Twelve African paediatricians from across the continent have travelled to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) under the auspices of the 2-year residential African Paediatric Fellowship Programme (APFP). Over almost two decades, the programme has delivered specialist general paediatric and subspecialist training to capacitate African healthcare centres, improved retention of specialised personnel and driven critical improvements in paediatric care across the continent. The programme boasts a commendable 89% local retention rate to date, rising to 92% if seven colleagues now displaced by conflict are excluded (as of end 2025). All but two haematology–oncology graduates have returned to their home institutions, with the remaining two still active in the field in their home countries. Haematology/oncology training started in 2010 in the haematology–oncology service at RCWMCH and 3 February 2026 marked the first return of alumni to a 1-day colloquium to learn, reflect, network and consolidate the progress made since the programme’s inception. The colloquium content centred on three key areas: education, research and service provision. Next was the University of Cape Town’s Paediatric Refresher Course with a haematology–oncology focus, attracting national and international experts in haematology, sickle cell disease, gene therapy and stem cell transplantation, leukaemia, neuro-oncology and palliative care. This afforded APFP alumni a unique opportunity to keep abreast of international best practices and to adapt and inform their local care with up-to-date treatment approaches. The groundwork of many individuals and international organisations established a foundation on which the APFP physician graduates have facilitated creative transformations of established systems of haematology/oncology care. Through APFP training and mentorship of local physician leaders, completely new components of patient care, clinical governance and academic leadership and development have been realised across ten facilities, given that one fellow is still in training. The partner site growth reported by the former fellows is testament to their tireless efforts in the face of almost unimaginable obstacles compared to counterparts in high-income countries. The APFP programme stands as a sustained, successful model for intra-African health workforce capacitation and support of African children and families with haematological/oncological diseases.