Thought Leadership
We are privileged to have some of the best minds in the social investment space working at Tshikululu. Our collection of insight pieces – all researched and written by Tshikululu experts – represent some of the industry’s leading commentary on social investing.
Fostering economic inclusion in South Africa through the creative arts economy – Nozuko Mzamo
In 2022, the creative economy accounted for 6% of all jobs in South Africa and contributed 2.97% of the country’s GDP. Despite this contribution to the nation’s economy, the creative industries are often sidelined in trade and industry: in many cases, lack of funding, limited access to resources and inadequate infrastructure cause workers in the […]
GOOD GOVERNANCE: The bedrock for empowering South African communities
Good governance is a central concern for social investors. It is especially critical in the case of community trusts, which exist to benefit thousands of community members, typically as part of broad-based ownership schemes. Strong governance that builds accountability and trust is essential for these trusts to deliver on their mandate. Without it, their efforts […]
Fit-for-purpose M&E in the South African context
Measurement of performance and impact is essential for all development stakeholders looking to bring about meaningful social change. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) or impact management and measurement (IMM)1 provides us with a structured way of understanding what a social investment is achieving. However, our efforts to measure success are meaningful only if they are appropriate […]
Learning from the Maths Challenge Programme: results-based monitoring to enhance education strategy ~ Sarah Cairns and Lebohang Letsela
Despite high spending on education relative to other countries, South Africa scores poorly on most international education rankings. In 2004, the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) argued that the country would need to double the number of matric Higher Grade (HG)[1] mathematics and science passes for economic growth, a goal which was formally adopted […]
Successful integration of the S into ESG in the SA context
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is increasingly being adopted by businesses in South Africa as a framework to measure and report on sustainability. Globally, ESG is considered by some to have a bias towards the environmental, with frameworks and reporting prioritising the “E”. However, the need for a Just Transition puts the relationship between the […]
PRESS RELEASE: Integrating the ‘S’ in ESG: “Socio-economic development is everybody’s business”
Mining companies, along with other businesses, need to make the fundamental shift towards realising that corporate sustainability is dependent on the ecosystems in which they operate. So says Thabisile Phumo, Executive Vice President: Stakeholder Relations at Sibanye-Stillwater. Phumo was part of a panel discussing the topic of “Successful integration of the S into ESG […]
Using materiality assessments to meaningfully engage stakeholders in ESG priority-setting
In an era where environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are increasingly pivotal in organisational decision-making and strategy design, the importance of stakeholder engagement cannot be overstated. An in-depth understanding of stakeholder priorities and the ESG factors that drive business success is necessary for any organisation looking to take its approach from ESG box-ticking to […]
Beyond compliance: The importance of impact strategy for community trusts
For decades, the mining sector has recognised the need to invest in the development of its host communities, both from a regulatory perspective and in recognition of the historical inequities that continue to create socio-economic challenges in communities across South Africa. Community trusts (and similar broad-based community ownership schemes) are one vehicle through which companies […]
Putting people at the centre of everything we do
The social investment landscape has become more complex, with a greater emphasis on impact measurement, management and reporting. The strategic allocation of social investments plays a vital role in contributing towards a more equitable, prosperous and harmonious society. As a leading South African social investment fund manager and adviser, Tshikululu Social Investments has over the […]
COMPLEX PROBLEMS FACING MINING COMMUNITIES CAN’T ALWAYS BE “UBERISED”
While participating in the Mining Indaba earlier in early Feburary as part of a panel on “The human side of technology: is humanity or technology the problem?”, the question was posed about how mines and innovators should include and support communities in the technology transition. Dipalesa Mpye, Head of Social Impact at Tshikululu Social Investments […]
DIFFERENCE THRESHOLD
Corporates tread a balancing act when tackling the complexities of addressing societal issues in a country such as SA. The Encyclopaedia Britannica entry is succinct… Corrado Gini, (born 23 May 1884, Motta di Livenza, Treviso, Italy – died 13 March 1965, Rome), Italian statistician and demographer. The name, to the vast majority of humanity, doesn’t mean […]
TSHIKULULU TRUST PARTNERS WITH ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM AND THE EC DOH TO BRING QUALITY HEALTHCARE TO CHILDREN IN THE EASTERN CAPE
A mobile health clinic is officially being handed over today, 1 December, to service communities around the Eastern Cape. An initiative of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Anglo American Platinum and the Tshikululu Trust, this mobile clinic will have a significant impact on the Integrated School Health Programme in the province, by improving the […]
Tshikululu Social Investments warns public of fraudulent scam
Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa’s leading social investment fund manager and advisor, has become aware that a WhatsApp scam that has been created that encourages the public to invest money with the organisation. Using the name and logo of Tshikululu along with details of some of the company’s social investment specialists, Tshikululu wants to warn […]
TSHIKULULU CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SOCIAL INVESTMENT
Sustainable social investment continues to play an essential role in the country’s development and transformation. Social investment in South Africa has been a critical tool for addressing past inequalities and injustices, with the objective of building a more inclusive and equitable society. Tshikululu Social Investments, established in 1998 through the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, the […]
Different shades of green
ESG and sustainability are members of the same family, but are not the same. Tamsin Oxford – ITWeb What’s the difference between ESG and sustainability? They are members of the same family, but the metrics that measure them are very different. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is related to sustainability as well as corporate social […]
Decoding methods for effective social impact measurement
With the increasing global and local focus on ESG, corporates are under immerse pressure to be transparent around the sustainability of their operations, impacts on the environment, how they address the social issues in their context as well the governance thereof. This article draws on Tshikululu’s experience and expertise built over the past 25 years […]
Considering livelihoods opportunities in the Green Economy
The global climate, is undeniably becoming more volatile, posing increasing threats to lives and livelihoods across the globe. Humanity’s culpability in the causes of this volatility is now generally accepted: by emitting carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide (amongst many other pollutants) at an exponentially industrial scale over the past two centuries, the planet’s overall temperature […]
Managing risk by investing in sustainable environmental, social and governance strategies
For decades the business sector has recognised its corporate social responsibility and has invested in sustainability programmes aimed at supporting, amongst others, community health, access to quality education, infrastructure, and enterprise development initiatives. The philosophy that the success of a business is directly linked to the stability and growth of the country and the communities […]
Pathways into the economy for Africa’s youth
Investing in the employability of young people remains a powerful lever for creating pathways into the economy and should be viewed as critical to ESG agendas. An estimated 1.8 billion youth worldwide will not have the skills or qualifications required to participate in the workforce by 2030. As the workplace changes due to the Fourth […]
Considering livelihood opportunities in the Green Economy
by Graeme Wilkinson, Senior Social Investment Specialist, Tshikululu Social Investments NPC The global climate, is undeniably becoming more volatile, posing increasing threats to lives and livelihoods across the globe. Humanity’s culpability in the causes of this volatility is now generally accepted: by emitting carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide (amongst many other pollutants) at an exponentially […]
BURSARY INITIATIVES: PATHWAYS INTO THE ECONOMY
A holistic bursary initiative is critical to turning around youth unemployment and promoting South African youth’s contribution to the economy. Shamiso Chideme, Social Investment Specialist at Tshikululu Social Investments, unpacks how social investors can contribute to effective bursary management by identifying key focus areas in bursary initiatives. The term ‘holistic’ when it comes to bursary […]
ADDRESSING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH SOCIAL INVESTMENT
The number of South Africa’s youth that are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) is unsustainable and a proverbial ticking timebomb.
