When Ludwick Marishane was 18, he and a friend were sunbathing in rural Limpopo in Marishane’s native South Africa. By the time the pair were ready to leave, Marishane hit the showers but his companion didn’t feel like cleaning up.

That gave Marishane, now 21 and a student at Capetown University, the idea that forms the core of his business, HeadBoy Industries. Marishane’s notion that day was to create a simple, antibacterial cleanser that could be used in lieu of gallons of water to bathe. On Friday, that idea and the business it influenced led Marishane to become the first sub-Saharan African to win the Global Student Entrepreneur Award.

“Who would have known a lazy friend not wanting to bathe would lead to this,” he told me Friday night after being named the winner of a competition that included more than 2,000 contestants, and ended with an intense day of 30 student entrepreneurs occupying the New York Stock Exchange and pitching their businesses to panels of veteran entrepreneurs and others. The contest was run by the Entrepreneurs' Organization and was sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the NYSE.

Marishane and four other finalists spent the afternoon explaining their businesses and visions to a group of panelists that included such luminaries as Redbox cofounder Mike DeLazzer and Shark Tank regular Kevin Harrington. I was the only media representative on the judging panel. The students were competing for $150,000 in cash and services and a year of mentorship from DeLazzer.

Marishane’s invention, DryBath, and the business he’s built around it, replaces use of polluted water for regular bathing in areas of the world where the water is so dirty that people catch diseases from taking a bath. The potential market includes more than 2 billion people.

DryBath also has commercial uses. It could be used by hotels looking to conserve water and by airlines trying to provide a refreshing dose of cleanliness to customers on long-haul flights. In fact, Marishane, who expects to do $162,000 in revenue this year and $1 million in 2012, is already working with British Airways and the Accor hotel group on test deals. He’s also established partnerships with Oxfam and WaterAid to provide his product to victims of disasters worldwide.

Marishane told the judges that his product could become, “a poor man’s necessity and a rich man’s convenience.”

“Participating in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards was a game-changing experience for my personal and professional growth, and winning is proof that crazy high-school dreams can go on to bring about real change in the world, ” Marishane said of his experience with the event.

As for the students who Marishane beat:

• Garrett Gee, a Brigham Young University student whose company, Scan, developed one of the most-used apps for QR Code scanning on mobile devices.
• Jake Jorgovan, a Belmont University student whose company, Rabbit Hole Creative, is built around creating three-dimensional lighting effects. He has worked with such artists as Dolly Parton, Cee Lo Green, and Lady Gaga.
• Kevin Gelfand of San Diego State University, whose company, ShakeSmart, provides healthy protein shakes near college fitness facilities. So far, he has established an outlet at San Diego State, but plans to expand to other colleges and hopes to hit the fitness-club market.
• Dinesh Wadhwani of Babson College, whose company, ThinkLite, aims to provide savings on energy-efficient lighting to consumers and businesses. Among ThinkLite’s clients are AT&T and Kodak.

“This year’s GSEA competition really symbolizes how young entrepreneurs are making their mark: creating employment, changing the world, and, in Ludwick’s case, saving lives,” said Kevin Langley, global chairman of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

Success can be achieved with a singular focus on self, or with a focus on others. At the Foundation we had captured this focus on others by seeking out people with a spirit of selflessness- a clear counter weight to the dangers of selfish success. However, there is another type of success that, while still maintaining the focus on others, is more enduring than the often transient nature of selflessness. This success we have come to understand as the ‘spirit of significance’.  Our working definition of this term is:  “A weight of personality that comes from living a life personified by passion and integrity. A recognition that ultimate personal satisfaction comes from empowering oneself in order that one may serve others.”

A clear understanding of this type of success was given by Victor Frankl in his enduring book, “Man’s search for Meaning”, where he states:  “For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued, it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended consequence of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself.”  It is that element of transcendence that points to a key characteristic of significance.

We live in significant times, and many would argue, in a significant location. It is our hope that both the Allan Gray Fellows and Scholars and the Foundation itself will be animated by aspirations of significance. In doing so, we will be joining many others in working towards leaving a legacy worthy of our moment in history.    

And so as we read about the activities and achievements of our Scholars, Fellows and Alumni, it is our hope that they reflect the reality of a group of young individuals, who are growing more committed, year after the year, to maximising their impact by moving beyond success to significance.

In 2007, 11 Allan Gray Scholars, namely; Ada Bentsela, Nonkululeko Sibonyoni, Keneilwe Nkholi, Mbalenhle Ngobese (St. Cyprian’s), Tyron Sneewe, Lyle Timotheus, Karabo Tshehle, Lwazi Volsak (Selborne College), Sabelwa Matikinca, Aseza Matanzima and Kayla Miller (Collegiate) began their journey with the Foundation. For these pioneering Scholars it was a world of new school uniforms, a home away from home and a host of new challenges. Boy, were these young people up for it though!

The past four years have been filled with many highlights for this group of trail-blazing Scholars. From tackling the Breede River in the teeming rain in kayaks, to sleeping under the stars in the icy chill of a Hottentot’s Holland Mountain Range winter. Not only did our intrepid group of Scholars overcome these physical challenges, they also overcame numerous personal challenges. For this I salute these brave young people and thank them for the faith in and commitment to the Foundation.

I have no doubt that the future looks bright for this group of pioneering Scholars. I am also quietly (well, not so quietly after this is published!) confident that we will see a significant number of them around for a few years still, as the Fellowship looms.

