The Promise That Started It All
In 1995, South Africa witnessed a defining moment when President Nelson Mandela presented the Rugby World Cup to Springbok captain Francois Pienaar after South Africa’s historic victory at Ellis Park.
Their friendship continued beyond the game. A year later, as Francois prepared to leave South Africa to play rugby overseas, President Mandela invited him to lunch. As they parted, he made one special request:
“Francois, you promise me you will come back one day, and you’ll make a difference.” – Nelson Mandela
Francois never forgot that promise.
When he returned home, he honoured it by founding MAD Leadership Foundation, creating opportunities for young South Africans to access education, develop as leaders and make a difference in their own communities.
And Then There Was MAD
In 2003, the Make A Difference Leadership Foundation was conceptualised while Pienaar was having lunch with a group of friends. He had just returned from the UK, and at some point, the conversation turned to South Africa and how he and his friends wanted to do something to help build a bright future for our beloved country.
The friend group decided to each make a financial contribution to provide financial support to a young person they had heard of. This scholar had leadership and academic potential but did not have the financial means to afford a good education. Since then, the organisation grew from just one scholar being provided comprehensive support to now more than 560 scholars.
Through the years, the organisation saw a few name changes. However, our tagline remained the same: “The leaders of tomorrow need our leadership today”.
Make A Difference Leadership Foundation was founded based on the belief that South Africa needs the next generation of leaders who are mentored and whose leadership is based on a solid foundation of values and beliefs.