SA’s LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT STATS – OPENING MORE PATHWAYS INTO THE ECONOMY
We will only effectively address SA’s triple burden of poverty, unemployment and inequality if we improve people’s ability to earn an income “Transformative, long-term investments are required to address unemployment,” says Dipalesa Mpye, Head of Social Impact at Tshikululu Social Investments. To better align to the social impact urgently needed within this space, Tshikululu says […]
THE NEED TO KEEP CHILDREN AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
Social Investment specialist unpacks migration of Early Childhood Development to the Department of Basic Education As the responsibility for early childhood development shifts from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), concerns have been raised about the state of preparedness of both departments. With the migration kicking off on […]
How triangulation contributes to meaningful data analysis
When one hears monitoring and evaluation (M&E) experts speak, the concept ‘triangulation’ often comes up. In a space that can be incredibly technical in nature, M&E can sometimes be too ‘jargony’. Therefore unpacking M&E terms is a critical part of ensuring that M&E is comprehensible to as many people as possible. Tshikululu believes that this, […]
Digital Generation, Our Generation: Reflecting on the International Day of the Girl Child
The United Nations has declared October 11th as the official International Day of the Girl Child. This was initiated in December 2011 as one of the means of recognising girls’ rights and the unique challenges that girls face around the world. The theme for 2021 is “Digital Generation, Our Generation” – a theme chosen on […]
Social investment in community-based organisations Ali Channon – Social Investment Specialist
The recent unrest and the humanitarian crisis arising from it have highlighted not only the inequality and anger pervading our society, but also the resilience of communities across the country that are working together to rebuild and bring about change at a local level. Community-based organisations (CBOs) play a critical role in this landscape. They […]
The violent attacks and looting in South Africa – let us not forget its impact on early childhood development!
Whether in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic or during the current violent attacks and looting in South Africa, the needs of young children are often the last to be discussed. The youngest members of our society are among the most vulnerable because – unlike adults – they are unable to make their voices heard; […]
TAKING ACTION TOGETHER AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE & FEMICIDE
Call for organisations involved in addressing GBVF to apply for grant funding “The unacceptably high levels of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa are a blight on our national conscience, and a betrayal of our constitutional order for which so many fought, and for which so many gave their lives”. These are the words […]
Good Governance – Every PBO’s North Star
A public benefit organisation (PBO) is an organisation (whether voluntary association, trust, non-profit company, or local branch of a foreign tax-exempt charitable organisation) that does not work for profit and is exempted from paying certain taxes because it undertakes public benefit activities (PBAs). As a republic, our country is centred on the primacy of ‘the […]
Good Governance – Decision-making Principles that PBOs should follow
In our first article in this series, the moral imperative for good governance of public benefit organisations (PBOs) was spelt out. In this article, we look at a few of the legal imperatives that are equally important. The legal imperative for a PBO to practice good governance is set out in South African law. A […]
Good Governance – PBO blind spots
In our first article in this series, the moral imperative for good governance of public benefit organisations (PBOs) was spelt out. In the second article, we looked at the legal imperatives and fiduciary duty for your board to always keep in mind whenever it makes decisions. In this, the third and last article in the […]
FROM BREADTH TO DEPTH
How social investors can help to create sustainable jobs, businesses, and industries one small local step at a time. President Cyril Ramaphosa last week outlined a number of interventions that government plans to use to address the enormous issue of unemployment, particularly amongst the youth. With South Africa’s unemployment rate rising to a new record high of 32.6% in the […]
NPOwer Mental Health Support Programs Survey Findings
SADAG, in partnership with Tshikululu, recently conducted an NPOwer Mental Health Support Programmes Survey to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on NGOs and staff psychological well-being. See the survey findings here.
Establishing an Impact Measurement and Management culture
Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) is defined as the process whereby impact investors understand the effects of their investments on people and the planet, and set goals to adapt processes and improve outcomes. IMM has gained wide traction in the impact investing space, as the sector has grown in sophistication and experience. Establishing a strong […]
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BE A SERIOUS SOCIAL INVESTOR
Unpacking the diverse yet vital social investment landscape in SA Far more than being a ‘nice to have’, fulfilling a public relations exercise to increase positive brand awareness or ensuring compliance with certain legal requirements, social investment has come to embody so much more. Given the increasing pressure on public funds and the mounting economic […]
Tshikululu announced as pillar sponsor at Rotary Africa Centennial International Conference
The Zone 22 Rotary Africa Centennial International, which kicks off on Saturday 24 April, will see delegates from around the world gather online to hear from and network with leading visionaries, pioneers, leaders and icons to reflect and celebrate a century of doing good and facilitating impactful socio-economic change on the continent. South Africa’s leading […]
Celebrating the class of 2020
The impact of Covid-19 on the education sector will reverberate for years to come. A study from RESEP showed that learners lost between 25-57% of contact teaching due to the pandemic in 2020. Of course, the closure of schools during this period brought to the fore the levels of inequality within our schooling system as […]
Measuring metrics that matter
How do we know if progress is being made in social development interventions that we are implementing? How do we know if our education, health or livelihoods programme is making a change in the country? These questions are the critical ones when we want to measure impact. And to answer these questions, measurement metrics are […]
Leveraging off Covid – is there a silver lining for Education?