Here’s to The Allan Gray Scholars, class of 2012!

Through the work of the Graduates, the vision of Mr. Allan Gray, the Foundation’s benefactor, will be realised- particularly his belief that the most significant investment is that of and in human capital. The Foundation has every confidence of the cumulative mark these 45 Graduates will make as they individually continue along their chosen paths.

In his keynote speech, Professor Walter Baets, Head of the Allan Gray Leadership Centre at UCT, discussed the necessity for values-based leadership in the country as a means of taking the nation forward. This speech reaffirmed the values the Foundation has entrenched in the Graduates, and the Foundation is confident that with the Graduates’ integration into the wider society, the impact of values-based leadership will be realised.

Given the Foundation’s belief that the Graduates are leaders who will activate opportunities and serve in the African leadership spirit of Ubuntu, they were invited to continue their journey with the Foundation. Through their induction into the Association of Fellows, they will continue to contribute towards the Foundation’s pillars of Achievement Excellence; Intellectual Imagination; Personal Initiative; Spirit of Significance and Courageous Commitment, and be able to remain connected to a community intent on transforming the social and economic landscape of our country.

 

The event opened with a Leadership panel of three speakers, Stafford Masie, Tshepo Phakathi and Israel Noko, who discussed “Entrepreneurial Leadership for the Future”. The Startership session, which was held the following day, was a study on social business topics such as the Condom Case, the recent winners of an SAB grant and the newly elected Endeavour Entrepreneurs on the Excelerator programme.  The entrepreneur elaborated on the history of his business and posed a distribution challenge, which the Fellows had three hours to resolve and present solutions.  Prior to his brief, the speaker had remarked: “Having presented to several MBA classes, I am familiar with the type of ideas that are typically presented.” However, he was very impressed with some of the radical ideas proposed, and his parting shot was an underhanded compliment; “Ok, this bunch is bright!”  

In order to better equip the community, we hosted an exhibition at which our partners were invited to present the various tools available that could add significant value to the Fellows’ future. Allan Gray Limited presented the Fellows Investment Platform, Samsung showcased their various tablets and OD (represented by Margie) presented iSHIFT.

The Imbizo closed with a mini TEDx AAGF, held by our three “The Only” speakers.  “The Only Doctor”, Cameron Meyer ’10 who is studying towards his medical degree at Wits, discussed his plans for creating a low-cost medical solution for the mass market.  Batandwa Alperstein ’08– “The Only Artpreneur”– works as a Strategist at the Jupiter Drawing Room.  Batandwa recently hosted an entrepreneur development and business plan competition for the creative field, which was held at the Foundation’s offices.  He is passionate about seeing the creative industry grow and developing artpreneurs.  “The Only Civil Servant”, Bulukani Ndlovu ’10, is completing his articles with the National Treasury in Durban.  Bulukani explained his decision to work for government, focusing on the need for more high-impact, skilled individuals to join government.  He also spoke about the value of creating change from within government and being part of that change.

All the discussions that weekend had a similar theme:  We all have big dreams that can be accomplished over time, but what will you do next?  What is your next action?

Our next step is to take small, creative steps with the aim of actualising our mission and bringing the Foundation’s vision to life.

Story originally posted by Carolyn McGibbon via UCT's Faculty of Commerce.

Two of the most talented final year Business Science students have progressed to the finals of the KPMG International Case Challenge in Hong Kong on April 18 where they will compete against students from 19 other countries. They are Craig Lai King and Sakhile Mabena‚ fellows of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellowship‚ as well as chair and vice-chair on the Commerce Students Council last year.

The Dean of Commerce Professor Don Ross said: "There is no doubt that the multidisciplinary nature of our Business Science degree gave the students a competitive advantage because it enabled them to have a wide perspective and the ability to think innovatively".

The duo‚ who are Finance and Accounting majors‚ said studying in the Faculty of Commerce had inspired a passion to develop and to actively seek out opportunities. When the KPMG International Case Challenge presented itself to them‚ they knew this was too good an opportunity to let out of their grasp.

On entering the competition‚ they were motivated to consider their competitive edge as well as reflecting on their development areas. Said Craig: "We understood the importance of a large network base and the competition presented the perfect forum to extend this base. Advancing to Hong Kong and being able to engage‚ compete and learn with some of the brightest minds from all over the world will most certainly hold us in good stead later in our professional lives. "

The journey to Hong Kong began with a series of challenges against 70 other students in South Africa who analysed the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy group and its position within the Japanese market.

Craig said: "During the regional stage of the competition‚ we were required to analyse the business operations of an existing company and recommend a suitable strategy to be implemented to improve on the existing business model. This strategy was presented to a mock board of directors - consisting of senior level KPMG managers and partners. Based on the strength of your idea generation‚ lateral thinking and presentation skills‚ the board chose 32 individuals to participate in the national finals held at the head KPMG office in Johannesburg.

The next step of the competition involved evaluating the BP group and suggesting a strategy for the company following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. A group of four were chosen out of the stiff competition‚ the two best friends emerged triumphant. Not only will Craig and Sakhile be representing UCT but also South Africa. They will be competing against 19 other countries for bragging rights and title of KICC victors.

Craig concluded: "UCT provided us with the skills and knowledge not only applicable to the lecture hall but also the commercial world we will find ourselves in the not to distant future; basic presentation skills‚ developing the confidence to being able to speak in a public forum and communicate professionally.

