Hashtag Nonprofit - Ruen Govinder

Ruen Govinder

Founder and Executive Director, Hashtag Nonprofit

Ruen Govinder is the founder and director of Hashtag Nonprofit. She has over 20 years of experience in consulting and managing online communications and technology for the development sector. She produced a series of e-books on communications strategies for nonprofits, and has worked with clients across Africa and in the United States.

Should your nonprofit join the rising star social network, Bluesky?

Bluesky is a new social media platform that’s being developed as an alternative to sites like X/Twitter. In just a few weeks post-US elections, its user base jumped from 13 million to over 21 million, with 3.5 million daily active users. ...

Self-care for nonprofit staff during the holiday season

At every meeting I've attended in the past few weeks, I have encountered people who are tired, burned out, and desperately waiting for the end of the year to finally take a break. While the holiday season is often regarded as a time for joy, relax...

The heart of nonprofit accounting: Brenda Coetzee on Ziyo’s mission for nonprofits

This interview series with our #Nonprofit Service Provider Classifieds advertisers aims to unveil the stories and motivations behind those who specialise in uplifting and guiding the nonprofit community. In this interview, we talk with&...

Capturing impact: Anna Lusty transforms nonprofit storytelling through photography

Recruitment with heart: How Annelie Marais supports nonprofits in achieving their mission

Amplifying nonprofit impact: Warren Lodge highlights the power of branding for social good

Behind the numbers: Reza Amra on strengthening South Africa’s nonprofit sector

The Power of Passion and Strategy: Interview with Carolin Gomulia, The Workroom

Innovating for Impact: Iris Cochrane’s Mission with In-Contact

A Passion for Positive Change: Interview with Nicole Copley, NGOLaw

Nonprofits don't owe you an Instagram-worthy Mandela Day

Mandela Day, celebrated annually on 18 July, is a global call to action emphasising the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world and make an impact. In South Africa, people are encouraged to volunteer 67 minutes of their...

Interview: Ruen Govinder: Founder and Executive Director of Hashtag Nonprofit and digital consultant

Hashtag Nonprofit is an online magazine for people working at and serving nonprofit organisations. A popular section on our website is our #Classifieds, which advertises consultants and service providers specialising in the nonprofit sector. This...

How to avoid "Groundhog Day" at your nonprofit organisation

The "Groundhog Day phenomenon" refers to the 1993 film where Bill Murray's character is caught in a time loop, re-living the same day over and over again. At nonprofits, this painful re-living happens not through any magical forces, but due to poo...

AI should assist, not replace, the writing process

At #nonprofit, we regularly receive article submissions for our digital magazine. Many of these are excellent, useful resources or insightful thought pieces. However, we have been receiving an increasing number of article submission...

Introducing #Classifieds: A Game-Changing Service for South African Nonprofits

#Classifieds is a dynamic platform designed to bridge the gap between nonprofit organisations and skilled service providers. South African nonprofits now have a dedicated space to discover and connect with professionals who can assist them ...

Why your nonprofit needs a communications budget

In Nonprofits: We Must Break Out of the Scrappiness Cycle, Vu Le talks about the extremely frugal nature of most nonprofits. “We are always scrimping, trying to find the best deals, trying to get stuff discounted or preferably free....

REVIEW: Raising funds for your nonprofit through ShopDonation

I registered Hashtag Nonprofit as a cause on ShopDonation and tested their system. Here is what I found. What is ShopDonation? ShopDonation is a website that uses affiliate marketing, where online retailers pay commissions for referra...

What is UX design and why is it important for your nonprofit?

UX means “user experience” and refers to designing and creating products with the user in mind. With nonprofits, this can refer to how a user experiences your organisation via your website. For example, let’s imagine that someone hears about your...

A passion for supporting and developing people: Meet Omashani Naidoo, SchoolNet South Africa

SchoolNet SA’s purpose is to act as a catalyst and an enabler of positive change for the education system. Omashani Naidoo talks to me about her journey to lead this public benefit nonprofit company that focuses on ICT in educa...

Storytelling for non-profits

Storytelling, used well, is the single most powerful tool available to nonprofits You know you love reading a good book, watching a great movie or listening to an engaging story. But why? And how does it relate to telling stories for your no...

Understanding Storytelling

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel - Maya Angelou When nonprofits talk about their work, there is a ten...

Getting started with storytelling

The idea of adding something as challenging as storytelling to your already busy day may feel overwhelming. However, this does not have to be the case. Stories are all around you, and you can gather them in the course of your work over a long peri...

Meet Bev Russell, CEO of Social Surveys

In today’s data driven world, sound public policy and civil society initiatives must be informed by accurate information. However, information on society’s marginalised and most vulnerable is often incomplete, inaccurate, or non-existent. For over...

Quick tips on writing for the web

Web writing has its own style. It’s direct, visual, and to the point. Here are a few simple tips to help you optimise your writing for the web. Keep your intro short! Few people will read long intro text. They glance through the article and try...

Managing your social media staff

Communication works for those who work at it. - John Powell Few NPOs can afford to appoint a full-time staff member to manage their social media. However, you can assign the work of social media manager to a staff member who is well-versed in you...

Skills required to manage social media

Nonprofit social media management is often left in the hands of anyone in the office who uses social media in their personal capacity.⁠ But communicating on behalf of an NPO requires a specific set of skills. Is it worth the reputational ri...

Developing a basic comms plan

As a digital media consultant, one of the first questions I ask clients is how their website and social media work fits into their communications plan. More often than not, this question is met with either uncomfortable silence or just laughter. ...

Stop wasting your time on social media

Are you wasting your time on social media? If any of these points sound familiar, you are very likely wasting your time: You’ve left social media content to your resident ‘techie’ or intern to manage Your organisation has opened accounts on mu...

Guiding questions for social media policies and procedures

Everyone involved in your social media work should have a solid understanding of the NPOs social media policies and procedures. Clarifying these issues can help you avoid potential problems later. Responsibilities Who has overall oversight ove...