2020 was a nightmare year for almost all sectors of the economy, and education was certainly not spared the onslaught. It is against this backdrop that we are allowing ourselves to consider if the Covid-19 cloud may have created a unique silver lining for the country. Covid-19 has impacted on education in a number of […]
Future of Social Investments: Livelihoods
Tshikululu Social Investments is dedicating time and resources to critically think about the Future of Social Investments. As part of this, it will be releasing a series of thought pieces for the rest of 2020 around the Future of Social Investing, with the express purpose of driving discussion in the space and to help inform […]
Incorrect PIRLS Finding Points to Urgent Areas for Support in Education
On Sunday, 25 October the Sunday Times reported that education economist Prof. Martin Gustafsson had uncovered a fundamental error in the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) data for South Africa. The PIRLS had initially found that there was no improvement in grade 4 reading levels in South Africa between 2011 and 2016. […]
We need to look after the mental health of NPO’s now more than ever Supporting the Mental Health of South African NPO’s
Empowering NPO’s through the NPOwer Mental Health Support Programme A first-of-its kind NPO Mental Health Support Programme and 24-hour toll-free Helpline to offer mental health care and support to all NPO’s has been launched in South Africa. Called NPOwer, this initiative sees Tshikululu Social Investments partnering with SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) to […]
Top lessons learnt for social investors’ COVID-19 response
At the best of times, South Africa has massive need for impactful social investment and NPO delivery. The critical role they play in resolving the challenges and inequalities within society has been exponentially amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa’s leading social investment fund management and advisory firm, has undertaken […]
Exiting a partner responsibly
Social investors are not immune to the tough economic climate. As profits reduce, so too will contributions and budgets towards social investments. How does a social investor deal with having to apply budget cuts to, or end relationships with, often long-standing development partners? Responsible exits require compassion, attention, respect and time.
Tshikululu’s Top 6 Lessons Learnt for Social Investors’ Covid-19 Response
Since we went into lockdown in March, Tshikululu has learnt many valuable lessons for social investors who want to respond effectively and maximise social impact in these unprecedented times.
Tshikululu’s Top 10 Post-Covid Tips for Social Investors
Although the Covid-19 pandemic will eventually pass, its impact will be felt for many years. Here are 10 tips to help guide social investors about how their work must change going forward.
IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE NPO SECTOR
Tshikululu Social Investments has undertaken a survey of over 170 NPOs around South Africa to assess the effect that COVID-19 has had on this crucial sector. Findings from a snap survey of non-profit organisations, with research conducted by Adam Boros, Graeme Wilkinson, Mandisa Diza and Tamika Mtegha. Read the report here
What social investors need to consider when investing in Early Childhood Development during and post Covid-19
175 000 jobs are at risk and over 30 000 ECD centres may close as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the Department of Social Development (DSD) has recently proposed allocating R1.3 billion to create 36 000 short-term ECD centre “compliance monitoring” jobs. The sector has responded to this proposal quite forcefully, urging the […]
Celebrating 22 years of social investment management.
To be part of a pioneering and transformational initiative that has and continues to impact millions of lives is a rare privilege. This is the story of Tshikululu, an organistion that, through its work over the last 22 years, has played a central role in the professionalisation of social investment in South Africa. We have […]
Future of Social Investments: Literature
Tshikululu Social Investments is dedicating time and resources to critically think about the Future of Social Investments. As part of this, it will be releasing a series of thought pieces for the rest of 2020 around the Future of Social Investing, with the express purpose of driving discussion in the space and to help inform […]
Measuring and Managing impact during the wake of COVID-19
COVID-19 has not only brought the world to a standstill, but it has thrown us into the future where there is no choice but to use technology to work collaboratively and remotely. The pandemic has forced us to start thinking differently about how best to harness our resources and technology for good. As at 11 […]
GBV and Covid-19
South Africa has astronomical levels of gender-based violence (GBV). As the country moved into lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were fears of a surge in GBV, a pattern which has been seen in other countries. However, this anticipated spike in violence is not borne out by the statistics – Minister of the […]
The COVID-19 pandemic and higher learning in South Africa
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in all higher education institutions moving their learning to online platforms. Institutions and students have experienced substantial challenges during this migration due to the scale and pace at which the change must be implemented. The pandemic has highlighted the deep inequalities amongst the country’s 26 universities. While well-endowed institutions (e.g. […]
Direct School Support in the Time of Covid-19
The Department of Basic Education has announced that there will be phased-in return to school in South Africa, starting with Grades 12 and 7, from 1 June 2020. A lot of planning went into this decision. There is very little available scientific data to draw on in terms of the virus and its real spread, […]
Covid-19 reminds us to respect, admire and learn from social welfare organisations
When Covid-19 first landed in South Africa, exposing the entire populace to the global pandemic, the social sector was amongst the first to be galvanised into action. By the time the call for social distancing was made, these organisations, who are in the main non-profit organisations, had already thought of (and began implementing) solutions to […]
Long-term thinking and agility in community development
Community development is an interactive process where community members, local government and development partners collectively take action to solve problems facing a specific community. The aim of community development is to co-create sustainable, stronger and resilient communities. Tshikululu partners with mining and renewable energy clients across the country to invest in the development of the […]
SOCIAL INVESTMENT SPECIALIST SAYS CORPORATE SA CONTINUES TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN IMPROVING EDUCATION
The next decade needs to see that funding into education starts bearing positive results Reflecting on the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results for 2019, Sibusiso Lukhele, a social investment specialist at Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa’s leading social investment manager, says that while there are ongoing challenges within our education system, it is important to […]
The end of a decade
As this decade draws to a close, many South Africans are still basking in the glory of winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The 2019 Springbok team is a remarkable case study, demonstrating the value of a long-term transformative game plan, the importance of investing in young talent, the value of setting big hairy audacious […]
Gender Based Violence: Shifting our mindsets from response to prevention
It is a well-known fact that South Africa struggles with high incidence of Gender Based Violence (GBV), which is systemically entrenched in our patriarchal culture and institutions. GBV can be defined as ‘violence targeted at individuals based on their sex, gender identity or whether they are seen to challenge norms’[1]. More recently, in President Ramaphosa’s […]
Five key questions to determine if and when to evaluate your social investments
As more and more social investors are moving away from just “doing good” and becoming intentional about making impactful investments, high-quality formal evaluations are crucial to inform improved design and implementation. The primary aim of evaluations is to assess the extent to which interventions are achieving their intended objectives. Usually, specific processes and procedures are […]
Social investors should not forget the welfare sector
Care work is a public good that is largely undervalued in the South African economy. It is essential to protecting vulnerable communities, including abandoned, orphaned and abused children; the frail and aged; people with disabilities; victims of sexual and gender-based violence; and refugees. In South Africa, this work includes both preventative and rehabilitative services. South […]
The importance of strengthening caregiver-child relationships in low-income households in South Africa
“If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow.” ~ Alfie Kohn The first 1 000 days in a child’s life holds the key to unlocking his or her life-long potential. By the age of five, almost 90% of a child’s brain will be […]
How to drive social impact and receive a financial return – what every CEO needs to know
With the world facing serious challenges in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) (now also known as the Global Goals), society is increasingly turning to the private sector to respond to broader societal challenges. As such, the public expectations of your company have never been greater. Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, […]
To grow, school children have specific milestones to accomplish first.