For the Foundation, our definition of success is creating conditions where the Fellows can grow in their leadership capacity and an informed worldview. We strive to develop Fellows who are relevant and able to positively influence any context in which they operate.

Two examples of rich opportunity for growth were the National Jamboree, which was held in Cape Town in July and attended by all Fellows, and the One Young World Summit, which was held in Switzerland and attended by several of our Fellows and Talent. At the National Jamboree, over 200 Fellows gathered to ponder, debate and share ideas that could be translated into implementable projects or businesses using the open space discovery discussion methodology. In this process, the agenda is set by the participants who then also vote with their feet. At this event Fellows were challenged to stretch worldviews, debate and argue constructively. "Be unreasonable!" exhorted our CEO Anthony Farr.

The One Young World Conference, where 1300 delegates from 170 countries gathered, was held in Switzerland in September to connect and bring together the youngest, brightest people and ensure that their concerns, opinions and solutions could be heard. One of our Fellows, Bruce Haynes, did this literally when he took over the stage during a plenary session and challenged the world to sit up and take notice of the current times and the role that youth can play – in the form of a spoken word poem!

As we cannot always physically be with the Fellows to create all the conditions for success, we have used the power of technology to take it further. This year, the iShift entrepreneurial mindset curriculum has been designed by the Foundation team to create 120 self-directed learning opportunities. Using the “cogs” of the Cognician online platform, these 120 entrepreneurial attitudes use 120 real entrepreneurial role models to expand the worldview of the Fellows. Prompted by thought-provoking questions at each stage of the enquiry process, the Fellows practice mind gymnastics in order to learn, grow and stretch their capabilities by becoming flexible in their views of the world. This process includes focusing on an entrepreneurial mindset and creating dialogue with the role model as they are asked - and have to respond to - introduction, motivation, introspection, application, and focus and resolution questions.

Will the Foundation be successful through these “conditions” it has created? Only time will tell – and like our founder, we take a long-term view, confident in the knowledge that anything worth doing takes time.

Marishane conceptualised a simple, antibacterial cleanser that could be used in lieu of bathing water. This idea led to Marishane being the first sub-Saharan African to win the Global Student Entrepreneur Award.

Marishane’s invention, DryBath replaces the use of polluted water for regular bathing in areas of the world where the water is so contaminated that people catch diseases from washing. DryBath can also be used by hotels looking to conserve water, or for passengers on long-haul flights. Marishane is currently working with British Airways on various test deals and has established strategic partnerships with Oxfam and WaterAid to provide his product to disaster victims across the globe.

Marishane told the judges that his product could become, “a poor man’s necessity and a rich man’s convenience.”

The competition included more than 2000 contestants and culminated with an intense session of 30 student entrepreneur finalists occupying the New York Stock Exchange and pitching their business concepts to panels of veteran entrepreneurs. The contest was run by the Entrepreneurs' Organisation and was sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the NYSE. The grand prize was a cash sum of $150 000.00 and a year of mentorship.

The One Young World (OYW) Summit acts as a global forum for young people that display exceptional leadership potential, and provides a platform for them to discuss world issues and inspire change for the benefit of all. It also aims to ensure that the concerns and solutions of these future leaders are heard. Other than the Olympics, this event had the most countries represented with close to 1300 delegates attending from 170 countries.

The Summit was presented in the form of plenary sessions, special sessions and presentations. The topics covered ranged from the role of global business in society, to global dignity, the changing media landscape, global health concerns and challenges in Africa, amongst others.

Highlights from this year’s One Young World Summit:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

During his address, Tutu reminded the audience that they were all part of one global family. He challenged the paradigm of ‘allocation of wealth being proportionate to contribution’ by drawing on the following example: He questioned the delegates whether one would expect a grandmother of a family to receive an allocation of the family budget proportionate to what she contributed.

Bob Geldof – A Call for Leadership

Bob Geldof challenged the delegates to save the world as he felt that the world leaders had failed at this task. He noted that there were people dying from starvation and poverty. He addressed issues of unsustainable practice by accusing countries of abusing remaining resources so that they could flourish for a few more years. Geldof finished by calling for a new generation of leaders that would be able to galvanise the generosity of people into a hopeful future.

Jamie Oliver – A Different Kind of Revolution; A Food Revolution 

Oliver shocked the crowd with frightening statistics on death caused by poor diets. He reported that two of the top five causes of deaths in the planet were related to diet. Oliver believes that good nutritional education and information would equip people with the knowledge necessary to make responsible decisions about their health.

Women Up Special Session – It’s About the Quality of Leadership and Not Just About Gender 

It was noted that an entire nation was enriched through the empowering of women, as women spent their income on their communities. Their success was also said to benefit a wider network and that their influence went beyond the present, in contrast to that of men.

Africa Rising Special Session – The World Has An Agenda For Africa. Does Africa Have An Agenda For Africa?

The number of African delegates totalled 160, compared to the 39 present at the inaugural Summit. Professor Ihron van Rensburg, Vice Chancellor of UJ, challenged the African delegates to develop an agenda for their continent. He questioned politics without morals, wealth without work, religion without sacrifice and pleasure without conscience. He highlighted the plight of women, issues of tribalism and Africans fighting one another as opposed to helping each other. Prof. van Rensburg added that Africans needed to inspire hope, resilience and optimism and that it would then rise.

