We are Make A Difference Leadership Foundation NPC working to develop the leaders of tomorrow

Make A Difference Leadership Foundation aims to provide academically talented scholars with exceptional leadership development opportunities through education and mentorship. We want to inspire a better future for South Africa. Therefore, we offer a comprehensive scholarship programme that focuses on individual support and development.

Our Values

Ambition with Hard Work

– We are goal-focused.

– We believe in ideas, innovation and opportunities.

– We challenge the status quo.

– We do not shy away from challenges.

– We have a clear sense of where we are and why we want to go there.

– We work hard to achieve our dreams.

Passion with Discipline

– We are committed to something greater ourselves.

– We inspire others.

– We know that passion requires a commitment to discipline, the discipline of a plan, the discipline to do everything that needs to be done the right way, and the discipline to act, learn and reapply what we have learned.

– We persevere to achieve our goals​.

Courage with Honesty

– We stand up for what we believe in.

– We challenge ourselves and others.

– We learn from our mistakes and failures.

– We have a genuine intent to do what is right.

– We encourage openness and dialogue

Confidence with Humility

– We are confident to make choices and decisions and trust ourselves to make the right ones in the right way. 

– We acknowledge that confidence means nothing if we don’t have the humility to admit when we are wrong.

– We know we need the help of others, and we celebrate and share our success with them.

– We engage and listen with the intent to understand.

– We are open to ideas, concepts and new ways.

– We encourage learning from others.

Integrity

– We will do what is right even when no one is looking.

– We are accountable and trustworthy.

– We are authentic.

– We strive toward fairness and equity for all.

To ensure that we remain on course towards our vision, we’ve mapped out the Theory of Change that comprises intermediate changes that must occur. We have grouped these intermediate changes into broad strategic areas of intervention that directly contribute to achieving our vision.

Below are our domains of change and how we contribute to them:

Our Domains of Change

The South African Challenge

South Africa is one of the most unequal societies today, with the richest 10% earning 65% of the national income and 90% of the national wealth. The inequalities in the education system reflect the strong historical links between education and the labour market. Even after the end of Apartheid, patterns of inequality persist. Therefore, South Africa accurately shows how politics and policy interact to perpetuate systems of inequality between poverty and privilege. Despite obvious progress, the two-tiered education system in South Africa is pervasive that two distinct schooling systems are created (Spaull, 2019: 3-8).

Our Solution: A scholarship programme for social justice and equity in education

While scholarships are important tools for combating inequality, their contribution to reducing inequality depends on design and implementation.

We strive toward equity when it comes to educational opportunities in South Africa. We do not only ensure that those who cannot afford a quality education have access to it, but we also offer comprehensive support. While this in itself may not ensure equal outcomes, we strive to ensure that every scholar in our programme has an equal opportunity for success. See programmes and services.

Where We Work

We have a national footprint, supporting scholars from all 9 provinces in South Africa.