From the moment of conception, a series of development phases unfold in children, effectively shaping the course of their lives. These development milestones mark critical tipping points in the learning and growth of children. If a particular milestone is not fully reached, a child’s chances of doing well in the next phase or reaching their […]
The hard and soft skills in childrenâ’s school life
“Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them.”Charles Dickens, Hard Times When learners exit the […]
Impact investing in South Africa: setting the eco-system up for success
By Adam Boros, Head of Social Impact If you are a philanthropist, grantmaker, financial advisor or involved in private equity, you have probably come across the term “impact investing” in the past few years. It’s a relatively new concept all over the world, but a particularly nascent one in South Africa. According to the Global […]
Systemic Social Investing (SSI): A pioneering way of thinking
In late 2013, Tshikululu Social Investments conceptualised the idea of Systemic Social Investment (SSI) and presented it to some of its leading clients. At the time, talking about social investment and systems change in the same sentence was something very new – both to ourselves, our clients and other stakeholders. Up until then, systems change […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 1: Power over An unshakable reality in the work of any social investor is the power-dynamic inherent in any benefactor-beneficiary relationship. Traditionally, the view is that the one with the money has the power – to infer, to influence, to direct, to impose. This dynamic is often further fuelled by compliance requirements of the […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 2: Power with In reflecting on Tshikululu’s experience over the past two decades, we have been able to transcend through and beyond the “power over” dynamic. My favourite example of this is of Tshikululu’s founding social investment (and infrastructure) specialist, who would take time in his first engagements with a school governing body (be […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 3: Power to Recently Tshikululu has been assisting some of its clients to invest in initiatives that drive more purposefully towards definable impact and even achieve systems change. These clients are not satisfied merely addressing symptoms when they could be tackling the underlying causes of the challenges society faces. We are excited to be […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 4: Power within Tshikululu has found that even after successfully convening a forum committed to achieving collective impact, and even with a robustly debated and jointly agreed end goal, we sometimes don’t see the anticipated movement towards achieving that goal. The energy does not flow as one might have hoped. We’ll have the right […]
Fee-free education not a panacea to higher education challenges
Since the announcement of fee-free education by former President Zuma in December 2017, many people and organisations in the Post School Education and Training (PSET) system have grappled with the practicalities of “adequately” funding students. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) currently finds itself dealing with a new wave of student protests linked […]
Migration of Early Childhood Development from DSD to DBE: the hard work lies ahead
Last week’s State of the Nation saw President Cyril Ramaphosa announce that Government would be migrating the responsibility of early childhood development (ECD) centres from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Basic Education (DBE). This was met with much excitement, accompanied by confusion and questions in some quarters. Without any doubt, […]
Creating clear education and employment pathways for South Africa’s youth
The matric results’ announcement was met with much debate about what the “real” matric pass rate is. This has now become an annual practice and, as one education practitioner highlighted, “everyone has an opinion, right or wrong, about education”. Whatever your view on this issue is, the class of 2018 will see over 400 000 young […]
Matric results: time to take a sustainable approach
At the beginning of each year, the country’s attention is directed towards the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results. Much of the discussion is typically about the success and/or failure of Government to provide quality education for our children. However, Government is not the only stakeholder that has a critical role to play. Private social investors […]
A case for social impact bonds: critical learnings for potential stakeholders
In 2015/16, one of Tshikululu’s clients approved funding towards the establishment of a pay-for performance platform (or social impact bond) in partnership with a provincial Department of Health (DoH). The focus of this bond was funding home-visits to mothers and children in the first 1 000 days of the child’s life. This was to ensure […]
Using adaptive management to improve learning
The role of adaptive management is often underplayed by social investors in terms of strengthening strategies, implementation and impact. Adaptive decisions are based on learning, data, reflection and analysis, and are responsive to changing contexts. Given that they focus more on “what works” instead of “what doesn’t”, they have a critical role to play in […]
Room for improvement in Empowerment Endowment asset management
A new independent research report carried out by Intellidex and funded by Tshikululu Social Investments has found significant room for improvement in the asset management of Empowerment Endowments, corporate social investment trusts and funds. A new report, Understanding Empowerment Endowments, the first of its kind delving into BEE foundations, has uncovered a number of asset […]
Report underlines the risks of Empowerment Endowment governance failure
An independent research report carried out by Intellidex and funded by Tshikululu Social Investments has highlighted the risks facing Empowerment Endowments, corporate social investment trusts and funds when effective governance is not in place. Based on a six-month research exercise into the charitable and community components of the 100 largest JSE companies’ empowerment deals implemented since 2002, […]
Local trusts pack billions in B-BBEE spending power
South Africa’s empowerment endowment trusts have a collective value in the tens of billions, with the potential for significant black economic empowerment impact, a new study has found. A recent independent research report carried out by Intellidex and funded by Tshikululu Social Investments has found that, if managed well, corporate funds and foundations focused on […]
A tale of three schools in the country’s education system
In a National Education and Evaluation Development Unit (NEEDU) report published in April 2013, Dr Nick Taylor concluded that there are two kinds of teachers in South Africa’s school system currently influencing it in a negative way: “those who can’t” and “those who won’t”. Both have significant implications for learners and their futures and, consequently, […]
NGO leadership: time to embrace transformation as part of succession planning
In recent years the leadership of NGOs, non-profit companies and independent trusts (commonly referred to as civil society organisations) has come under pressure both from a transformation and delivery point of view. This includes regarding their ability to reinvent themselves in our changing developmental landscape. While these organisations have always been commended for the good […]
Community assessment: still the best starting point for a meaningful social investment strategy
We live in an era where vast amounts of detailed information are at our fingertips. Given this, one might question the need to carry out a community assessment before designing a social investment strategy. These assessments play an integral role in developing high-quality strategies aimed at maximising social impact and are a critical part of […]
Using the Theory of Change to evaluate and strengthen social investments
Organisations remain under enormous pressure to monitor and evaluate their social investment programmes for learning purposes and adaptive management. They are also often faced with heavy workloads due to conflicting demands from multiple donors with different contractual and reporting requirements. Despite these pressures, non-profit organisations must demonstrate the impact and value of their social initiatives […]
How to maximise the impact of your empowerment endowment
With the advent of the BEE codes in the early 2000’s, many large South African companies established trusts as one of several strategies to diversify ownership structures. Unlike most charitable or corporate foundations in the country, these “empowerment trusts” hold shares and are funded by dividends rather than donations. In different ways – depending on […]
Understanding Empowerment Endowments is a report by Intellidex, funded by Tshikululu Social Investments.