Aldrin Boraine, a University of Cape Town (UCT) student and young entrepreneur, started his own T-Shirt printing business in 2009 which has grown to such an extent that he now employs a further two members of personnel. Bandile Ngidi, Bruce Haynes and Sizwe Nxumalo were all selected as delegates at the One Young World Summit , held in Switzerland earlier this year, while Anade Situma, a UCT student, was appointed Model United Nations Coordinator for 2011.

Ludwick Marishane, UCT student and Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Scholar, scooped up a number of entrepreneurial awards for his company, Headboy Industries. Marishane was a finalist for both the African Leadership Academy's ANZISHA Prize and the SAB Foundation Innovation Award. He was also a finalist at the Singapore Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Global Business Competition and took home the title of ‘Most Promising Entrepreneur’. Marishane was the international winner at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, held by the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation, and was awarded the Google Zeitgeist Brightest Young Minds 2011 accolade.

UCT students Sibusiso Xaba and Melvyn Lubega were placed for internship at Goldman Sachs in the United Kingdom. Lubega attended the G20 Youth Summit in Paris, France earlier this year as the acting Minister of Finance for South Africa. Thandeka Xaba has been placed for internship at AIESEC in India. Xaba was a delegate at the Brightest Young Minds Conference and was announced President of SIFE for 2011 and 2012.

This year Fellows are also giving back. Timothy Kuiper, student of Rhodes University, was one of the founders of WildREACH- a project that fosters a valuable relationship between student volunteers and local communities to aid in the conservation of wildlife through social and environmental sustainability. WildREACH raised R65 000 and accompanied 193 children on eight different eco-excursions in 2011.

UCT student Unati Matshatshe was the Project Coordinator of ABSA Capital’s Pioneering Young Women conference and Tenele Dhladhla was a volunteer for the SolarDirect Project, an initiative that aimed to install solar water heaters at the informal settlement in Langa, Cape Town.

Dubbed “iShift”, the platform forms part of the Fellowship Programme’s Entrepreneurial Leadership curriculum and enables Fellows to explore and unlock their inner leadership ability through self-directed learning tools. To facilitate this journey of self-discovery, the Foundation has enlisted the services of Cognician. With the aid of Cognician’s innovative software platform, The Foundation is producing custom-built thought-processing tools for Fellows to develop their entrepreneurial mindset.

Cognician is an application that automates complex intellectual tasks by asking you thought-provoking questions. It groups questions in packages called “cogs”. “Cogs” are conversational guides made up of a series of concepts that provide an agenda for what to think about. In the Foundation’s case; the “cogs” have been designed to provide an agenda for Fellows to engage with each of the 120 attitudes identified in the iShift framework. The continual activation of these attitudes is intended to create entrepreneurial habits which will, in turn, spur each Fellow’s development as entrepreneurial leaders.

In addition, the platform provides an online space for Fellows to share their learning experiences and ideas with other Fellows regardless of geographical location. The project looks to develop this functionality to support the Foundation’s emerging community of vibrant entrepreneurial leaders.  

The Foundation is excited by the role that iShift’s conception can play in developing entrepreneurial thinking and that its platform of delivery is priming the Fellows for “the coming years” of which Mr. Gray’s vision speaks. The Foundation aims to have the complete set of iShift cogs ready for Fellows to engage with, whenever and wherever they wish, by the end of this year.

 A new cohort of 30 Allan Gray Fellows joined their fellow alumni, bringing the total number of graduated Allan Gray Fellows to 54. Fellowship graduation requires both the successful completion of a university degree, as well as completion of the Allan Gray Fellowship Programme which runs for the duration of each Fellow’s undergraduate degree.

 The Foundation knows better than anyone the great sacrifices these individuals have made to achieve the first of many goals they have set for themselves. One of the graduates summed it up best during his graduation speech: “The journey to becoming an Allan Gray graduate was not an easy one: we were challenged to expand our minds, discard the concept of limitation and stretch ourselves to discover new realms of potential.”

 The identifying and nurturing of potential is one of the key success factors which the Foundation continues to pursue with determination. Leadership potential does not have a distinct personality, nor does it favour a particular modus operandi. It’s why we believe our Fellows - equipped with the tools and attitude to unleash their own potential - will be well positioned to become high impact entrepreneurial leaders. In their own words, as echoed during Lwandlekazi Gaga’s speech at the ceremony, “...acting as individuals, but with the power of our collective, we will play an instrumental role in shaping a dignified, prosperous and environmentally sound growth path for South Africa.”

 In continuing to ensure that Fellows work at unleashing their potential to effect change, The Association of Allan Gray Fellows was officially launched at an event held on the evening of 26 March 2011. We look forward to the continued endeavours of the Association.

 To echo Arie Pencovici’s words quoted at the Graduation ceremony: “Graduation is only a concept. In real life, you graduate every day. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you will make a difference.”

 Class of 2010, we wish you a successful and prosperous future!

The first half of the year has certainly been eventful for our current scholars as a number of them have achieved some outstanding results. From achieving the Merit List for first term results, to being selected for student exchange programmes to England, to excellent performance in the JSE Schools Share Trading competition; our Scholars are definitely flying the flag as ambassadors for the Allan Gray Scholarship and as possible future Allan Gray Fellows.

Next year is also set to be a major milestone for the Scholarship Programme as the programme will celebrate its first matriculants from the Matric Class of 2012.  We look forward to celebrating this event!

