Empowering Entrepreneurs and #doDifferent
It is said that entrepreneurs are the backbone of the South African economy -they employ people, feed families and help grow the economy. Many of them lack the skills and capital they need to succeed. This is why one of South Africa’s biggest investment firms has decided to #doDifferent by helping to upskill and support young potential entrepreneurs.
The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation was founded in 2005 as part of, the now late, Allan Gray’s vision to make a sustainable, long-term contribution to Southern Africa by nurturing the emerging entrepreneurial potential. The foundation has the challenge of addressing poverty and unemployment in Southern Africa. Its purpose is to foster responsible entrepreneurship for the common good, in particular the creation of employment opportunities. They believe just one high-impact entrepreneur can change the reality of their community.
The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation offers scholarships; fellowships; mentorships and bursaries to deserving students, as young as grade 6, who show a great deal of potential. How do they know this? Well in 2017, The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation launched the Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge, which is set up to expose learners to the complex world of entrepreneurship while still making it fun. These learners participate in a game that is played using a web browser or a mobile app. Weekly micro-challenges introduce students to important entrepreneurial attitudes and concepts, which they can apply in a range of real-world circumstances.
They also award 100 Grade 12 students who want to study a degree in the fields of engineering, law, commerce, humanities, arts or science (excluding medicine, dentistry and veterinary science), with bursaries. These opportunities are not only available to South Africans but our close neighbours in Namibia.
All of this is funded by a donation of 7% of the taxed profits from Allan Gray Limited. As these may fluctuate, the commitment is supported by an endowment trust capitalised with over R1 billion, which was donated by Allan Gray.
With the current economic situation, it goes without saying that we need more companies like Allan Gray Limited who are committed to #doDifferent by making a positive social and economic impact. Applications for the bursary, scholarship and fellowship are currently closed but you can apply at a later stage here.