The report is based on a six-month research exercise into the charitable and community components of the 100 largest JSE companies’ empowerment deals implemented since 2002, when community schemes started to be included in BEE deals. It follows an earlier research report, The Empowerment Endowment, which undertook research into the scale of BEE foundations. The […]
Scaling social impact: what is really missing?
As more and more funders make the shift from traditional grantmaking to investing in strategic, system-shifting initiatives, conversations around scaling the impact of flagship programmes and successful pilot projects have dominated meeting agendas. The idea of scaling is not a new one. In the for-profit world, expansion of market reach, product offerings and operations form […]
Reflections on Mandela: ethics, purpose and love
Across the world we commemorate Mandela’s 100th birthday this month. We remember the enormous sacrifices he made and the impact he had on building a democratic South Africa. It is a time to give back and volunteer time to worthy causes. However, the spirit of Mandela transcends beyond our volunteer-time during July… For me there […]
Community development partnerships: key steps in the social investment value chain
Collaborative approaches to community development can magnify the impact of social investment, but only when the key steps in the social investment value chain are followed. South African social investors show great willingness to collaborate on projects and programmes, but too many fall short on one of the key steps in the value chain – […]
Time for social investors to rethink their role in mainstreaming impact investing in South Africa
Impact investing in South Africa is increasing – becoming less of a buzzword and gaining traction among development and commercial investors. Given this, and the unique position of social investors, Sibonakaliso Mavuka, Social Investment Specialist at Tshikululu Social Investments, argues that there’s never been a better time for them to lead thinking and action in […]
Celebrating 20 years of strategic social investment
Looking back to July 1998, it is with a sense of pride that we celebrate Tshikululu’s 20th anniversary today. Many people and organisations have paved the way for our very existence and ongoing success in South Africa; starting as far back as the late 1890s when De Beers Consolidated Mines first started contributing to the […]
Reflections from the Skoll World Forum 2018
In April 2018, the 15th Skoll World Forum (SWF) on Social Entrepreneurship was held at Oxford University. This is an annual gathering of social entrepreneurs, thought leaders, social investors and other stakeholders, all of whom come together to share knowledge and exchange ideas in the “pursuit of learning, leverage, and large-scale social change”. This year, […]
Unlocking change for early childhood development
A collaboration across 13 local organisations is bringing new hope and impetus in addressing some of the challenges facing South African early childhood development (ECD) services. Combining a wealth of resources and experiences, we’re hoping to collectively rethink approaches, responses and ultimately solutions for our country’s children… Giving children access to high-quality ECD services, including […]
E Squared
E2 offers various forms of support tailored to match entrepreneurs’ specific requirements to enable them to grow their businesses. Tshikululu Social Investments has partnered with E2 who are seeking to invest high-value grants in selected PBO social enterprises, or companies that are seeking to become social enterprises or enhance their self-generated income streams. Organisations must […]
Millennials contribute new approaches to social investing
South Africa can look forward to further innovation in social development as the country’s Millennials take up the challenge of driving change. Technology-savvy, outspoken and connected, Millennials are refreshing and disrupting South Africa’s social investment landscape. Born after the 1980s, Millennials have grown up in a world where change is taking place at a rapid […]
Next generation M&E ensures high impact social investment
It’s an exciting year for the world of social development. Now, for the first time, advanced digital tools allow for in-depth and enhanced Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) that not only tracks progress, but actually assesses long-term social impact and embraces community-driven project design. Moving beyond traditional anecdotal evidence, new M&E methodologies have created new possibilities […]
“New kid on the block” impact investing gains traction in South Africa
Introduced as recently as 10 years ago, impact investing is changing the face of social investment as we know it. No longer just accepted as a given, the correlation between real “impact” and social investment is increasingly being challenged by the “new kid on the block” approach of impact investing. The term – and approach […]
Sustainable energy = sustainable communities
Renewable energy projects continue offering hope for much-needed power access for under-served communities across South Africa. As a partner in this critical space, we’re already helping add impact to some of these projects through targeted value-added initiatives.
New thinking required to solve the educational challenges
When Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga announced the 2017 matric results on January 04, most South Africans would have expected the Eastern Cape to occupy its rightful position, that of being last out of the nine provinces. And like a recurring episode in a movie, MEC Mandla Makupula and his team gave the usual performance. […]
Thought Leadership
We are privileged to have some of the best minds in the social investment space working at Tshikululu. Our collection of insight pieces – all researched and written by Tshikululu experts – represent some of the industry’s leading commentary on social investing.