News from Namibia

The pilot curriculum for the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation (Namibia) was finalised by the Foundation’s Organisational Development Team (OD Team) in consultation with the Namibian Team and the National Institute for Educational Development. The institute is responsible for the development and implementation of the school curriculum in Namibia and it was an honour for the Foundation team to be working so closely with those who affect curriculum at a national level within Namibia.

This collaboration culminated in a two day Scholars camp which was attended by 22 Allan Gray Scholars and the Namibian Foundation talent, Mr Rukee Moelenjane and Ms Alvina Hekengua. The camp was facilitated by members of the South African Foundation team including Nicky Wilson-Harris, James Thomas (both Curriculum Specialists), Deon Newkirk (Scholarship Director, South Africa) and Fellow-in-Residence, Blaise Dobson. 

The workshop created a platform for Scholars to explore and discover their passions; to learn how to access the Allan Gray Fellowship and other study opportunities; to explore leadership traits and be exposed to the entrepreneurial mindsets. They also completed the StrengthsFinder assessment tool which assists individuals in identifying their top five natural strengths. The activities, among others included abseiling and a nature drive. Scholars also watched movies and video clips which provided a backdrop to activating and entrenching the Foundation’s pillars and the entrepreneurial mindsets.

As the Foundation enters the second half of 2011, we put our full efforts behind the Allan Gray Scholarship opportunity for current Grade 6 learners and the Allan Gray Fellowship opportunity for current 1^st year university students. 

We would therefore like to challenge everyone who would like to play a part in shaping the future of this region to spread the message as widely as possible about these two opportunities and help our future leaders on their journey towards creating impact.

The table below summarises the current available opportunities as well as the closing dates for applications.

We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of Allan Gray Fellows and Scholars.

If so, we would love to see your potential as a future Allan Gray Fellow! Our Grade 12 application process opens on 1 March 2011, this is your chance to join some of the brightest young sparks around the country and play your part in shaping the future of our continent!

Application Dates:

 Allan Gray Fellowship          Grade 12 applications close 31 May 2011

 Allan Gray Fellowship          First year university applications close 31 August 2011

 Allan Gray Scholarship         Grade 6 applications close 30 September 2011

 Q: What is your role and designation within Allan Gray in Botswana? 

A: I am the Managing Director of Allan Gray Botswana. The company assists in executing the mandate of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Botswana.

Q: How long have you been involved with the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Botswana? 

A: Since its inception in 2007.

Q: What do you think are the main challenges that would-be entrepreneurs and future leaders face in Botswana, and how does the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation address these challenges? 

A: I believe the biggest challenge here is access to resources and the requisite training that would assist in making their endeavours a success. More often than not, a shortage of ideas on their part isn't a major impediment. In this regard, the Foundation is well placed to help more of them realise their entrepreneurial potential given the planned interventions embarked upon by it during their tertiary studies. The internal and external mentorships that the Foundation arranges for them are also highly beneficial.

Q: Do you have any remarkable success stories about an Allan Gray Fellow from Botswana that you could share with us? 

A: The most notable achievement by one of our Fellows so far, was by Tshepiso Gower, who was competitively selected in early 2010 from a global pool of young leaders to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos under the auspices of the British Council.

Q: Have you been involved with any interesting projects lately? 

A: Previously, the Botswana Foundation did not have a Scholar programme. We have however, recently completed the first selections for it. This is exciting as it widens the pool of beneficiaries under the Foundation’s umbrella.

Q: Do you have a message for this year's Allan Gray Fellows and Scholars? 

A: Best of luck for the upcoming year, and keep dreaming big! 

Our initial beginnings in 2005, with only one desk for Anthony Farr, started within the safe and comfortable “nest” provided by some of our biggest fans over at Allan Gray Limited.  In the last 5 years, the Foundation has grown significantly, not only in terms of our beneficiaries but in terms of our Talent numbers as well.  This has meant that it was time for us to move out into the big world and find a “nest” of our own. 

At the end of February 2011, the Foundation moved into our new home located in Hof Street, Gardens, Cape Town. The property includes a Victorian Villa (c. 1895) which has been graded by the Cape Town City Heritage Council as Grade 1.    Heritage grading meant that we had to be very careful with the changes that we were effecting to the property in order to do our bit to preserve history. Other features include some of the original iron balestrading, decorative ceiling panels as well as a conference facility.

Preserving some of the old and combining it with a fresh contemporary look had its own challenges; however, the outcome has been well worth the wait. The property has informally and affectionately been nicknamed “The Hof” by Foundation Talent. We’re extremely excited about having a space of our own within which the Foundation is able to continue implementing our vision and continue to add to the history of this fine building.

I had always wanted to go to China and so in 2010 I Googled ‘China internships’. I applied for a programme that takes people from around the world to develop their business and leadership skills in China. I was very fortunate to have been selected to be one of the 2010 interns as there were 38 interns from over 17 different countries around the world. Getting to make friends with such a diverse group of driven individuals would prove to be one of the highlights of the trip.

My trip to China really changed my life. I began to see the world from a different perspective.  I’d always been curious about the country and how it became an economic miracle. The ability for China to surpass Japan as the world’s second largest economy in 2010 is an indication of just how incredible China’s development has been over the last 30 years! I was determined to learn as much as I could from the Chinese and find ways in which these lessons could be implemented in South Africa.

