regional Director, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
"As a facilitator, Marike stands out as someone who is warm and engaging and thus able to make participants feel at ease immediately. Marike truly has a remarkable ability to interact and connect with people. By creating the kind of environment in which participants thrive, Marike is always able to show clear and impressive outcomes for the sessions she runs. A few other things that come to mind are Marike’s faultless professionalism, razor sharp wit, the strategic thought that goes into all her activities and the ability to deal masterfully with any kind of situation.”
Dona John, Operations Director, Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) UK
"If I could describe Marike in one word, that would be an alchemist. I first met her at the International Academy of Leadership, Gummersbach in 2017 as a facilitator for a two week leadership program. I was deeply motivated and inspired seeing how she connected to participants from different cultures, professional backgrounds and individual personalities. She is simply remarkable in her facilitation techniques and in managing emotionally difficult situations and individuals. She genuinely enjoys making meaningful human connections and encourages her training attendees to explore, challenge and yet embrace their innermost thoughts and fears.
Marike has become an even more powerful catalyst as she is joined by Clinton. In my previous project on protection of LGBT+ rights spanning across the Commonwealth, Marike and Clinton did a marvellous training for Kaleidoscope Trust's partners on organisational branding and exploring empathy through Design Thinking. Together, they are the most prolific team of trainers that I would recommend to any organisation on learning & development, team building and leadership. Anew is astounding in its approach, methodologies and commitment to personal training and development. Both Marike and Clinton are human alchemists who gently guide and transform the lives of those around them."
Trisha Lord, Director: BraveHeart, Time To Think Faculty Member, Consultant, Facilitator and Coach
"The very first thing I want to say about working with Marike, is that it is delightful. Delightful because of her open mind, her attitude towards learning, growth and discovery and her commitment to those very same things. Because of this, she brings to her facilitation a way of being that is deeply respectful, deeply democratic, with a genuine appreciation of - and ease with - diversity in all its glory. Marike is not afraid to challenge, and she is not afraid to step back and allow. This for me is the heart of a great facilitator. In addition, as a person, she is open, honest and kind - supportive of participants whilst knowing when and how to place boundaries that facilitate personal discovery and growth. In the 8 years that I have worked with her I have learned so much from her about how to balance diplomacy and straight-talking, vulnerability with strength."
Rainer Heufers, Managing Director: SIAP Solutions Pte. Ltd. Singapore
"I have prepared and facilitated 2 trainings programmes with Marike, one in Africa in 2015, one in Europe in 2016. During this cooperation I came to experience her extraordinary skill sets that make her extremely resourceful and a great pleasure to work with. Firstly, I was able to experience her profound understanding of new facilitation and training techniques. She follows relevant discussions about these techniques, tries them out herself, and comes to her own professional conclusions where and when to use them. This results in her very interactive and highly innovative training concepts. Secondly, she combines these skills with a decade of personal hands-on experience in organisational development and human resource development. This practical background makes her programmes highly relevant for the work place. Clients in the corporate and civil society sectors will find her work highly valuable.
Finally, her open and embracing personality allows her to build trusting relationships, also with international and intercultural audiences. Her commitment and positive attitude makes the cooperation with her a great pleasure for clients and co-trainers alike. I do not hesitate to recommend Marike as she is certainly among the most outstanding training and facilitation providers I have worked with."
Penny Tainton, Analyst: eLearning and After Schools Game Changers, Department of the Premier, Western Cape Government
"Marike is a uniquely authentic person with a real connection to people. She has a genuine interest in what motivates and drives individuals. Her commitment is seen in daily interactions, where she seeks to ensure that each person with whom she engages is supported in seeking opportunities to develop and grow. Her particular passion is in developing a deeper understanding of and providing support to leadership development, and her commitment for this project is visible in all that she undertakes.
Marike is extremely skilled in developing excellent training programmes that convey information or teach skills, both in classroom or in a virtual environment. However, it is in the area of building healthy teams and supporting individuals in a challenging environment that Marike thrives and excels. She has a special skill in setting her participants off on a pathway that encourages them to grapple with all aspects of personal development, including personal branding, public speaking, writing skills, strategy and project management. Her facilitation style is warm yet inspiring, rapidly putting all participants at ease and encouraging them to participate in a non-threatening and supported environment. Simultaneously, she provides the space and the challenge to all to think more deeply, explore solutions and be unafraid to articulate these.
Marike’s programmes are universally life-changing. She has flair and talent in all areas of facilitation, development and training. A quietly thoughtful and wise individual who cares deeply, she inspires all who engage with her."