Fostering economic inclusion in South Africa through the creative arts economy – Nozuko Mzamo
In 2022, the creative economy accounted for 6% of all jobs in South Africa and contributed 2.97% of the country’s GDP. Despite this contribution to the nation’s economy, the creative industries are often sidelined in trade and industry: in many cases, lack of funding, limited access to resources and inadequate infrastructure cause workers in the […]
GOOD GOVERNANCE: The bedrock for empowering South African communities
Good governance is a central concern for social investors. It is especially critical in the case of community trusts, which exist to benefit thousands of community members, typically as part of broad-based ownership schemes. Strong governance that builds accountability and trust is essential for these trusts to deliver on their mandate. Without it, their efforts […]
Fit-for-purpose M&E in the South African context
Measurement of performance and impact is essential for all development stakeholders looking to bring about meaningful social change. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) or impact management and measurement (IMM)1 provides us with a structured way of understanding what a social investment is achieving. However, our efforts to measure success are meaningful only if they are appropriate […]
Learning from the Maths Challenge Programme: results-based monitoring to enhance education strategy ~ Sarah Cairns and Lebohang Letsela
Despite high spending on education relative to other countries, South Africa scores poorly on most international education rankings. In 2004, the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) argued that the country would need to double the number of matric Higher Grade (HG)[1] mathematics and science passes for economic growth, a goal which was formally adopted […]
Successful integration of the S into ESG in the SA context
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is increasingly being adopted by businesses in South Africa as a framework to measure and report on sustainability. Globally, ESG is considered by some to have a bias towards the environmental, with frameworks and reporting prioritising the “E”. However, the need for a Just Transition puts the relationship between the […]
PRESS RELEASE: Integrating the ‘S’ in ESG: “Socio-economic development is everybody’s business”
Mining companies, along with other businesses, need to make the fundamental shift towards realising that corporate sustainability is dependent on the ecosystems in which they operate. So says Thabisile Phumo, Executive Vice President: Stakeholder Relations at Sibanye-Stillwater. Phumo was part of a panel discussing the topic of “Successful integration of the S into ESG […]
Using materiality assessments to meaningfully engage stakeholders in ESG priority-setting
In an era where environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are increasingly pivotal in organisational decision-making and strategy design, the importance of stakeholder engagement cannot be overstated. An in-depth understanding of stakeholder priorities and the ESG factors that drive business success is necessary for any organisation looking to take its approach from ESG box-ticking to […]
Beyond compliance: The importance of impact strategy for community trusts
For decades, the mining sector has recognised the need to invest in the development of its host communities, both from a regulatory perspective and in recognition of the historical inequities that continue to create socio-economic challenges in communities across South Africa. Community trusts (and similar broad-based community ownership schemes) are one vehicle through which companies […]
Putting people at the centre of everything we do
The social investment landscape has become more complex, with a greater emphasis on impact measurement, management and reporting. The strategic allocation of social investments plays a vital role in contributing towards a more equitable, prosperous and harmonious society. As a leading South African social investment fund manager and adviser, Tshikululu Social Investments has over the […]
COMPLEX PROBLEMS FACING MINING COMMUNITIES CAN’T ALWAYS BE “UBERISED”
While participating in the Mining Indaba earlier in early Feburary as part of a panel on “The human side of technology: is humanity or technology the problem?”, the question was posed about how mines and innovators should include and support communities in the technology transition. Dipalesa Mpye, Head of Social Impact at Tshikululu Social Investments […]
DIFFERENCE THRESHOLD
Corporates tread a balancing act when tackling the complexities of addressing societal issues in a country such as SA. The Encyclopaedia Britannica entry is succinct… Corrado Gini, (born 23 May 1884, Motta di Livenza, Treviso, Italy – died 13 March 1965, Rome), Italian statistician and demographer. The name, to the vast majority of humanity, doesn’t mean […]
TSHIKULULU TRUST PARTNERS WITH ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM AND THE EC DOH TO BRING QUALITY HEALTHCARE TO CHILDREN IN THE EASTERN CAPE
A mobile health clinic is officially being handed over today, 1 December, to service communities around the Eastern Cape. An initiative of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Anglo American Platinum and the Tshikululu Trust, this mobile clinic will have a significant impact on the Integrated School Health Programme in the province, by improving the […]
Tshikululu Social Investments warns public of fraudulent scam
Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa’s leading social investment fund manager and advisor, has become aware that a WhatsApp scam that has been created that encourages the public to invest money with the organisation. Using the name and logo of Tshikululu along with details of some of the company’s social investment specialists, Tshikululu wants to warn […]
TSHIKULULU CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SOCIAL INVESTMENT
Sustainable social investment continues to play an essential role in the country’s development and transformation. Social investment in South Africa has been a critical tool for addressing past inequalities and injustices, with the objective of building a more inclusive and equitable society. Tshikululu Social Investments, established in 1998 through the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, the […]
Different shades of green
ESG and sustainability are members of the same family, but are not the same. Tamsin Oxford – ITWeb What’s the difference between ESG and sustainability? They are members of the same family, but the metrics that measure them are very different. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is related to sustainability as well as corporate social […]
Decoding methods for effective social impact measurement
With the increasing global and local focus on ESG, corporates are under immerse pressure to be transparent around the sustainability of their operations, impacts on the environment, how they address the social issues in their context as well the governance thereof. This article draws on Tshikululu’s experience and expertise built over the past 25 years […]
Considering livelihoods opportunities in the Green Economy
The global climate, is undeniably becoming more volatile, posing increasing threats to lives and livelihoods across the globe. Humanity’s culpability in the causes of this volatility is now generally accepted: by emitting carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide (amongst many other pollutants) at an exponentially industrial scale over the past two centuries, the planet’s overall temperature […]
Managing risk by investing in sustainable environmental, social and governance strategies
For decades the business sector has recognised its corporate social responsibility and has invested in sustainability programmes aimed at supporting, amongst others, community health, access to quality education, infrastructure, and enterprise development initiatives. The philosophy that the success of a business is directly linked to the stability and growth of the country and the communities […]
Pathways into the economy for Africa’s youth
Investing in the employability of young people remains a powerful lever for creating pathways into the economy and should be viewed as critical to ESG agendas. An estimated 1.8 billion youth worldwide will not have the skills or qualifications required to participate in the workforce by 2030. As the workplace changes due to the Fourth […]
Considering livelihood opportunities in the Green Economy
by Graeme Wilkinson, Senior Social Investment Specialist, Tshikululu Social Investments NPC The global climate, is undeniably becoming more volatile, posing increasing threats to lives and livelihoods across the globe. Humanity’s culpability in the causes of this volatility is now generally accepted: by emitting carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide (amongst many other pollutants) at an exponentially […]
BURSARY INITIATIVES: PATHWAYS INTO THE ECONOMY
A holistic bursary initiative is critical to turning around youth unemployment and promoting South African youth’s contribution to the economy. Shamiso Chideme, Social Investment Specialist at Tshikululu Social Investments, unpacks how social investors can contribute to effective bursary management by identifying key focus areas in bursary initiatives. The term ‘holistic’ when it comes to bursary […]
ADDRESSING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH SOCIAL INVESTMENT
The number of South Africa’s youth that are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) is unsustainable and a proverbial ticking timebomb.