Lessons with an Influential Impact

I spent a month interning at a private equity firm called Broad Global Capital, which is focused on investing in science and technology firms in China. I learnt many valuable business lessons through this, one of which is how the Chinese work very hard to build good relations and trust amongst business partners. During my internship, the company spent many hours in meetings and dinners building ‘Gwanxi’ or good relations with potential partners.

Another important business lesson I learnt is how the Chinese have an incredibly strong work ethic. There were days where I stayed in the office until 11pm with my supervisor finishing off work. These proved to be some of the reasons for my company’s success. During my internship I also got to rub shoulders with many of China’s top businessmen and prominent government officials.

During this time, the factors that have contributed to China’s success started to become apparent. The Chinese government has been the key to China’s development. Policies that are implemented by the government have supported growth in the country for decades. Government owned companies are highly successful and well run; competing with some of the western world’s top companies. Also, many tough decisions and sacrifices were made by the Chinese people to ensure the country’s growth. An example of this is the one child policy that is implemented to slow down the population growth rate of China’s 1.3 billion people.

However, what inspired me the most about China were its people. From the street vendor to the Executive Director, everyone in China had a hunger to succeed and a level of patriotism that I had never seen before. The spirit of entrepreneurship that I encountered in China was truly unbelievable. People believed that every sale counted no matter how small. This is certainly the attitude that I feel we as South Africans need in order to see our country overcome unemployment and poverty.

If every South African begins to see themselves as a representative of South Africa, then we would have 50 million individuals determined to improve the country by developing themselves. After my experience in the world’s most populous nation my new mindset towards life was truly made in China. 

Whether a person is in their first job, a senior director or even considering a professional career, one of the most valuable assets they can have is a good mentor. The supportive guidance of a mentor can complement the role of a line manager, sponsor, and lecturer. This sounding board is confidential and can facilitate future decisions, strategies and new ideas while supporting personal development.

Mentoring is a relationship as well as a journey that mentors and mentees embark on together. Unlike coaching, mentoring is a supportive process while coaching is mainly an enabling process often carried out by a line manager or a lecturer (in the case of young people at university). To mentor effectively one needs to have a genuine interest in the development of others especially those in the area one wishes to mentor.

From the onset, a mentor should identify the mentee’s goals. These must be written down and used as reference by both the mentor and mentee throughout the mentoring process. A mentor can refer to these and check off the progress that the mentee is making. This will help build self-confidence and motivation in the mentee in order to work towards achieving their development goals.

In the pursuit of the achievement of the mentee’s goals, there may be barriers and pitfalls throughout the mentoring process. When this happens, the mentor can use reflective questions to help them analyse for themselves the causes of those barriers which encourages them to self-manage learning and solve their own problems. Only when they are unable to find the best solution should a mentor suggest alternative solutions.

A mentor needs to always remain non-judgmental, as this will help the mentee treat mistakes and setbacks as real learning opportunities. Experience also plays a factor in being a mentor. Whether a mentor uses their life or work experience, a mentor should be able to call upon the knowledge they have gained from past situations. A mentor need not be old; young people can also have a wealth of experience to draw upon. Having said that, a mentor should never go into a relationship and start ordering their mentee around or assume they know nothing. It is important to realise that mentees often also have a lot of experience. A mentor needs to have an open attitude and a willingness to learn – not only from the mentee but also from other mentors.

Throughout this process the key is to encourage and be there for the mentee. The mentors role is to champion openness, build trust and finally, to celebrate success alongside their mentee. Mentoring should be a mutually rewarding process for both mentor and employee.

Find out more about becoming a mentor for the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation now.

Application Closing Dates 2011:

Some of the panellists also stated that for entrepreneurs to have a viable environment to thrive in; government would need to relax the tight exchange controls currently in existence in the country that make it hard for small businesses to establish themselves in the international playing field.

Talking to members of government and captains of industry, Farr reiterated The Foundation’s commitment to bolster job creation and alleviate poverty through harnessing the power of the South African youth. He noted that it was The Foundation’s hope that these individuals would be the pioneering agents of change who will bring about economic transformation for Southern Africa. The Foundation sees the role of the Allan Gray Fellows, as future leaders who will be in positions to add tremendous value to the Southern African marketplace by creating a vibrant and sustainable economy for a promising collective future through adopting an entrepreneurial mindset in all their future ventures.

Achievements

Lwazi Volsek, Grade 10 at Selborne College was chosen for the Selborne College Overseas Exchange Programme and he describes the highlights of his trip as follows: “Going to Edinburgh in Scotland and going to London and seeing many fabulous tourist attractions. It was particularly awe-inspiring to watch the changing of the Guards and seeing Mandela’s statue gave me a great sense of pride to call myself a South African. A highlight for me was when I was given the privilege in my last week to be the teacher and prepare a lesson which included a PowerPoint presentation on DNA which received much acclaim from the students”.

