This year, the BMW Foundation for the first time organized a Young Leaders Forum in Africa.

Using the example of South Africa, the participants discussed and addressed challenges such as the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the debate about empowerment, new ways to fight poverty, and possibilities for economic and social participation.

To this end, the BMW Foundation presented innovative approaches in the fields of technology, finance, and cross-sectoral cooperation, which promote development and strengthen social cohesion.

The opening speaker of the Forum was the well-known academic and activist Dr. Mamphela Ramphele. An early anti-apartheid activist, the former director of the World Bank and successful businesswoman was also the first black vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town. The conference concluded with a speech by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, former Minister of Home Affairs under Nelson Mandela and founder and president of the Inkatha Freedom Party, who drew on the example of South Africa’s recent history to discuss the importance of responsible leadership.

In addition, the participants visited a variety of projects such as mothers2mothers, which reaches, and provides health care to, almost a quarter of HIV-infected pregnant women worldwide. Addressing the lack of educational quality in South Africa through its innovative concept, TSiBA Colleges offer scholarships and comprehensive programs to talented students from the townships.

In the workshops, the participants contributed their broad expertise and experience to support the work of, and point out new perspectives to, organizations that work towards strengthening social cohesion. Here, the participants got to know, among other projects, streetfootballworld – an organization that uses the global popularity of soccer to help young people live a responsible life.

Documents

Speakers

Dr. Mamphela Ramphele

Executive Chair, Letsema Circle, Cape Town

• CV (pdf - 0.03 MB)
• Speech (pdf - 0.07 MB)

Prinz Mangosuthu Buthelezi (MP)

President of the INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY; Head of the BUTHELEZI CLAN; Chairman of the ZULULAND DISTRICT HOUSE OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS and Traditional Prime Minister of the ZULU NATION

• CV (pdf - 0.05 MB)
• Speech (pdf - 0.05 MB)

Jesse Moore

Managing Director, Signal Point Partners Ltd., Nairobi

• CV (pdf - 0.02 MB)
• Presentation (pdf - 8.05 MB)

Oliver Karius

Partner, LGT Venture Philanthropy Foundation, Zurich

• CV (pdf - 0.02 MB)
• Presentation (pdf - 0.43 MB)

Dr. Gregory Mills

Director, The Brenthurst Foundation, Johannesburg

• CV (pdf - 0.02 MB)

Jurie Willemse

Founder and Group Managing Director, GroFin South Africa, Pretoria

• CV (pdf - 0.02 MB)
• Presentation (pdf - 0.46 MB)

Image Gallery

17 Images

Site Visits

Site Visit I: Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA)

The Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) was founded in 2004 with a vision to “Ignite Opportunity.” TSiBA is a unique private, not-for-profit higher education institution that offers emerging leaders an opportunity to study an enriched degree that is focused on developing entrepreneurship and leadership. Our aim is to provide high-quality business education for people with a social conscience who have the desire and the skills to build our nation.

• Information (pdf - 0.03 MB)

Site Visit II: Kuyasa Fund

The Kuyasa Fund is a social development organization that uses microfinance as a tool for improving the housing conditions of South Africa’s poor communities. In order to meet our vision, Kuyasa provides microfinance services to South African home owners who are excluded from formal finance, in the belief that improving the quality of housing adds essential social value and because no other appropriate sources of housing finance are available to low-income households. Kuyasa’s work emerges from the belief that poor and low-income people are credit-worthy and should therefore be extended financial services to build sustainable homes and strong cohesive communities.

• Informationen (pdf - 0.05 MB)

Site Visit III: Grassroot Soccer (GRS)/Streetfootballworld

Grassroot Soccer (GRS), a member of the streetfootballworld network, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV. To achieve our mission, we continuously improve our innovative HIV prevention and life-skills curriculum (Skillz), share our program and concept effectively, and utilize the popularity of soccer to increase our impact.

• Informationen (pdf - 0.04 MB)

Site Visit IV: mothers2mothers

mothers2mothers is an NGO that helps to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV through an effective and sustainable model of care that supports mother and child health. Our mission is to help eradicate mother-to-child transmission of HIV through an effective, sustainable model of care that relies on trained local women who provide education and support for pregnant women and new mothers living with HIV.

• Informationen (pdf - 0.04 MB)

Workshops

Workshop I: Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA)

The Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) was founded in 2004 with a vision to “Ignite Opportunity.” TSiBA is a unique private, not-for-profit higher education institution that offers emerging leaders an opportunity to study an enriched degree that is focused on developing entrepreneurship and leadership. Our aim is to provide high-quality business education for people with a social conscience who have the desire and the skills to build our nation.

• Informationen (pdf - 0.03 MB)

Workshop II: PoweredbyVC

PoweredbyVC is a Venture Capital fund management and strategic consulting business. It is currently developing a hybrid Venture Capital funding model connecting innovation-driven and emerging entrepreneurs and supporting emerging entrepreneurs with skills development, knowledge transfer and mentorship as well as funding and support.

• Information (pdf - 0.05 MB)

Workshop III: Grassroot Soccer (GRS)/Streetfootballworld

Grassroot Soccer (GRS), a member of the streetfootballworld network, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV. To achieve our mission, we continuously improve our innovative HIV prevention and life-skills curriculum (Skillz), share our program and concept effectively, and utilize the popularity of soccer to increase our impact.

• Information (pdf - 0.04 MB)

Workshop IV: Educo Africa

Founded in 1994, Educo Africa celebrates 16 years of delivering wilderness-based Experiential Learning, with a core focus on building South African citizenship. The Educo Africa wilderness experience is the catalyst for transformation that allows the participants to return to their community as pro-active individuals, applying the learning gained in the mountains for the betterment of their families, communities, and society at large.

• Information (pdf - 0.04 MB)