SA’s LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT STATS – OPENING MORE PATHWAYS INTO THE ECONOMY
We will only effectively address SA’s triple burden of poverty, unemployment and inequality if we improve people’s ability to earn an income “Transformative, long-term investments are required to address unemployment,” says Dipalesa Mpye, Head of Social Impact at Tshikululu Social Investments. To better align to the social impact urgently needed within this space, Tshikululu says […]
THE NEED TO KEEP CHILDREN AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL
Social Investment specialist unpacks migration of Early Childhood Development to the Department of Basic Education As the responsibility for early childhood development shifts from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), concerns have been raised about the state of preparedness of both departments. With the migration kicking off on […]
How triangulation contributes to meaningful data analysis
When one hears monitoring and evaluation (M&E) experts speak, the concept ‘triangulation’ often comes up. In a space that can be incredibly technical in nature, M&E can sometimes be too ‘jargony’. Therefore unpacking M&E terms is a critical part of ensuring that M&E is comprehensible to as many people as possible. Tshikululu believes that this, […]
Digital Generation, Our Generation: Reflecting on the International Day of the Girl Child
The United Nations has declared October 11th as the official International Day of the Girl Child. This was initiated in December 2011 as one of the means of recognising girls’ rights and the unique challenges that girls face around the world. The theme for 2021 is “Digital Generation, Our Generation” – a theme chosen on […]
Social investment in community-based organisations Ali Channon – Social Investment Specialist
The recent unrest and the humanitarian crisis arising from it have highlighted not only the inequality and anger pervading our society, but also the resilience of communities across the country that are working together to rebuild and bring about change at a local level. Community-based organisations (CBOs) play a critical role in this landscape. They […]
The violent attacks and looting in South Africa – let us not forget its impact on early childhood development!
Whether in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic or during the current violent attacks and looting in South Africa, the needs of young children are often the last to be discussed. The youngest members of our society are among the most vulnerable because – unlike adults – they are unable to make their voices heard; […]
TAKING ACTION TOGETHER AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE & FEMICIDE
Call for organisations involved in addressing GBVF to apply for grant funding “The unacceptably high levels of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa are a blight on our national conscience, and a betrayal of our constitutional order for which so many fought, and for which so many gave their lives”. These are the words […]
Good Governance – Every PBO’s North Star
A public benefit organisation (PBO) is an organisation (whether voluntary association, trust, non-profit company, or local branch of a foreign tax-exempt charitable organisation) that does not work for profit and is exempted from paying certain taxes because it undertakes public benefit activities (PBAs). As a republic, our country is centred on the primacy of ‘the […]
Good Governance – Decision-making Principles that PBOs should follow
In our first article in this series, the moral imperative for good governance of public benefit organisations (PBOs) was spelt out. In this article, we look at a few of the legal imperatives that are equally important. The legal imperative for a PBO to practice good governance is set out in South African law. A […]
Good Governance – PBO blind spots
In our first article in this series, the moral imperative for good governance of public benefit organisations (PBOs) was spelt out. In the second article, we looked at the legal imperatives and fiduciary duty for your board to always keep in mind whenever it makes decisions. In this, the third and last article in the […]
FROM BREADTH TO DEPTH
How social investors can help to create sustainable jobs, businesses, and industries one small local step at a time. President Cyril Ramaphosa last week outlined a number of interventions that government plans to use to address the enormous issue of unemployment, particularly amongst the youth. With South Africa’s unemployment rate rising to a new record high of 32.6% in the […]
NPOwer Mental Health Support Programs Survey Findings
SADAG, in partnership with Tshikululu, recently conducted an NPOwer Mental Health Support Programmes Survey to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on NGOs and staff psychological well-being. See the survey findings here.
Establishing an Impact Measurement and Management culture
Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) is defined as the process whereby impact investors understand the effects of their investments on people and the planet, and set goals to adapt processes and improve outcomes. IMM has gained wide traction in the impact investing space, as the sector has grown in sophistication and experience. Establishing a strong […]
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BE A SERIOUS SOCIAL INVESTOR
Unpacking the diverse yet vital social investment landscape in SA Far more than being a ‘nice to have’, fulfilling a public relations exercise to increase positive brand awareness or ensuring compliance with certain legal requirements, social investment has come to embody so much more. Given the increasing pressure on public funds and the mounting economic […]
Tshikululu announced as pillar sponsor at Rotary Africa Centennial International Conference
The Zone 22 Rotary Africa Centennial International, which kicks off on Saturday 24 April, will see delegates from around the world gather online to hear from and network with leading visionaries, pioneers, leaders and icons to reflect and celebrate a century of doing good and facilitating impactful socio-economic change on the continent. South Africa’s leading […]
Celebrating the class of 2020
The impact of Covid-19 on the education sector will reverberate for years to come. A study from RESEP showed that learners lost between 25-57% of contact teaching due to the pandemic in 2020. Of course, the closure of schools during this period brought to the fore the levels of inequality within our schooling system as […]
Measuring metrics that matter
How do we know if progress is being made in social development interventions that we are implementing? How do we know if our education, health or livelihoods programme is making a change in the country? These questions are the critical ones when we want to measure impact. And to answer these questions, measurement metrics are […]
Leveraging off Covid – is there a silver lining for Education?
2020 was a nightmare year for almost all sectors of the economy, and education was certainly not spared the onslaught. It is against this backdrop that we are allowing ourselves to consider if the Covid-19 cloud may have created a unique silver lining for the country. Covid-19 has impacted on education in a number of […]
Future of Social Investments: Livelihoods
Tshikululu Social Investments is dedicating time and resources to critically think about the Future of Social Investments. As part of this, it will be releasing a series of thought pieces for the rest of 2020 around the Future of Social Investing, with the express purpose of driving discussion in the space and to help inform […]
Incorrect PIRLS Finding Points to Urgent Areas for Support in Education
On Sunday, 25 October the Sunday Times reported that education economist Prof. Martin Gustafsson had uncovered a fundamental error in the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) data for South Africa. The PIRLS had initially found that there was no improvement in grade 4 reading levels in South Africa between 2011 and 2016. […]
We need to look after the mental health of NPO’s now more than ever Supporting the Mental Health of South African NPO’s
Empowering NPO’s through the NPOwer Mental Health Support Programme A first-of-its kind NPO Mental Health Support Programme and 24-hour toll-free Helpline to offer mental health care and support to all NPO’s has been launched in South Africa. Called NPOwer, this initiative sees Tshikululu Social Investments partnering with SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) to […]
Top lessons learnt for social investors’ COVID-19 response
At the best of times, South Africa has massive need for impactful social investment and NPO delivery. The critical role they play in resolving the challenges and inequalities within society has been exponentially amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa’s leading social investment fund management and advisory firm, has undertaken […]
Exiting a partner responsibly
Social investors are not immune to the tough economic climate. As profits reduce, so too will contributions and budgets towards social investments. How does a social investor deal with having to apply budget cuts to, or end relationships with, often long-standing development partners? Responsible exits require compassion, attention, respect and time.