We also applaud the following Scholars who achieved noteworthy milestones during the 2010 academic year:

1. Jade Hart – Achieved first place in her grade consistently for 2010.
   1. The following Scholars made it onto the merit list at Selborne:
      1. Grade 10: Lwazi Volsak, Tyrone Sneewe and Lyle Timotheus.
      2. Grade 9: Siphesihle Zwane, Avumile Mbali, Nkosana Nkosi and Preyin Govender.
      3. Grade 8: Jody Julies and Emmanuel Meyer.
      4. Veranzo Pipers – Achieved Gold in Greco Wrestling Provincial Championships.
         1. Ishaan Dawray has been published in the Schools Feature of the South African Art Times as a participant in the Bishops “Four Seasons” Project which introduced him to the work of French impressionist as led by the Art Master, Peter Hyslop.
         2. Emmanuel Meyer – Achieved Platinum at Choral Eisteddfod.
         3. Azrah Behardien – Grade 9 - 1st team (19A) for hockey 
         4. Karabo Makete – District netball squad (Gauteng).

Katlego Theledi, Grade 8, had this to say about the occasion “My experience at the function was fun and it really inspired me. I found out a lot about a person who has affected my life in a very positive way. I think he is a perfect example of someone who lives life to the fullest. That’s really amazing because usually most businessmen are all work and no play”.

Neliswe Mkhele had this to say “We spoke to Mr Allan Gray and he shared his point of views and stories about his life. My thought as everyone else’s on meeting him were: what does he look like, how does he act, how does he dress, how does he walk and importantly is he a “funny chap” or not. We soon found out Mr Allan Gray was definitely a cool, calm and collected individual. We laughed at his humorous answers to the questions asked and got a bit of time to think, when he told us we are the bright sparks. It was an amazing experience and honour to be with someone whom we are not only inspired by but aspire to be like. Mr Allan Gray and his wife are humble people who simply want to make a difference in the society we live in”.

The Foundation was extremely proud to be able to host both our Scholars and Mr Gray simultaneously. Again, those famous words ring true, Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. “A person is a person because of other people”, we are, because you are.

It would be difficult to dispute the fact that the workshop achieved much more than just thought leadership. As a bonus to raising some critical thought around the subject matter, it created an environment for both inspiration and aspiration towards the goal of the framing title. The inspiration came in the form of an opportunity to engage unapologetically about the need and value of excellence within South African schools. The aspiration followed as principals departed from the workshop with an undeniable energy for pursuing excellence in their own schools and for sharing this energy with less resourced schools in their surrounds. 

On the first evening, education specialist, Graeme Bloch, shared insights into some of the blockages in the South African education system and how committed parties within schools could contribute towards unlocking some of these. The second day was given added flavour by the contribution of Allan Gray Fellows from the Gauteng Region who gave personal testimony to their learner experiences in High School.

Reason Maredi (Year Equip), Mahwane Kgaphola (Year Explore), Fuxun Xia (Year Explore) and Cameron Meyer (Year Experience) gave insights into how schools can create more excellent learners, sharing examples from their diverse schooling backgrounds. These Fellows painted a canvas that reflected the possibilities of education when commitment, support, mentorship and dedication are the drivers within the learning environment, despite the challenging circumstances a school may face.

During the world café sessions, which interspersed the presentations in the workshop, principals had an opportunity to dialogue about some of the successes and challenges that they experienced within their individual schools. With these insightful conversations came the suggestions for possible interventions and for best practice.  The relevance of strong committed parent bodies was juxtaposed to that of strong policies, systems and structures within schools. Commitment and consistency from the heads of schools and the teaching staff were discussed along with the role of vision and clear goals to sustain them.

Overall it was agreed that excellence would be as a result of a number of critical ingredients that included the strategic efforts of the both the community and the learning institution, the by-product of which should be infused as a standard into the South African learner – the only recipe that creates the possibility for excellence. 

The Foundation’s Circle of Excellence initiative, started in 2008, was created to recognise, support and encourage South African secondary schools that have consistently delivered educational excellence and to ensure that their high standards are maintained. These are schools that have historically produced the most number of candidates who went on to become Allan Gray Fellows. In light of this, an early selection process is held for the top candidates from the schools, allowing them the opportunity to compete to become Fellows ahead of the open selection process.

This year, the Circle of Excellence schools yielded impressive results as 24 students were offered an early Fellowship award, which is subject to writing the National Benchmarking Test as well as succeeding in their final matric examinations. This marks a 40% increase on last year’s number of candidates selected at this stage of the Foundation’s calendar year. 

We would like to congratulate the candidate Fellows and applaud the Circle of Excellence members for their efforts in delivering educational excellence. It is through the partnership with them that the Foundation hopes to make a significant impact in developing South Africa’s future human capital.

 We wish the Matric Class of 2010 every success in the upcoming final exams!

Our Circle of Excellence initiative, started in 2008, aims to recognise those schools which have historically yielded the most number of successful candidates who went on to become Allan Gray Fellows.  In recognition of this, the Foundation has an Early Selection process which sees the top candidates from these schools vying for the honour of becoming an Allan Gray Fellow. 

The Foundation’s selection process is both intensive and exhaustive.  Learners are put through a rigorous process which comprises an in-depth application form and face-to-face interviews which then culminates in a Selection Camp. The Selection Camp is an intense three days which a number of previous candidates have remarked on as life-changing, whether an Allan Gray Fellowship was awarded or not. The Circle of Excellence candidates are put through exactly the same paces as those candidates who apply via our open recruitment process.

This year, the Circle of Excellence schools did not fail to disappoint as 24 individuals were offered an early fellowship award, subject to writing the National Benchmarking Test. This saw a significant increase of 40% on last year’s number of candidates selected at this stage of the Foundation’s calendar year. 

We wish all our fellowship candidates well during their Matric year and we look forward to welcoming them onboard for 2011.

