I am Jacqui (Jax) Martheze, and I am privileged to be part of the leadership team at Woodrock Animal Rescue, a pro-life, non-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals. My background is in corporate compliance, but my lifelong connection to rescue ultimately led me to dedicate myself to this work full-time.

For me, leadership is about more than managing an organisation. It is about finding ways to create meaningful, lasting change. At Woodrock, that means looking beyond rescue itself and placing education, empowerment and community at the centre of what we do. I strongly believe that rescue without education will never solve the problem. People do better when they know better. We therefore work not only to save animals, but to educate communities about responsible pet ownership, sterilisation and compassion.

I am particularly passionate about empowering young people and developing future leaders who can carry this work forward. I believe my role is to contribute to the growth of Woodrock, encourage new thinking, support the people around me and bring different ideas and opportunities to the table. Ultimately, I want to be part of creating a future where fewer animals need rescuing in the first place.

I believe I was nominated for championing animal welfare, education and community upliftment, while creating innovative initiatives that engage youth, make caring cool, and inspire the next generation to lead.

My vision is to continue changing the perception of what an animal rescuer and a leader can look like. I want to show that you can be successful, enjoy fashion, music, travel and all the things you love, while still caring deeply and giving back. I want caring to be cool again. But more importantly, I believe changing the future of animal welfare in South Africa starts with education. People do better when they know better, and there are so many people who simply haven’t had the opportunity to learn about responsible pet ownership, sterilisation, adoption and compassion.

That is why I am particularly passionate about our youth. If we can educate and empower young people early, we can create a generation that thinks differently, cares more and becomes the leaders our country needs. My hope is to continue helping create a South Africa where young people feel empowered to make a difference, where compassion is valued, and where we focus on educating people rather than judging them for what they don’t yet know. I want to be part of creating that change, one person, one young leader and one animal at a time.

Over the past few years, I have tried to show that animal rescue can be modern, innovative, relevant and, quite simply, cool. I have helped create spaces and initiatives that speak to the things people, especially younger people, enjoy — good food, beautiful spaces, social experiences, Wi-Fi, connection and experiences worth sharing — while putting rescue and animal welfare at the heart of them. The Woodrock Cat Café (https://www.instagram.com/woodrockcatcafesa/) is a great example. It is a beautiful, welcoming space where people can enjoy coffee, connect with friends and spend time with rescue cats, while learning about adoption and animal welfare. Woodrock Thrift has similarly evolved beyond the traditional idea of a charity shop, showing that thrifting can be fashionable, sustainable, fun and genuinely impactful. I have also helped develop Paws at Work, (https://www.linkedin.com/company/paws-at-work/) taking rescue dogs into corporate spaces and showing people the connection between animals, mental wellness and human connection. What inspires me is seeing people who may never have walked into a traditional shelter become interested in rescue because we have brought it into spaces they already enjoy. I want young people especially to understand that caring is not uncool or old-fashioned. You can love your brands, your music, your food and your lifestyle — and still love a rescue animal. For me, leadership is about changing perceptions, creating new ways to connect people to a cause, and making it easier for the next generation to care.