The Connect Event was created to give Fellows an opportunity to activate their understanding of community and to bring about the realisation that they themselves form significant parts of the communities they come from and form in the future. 

Fellows were encouraged to actively and consciously think about how they could redefine or change their communities. As well as to have an understanding that community can represent a powerful movement of people seeking to bring change to their contexts – such as the Allan Gray Fellowship. Fellows began the process of defining what they would like the Community of Allan Gray Fellows to look like and represent “in the coming years”.

The event saw Fellows learning that, like an orchestra or choir, each individual has a role to play within a community, but the resulting whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Furthermore, the Allan Gray Choir of Fellows took their newly learnt choral skills and entertained residents at the local old age home.

Our hope for Allan Gray Fellows in terms of their community orientation is entrenched into the very basis of our relationship with Fellows and is outlined in their individual contracts with the Foundation as follows: “Allan Gray Fellows are expected to perform their role as ambassadors to their community in a genuine and constructive manner. It is expected that Allan Gray Fellows will communicate to others a positive attitude, new insights, and that they will serve as a role model within their community. The culture of shared responsibility or contribution (ubuntu) will be further fostered by each Allan Gray Fellow’s continuing participation in the ongoing programme, including a willingness in the future to act as mentors and encouragers of others.” 

The second cohort of 16 graduates join the first eight who graduated at the end of the 2008 bringing the total number of graduated Allan Gray Fellows to 24.  While this may seem like a small number (which will grow over time), it was Margaret Mead who said it best; “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

We, at the Foundation, are intimately acquainted with the sacrifices and effort that these 16 unique individuals have made over the last three or four years to have successfully completed both their university degrees and the Foundation’s Fellowship Programme.

During his speech to the graduating class, Anthony Farr highlighted three of the Foundation’s five pillars, namely, Intellectual Imagination, Achievement Excellence and the Spirit of Selflessness and stressed their importance in terms of the journey these individuals were about to embark on.  However, his words around the pillar of the Spirit of Selflessness resonated the most.  “We need to rediscover the energy, the creativity, the passion that comes from pursuing a purpose greater than ourselves. A powerful consequence of embracing selflessness is that it moves your journey from one of success to one of significance. And ultimately our search is a search for significance. “  

To, Beverley, Dominic, Maurice, Mbali, Melissa, Michael, Millien, Ntombizandile, Patrick, Phethile, Phumelele, Silindile, Tshepo, Sivuziwe, Gugulethu and Sinesipho, our graduating class of 2009, we wish you a journey filled with significance.

After months of intensive development, two scholars’ camps were held, one in Cape Town at the Villa Via Hotel in Gordons Bay and one in Gauteng at the Ngwenya Lodge. The decision to include a selection camp was borne out of a need to ensure that learners are viewed in a more holistic manner and to see how they presented both individually and in group situations. 

The camps were two days in length and 99 candidates were invited to participate in this leg of the Scholars Selection Process.  During the camps learners were put through their paces in activities ranging from individual written assignments to interactive group activities which highlighted the ability to deal with group dynamics. The Scholars Programme has at its core the following four pillars namely Wisdom and Knowledge, Courage, Vision and Leadership. In addition to the four pillars, individuals were also assessed on the following key attributes: adaptability, independence and resilience.

While the camp is quite rigorous, we do add huge doses of fun which means learners get to interact with each other and the Foundation within a fun environment. We are happy to note that from the 99 learners who attended the selection camp, 49 scholarship offers were made to individuals to start Grade 8 at one of our preferred high schools in 2011.

We wish our Allan Gray Scholarship candidates well for their final year at primary school and look forward to welcoming them onboard for high school in 2011.

No ordinary excursion for Fellows or Talent, the 17th June 2010 saw attendees experience what many considered to be the match that truly sparked off the competition, with 32 international teams each vying for that golden trophy. With player determination and a huge support base in attendance, the goal was clearly and simply that each wanted to be the best.  As Argentina trounced Korea Republic 4 – 1 on the day, there was also no doubt that an unforgettable scene had unfolded.

Another large-scale realisation dawned clearly on this day. It was commented upon several times throughout by locals and visitors from abroad. We saw that it was not just the soccer spectacle that worked. What also presented itself as a national triumph was the way that all the planning and effort, primarily on the parts of local contributors, had facilitated and enabled a fluid staging of a world-class event. If inspiration is what we search to transfer, then after seeing it at this level, there should be no questioning that it is possible for us all to do.

If you, or someone you know exhibits the following qualities:

• Excited about the future of our country.
• Has an academic average of at least 65%.
• Has a passion for leadership excellence.
• Has a flair for creating change through entrepreneurial activity.

And meets the following criteria:

• Current 1st Year at UCT, UWC, WITS, UP, UJ, Rhodes or NMMU
• Studying any Commerce, Science (excluding Medicine), Engineering degree or
• Humanities field (majoring in Politics, Philosophy or Economics)

Please encourage them to apply for the Allan Gray Fellowship opportunity. 

We also have an exciting competition which 1st year students at participating universities can enter. Beyond the Game encourages 1st year students to submit their on-campus entrepreneurial ideas which are sustainable beyond the end of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. We hope to encourage individuals to take a long term view of their future by applying for an Allan Gray Fellowship, as well as get them to think about ideas and problem solutions which have significance and impact beyond a singular event.

Application closing deadline is 31st August 2010.

For further information visit www.beyondthegame.co.za