Tshikululu’s Top 6 Lessons Learnt for Social Investors’ Covid-19 Response
Since we went into lockdown in March, Tshikululu has learnt many valuable lessons for social investors who want to respond effectively and maximise social impact in these unprecedented times.
Tshikululu’s Top 10 Post-Covid Tips for Social Investors
Although the Covid-19 pandemic will eventually pass, its impact will be felt for many years. Here are 10 tips to help guide social investors about how their work must change going forward.
IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE NPO SECTOR
Tshikululu Social Investments has undertaken a survey of over 170 NPOs around South Africa to assess the effect that COVID-19 has had on this crucial sector. Findings from a snap survey of non-profit organisations, with research conducted by Adam Boros, Graeme Wilkinson, Mandisa Diza and Tamika Mtegha. Read the report here
What social investors need to consider when investing in Early Childhood Development during and post Covid-19
175 000 jobs are at risk and over 30 000 ECD centres may close as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the Department of Social Development (DSD) has recently proposed allocating R1.3 billion to create 36 000 short-term ECD centre “compliance monitoring” jobs. The sector has responded to this proposal quite forcefully, urging the […]
Celebrating 22 years of social investment management.
To be part of a pioneering and transformational initiative that has and continues to impact millions of lives is a rare privilege. This is the story of Tshikululu, an organistion that, through its work over the last 22 years, has played a central role in the professionalisation of social investment in South Africa. We have […]
Future of Social Investments: Literature
Tshikululu Social Investments is dedicating time and resources to critically think about the Future of Social Investments. As part of this, it will be releasing a series of thought pieces for the rest of 2020 around the Future of Social Investing, with the express purpose of driving discussion in the space and to help inform […]
Measuring and Managing impact during the wake of COVID-19
COVID-19 has not only brought the world to a standstill, but it has thrown us into the future where there is no choice but to use technology to work collaboratively and remotely. The pandemic has forced us to start thinking differently about how best to harness our resources and technology for good. As at 11 […]
GBV and Covid-19
South Africa has astronomical levels of gender-based violence (GBV). As the country moved into lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were fears of a surge in GBV, a pattern which has been seen in other countries. However, this anticipated spike in violence is not borne out by the statistics – Minister of the […]
The COVID-19 pandemic and higher learning in South Africa
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in all higher education institutions moving their learning to online platforms. Institutions and students have experienced substantial challenges during this migration due to the scale and pace at which the change must be implemented. The pandemic has highlighted the deep inequalities amongst the country’s 26 universities. While well-endowed institutions (e.g. […]
Direct School Support in the Time of Covid-19
The Department of Basic Education has announced that there will be phased-in return to school in South Africa, starting with Grades 12 and 7, from 1 June 2020. A lot of planning went into this decision. There is very little available scientific data to draw on in terms of the virus and its real spread, […]
Covid-19 reminds us to respect, admire and learn from social welfare organisations
When Covid-19 first landed in South Africa, exposing the entire populace to the global pandemic, the social sector was amongst the first to be galvanised into action. By the time the call for social distancing was made, these organisations, who are in the main non-profit organisations, had already thought of (and began implementing) solutions to […]
Long-term thinking and agility in community development
Community development is an interactive process where community members, local government and development partners collectively take action to solve problems facing a specific community. The aim of community development is to co-create sustainable, stronger and resilient communities. Tshikululu partners with mining and renewable energy clients across the country to invest in the development of the […]
SOCIAL INVESTMENT SPECIALIST SAYS CORPORATE SA CONTINUES TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN IMPROVING EDUCATION
The next decade needs to see that funding into education starts bearing positive results Reflecting on the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results for 2019, Sibusiso Lukhele, a social investment specialist at Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa’s leading social investment manager, says that while there are ongoing challenges within our education system, it is important to […]
The end of a decade
As this decade draws to a close, many South Africans are still basking in the glory of winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The 2019 Springbok team is a remarkable case study, demonstrating the value of a long-term transformative game plan, the importance of investing in young talent, the value of setting big hairy audacious […]
Gender Based Violence: Shifting our mindsets from response to prevention
It is a well-known fact that South Africa struggles with high incidence of Gender Based Violence (GBV), which is systemically entrenched in our patriarchal culture and institutions. GBV can be defined as ‘violence targeted at individuals based on their sex, gender identity or whether they are seen to challenge norms’[1]. More recently, in President Ramaphosa’s […]
Five key questions to determine if and when to evaluate your social investments
As more and more social investors are moving away from just “doing good” and becoming intentional about making impactful investments, high-quality formal evaluations are crucial to inform improved design and implementation. The primary aim of evaluations is to assess the extent to which interventions are achieving their intended objectives. Usually, specific processes and procedures are […]
Social investors should not forget the welfare sector
Care work is a public good that is largely undervalued in the South African economy. It is essential to protecting vulnerable communities, including abandoned, orphaned and abused children; the frail and aged; people with disabilities; victims of sexual and gender-based violence; and refugees. In South Africa, this work includes both preventative and rehabilitative services. South […]
The importance of strengthening caregiver-child relationships in low-income households in South Africa
“If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow.” ~ Alfie Kohn The first 1 000 days in a child’s life holds the key to unlocking his or her life-long potential. By the age of five, almost 90% of a child’s brain will be […]
How to drive social impact and receive a financial return – what every CEO needs to know
With the world facing serious challenges in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) (now also known as the Global Goals), society is increasingly turning to the private sector to respond to broader societal challenges. As such, the public expectations of your company have never been greater. Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, […]
To grow, school children have specific milestones to accomplish first.
From the moment of conception, a series of development phases unfold in children, effectively shaping the course of their lives. These development milestones mark critical tipping points in the learning and growth of children. If a particular milestone is not fully reached, a child’s chances of doing well in the next phase or reaching their […]
The hard and soft skills in childrenâ’s school life
“Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them.”Charles Dickens, Hard Times When learners exit the […]
Impact investing in South Africa: setting the eco-system up for success
By Adam Boros, Head of Social Impact If you are a philanthropist, grantmaker, financial advisor or involved in private equity, you have probably come across the term “impact investing” in the past few years. It’s a relatively new concept all over the world, but a particularly nascent one in South Africa. According to the Global […]
Systemic Social Investing (SSI): A pioneering way of thinking
In late 2013, Tshikululu Social Investments conceptualised the idea of Systemic Social Investment (SSI) and presented it to some of its leading clients. At the time, talking about social investment and systems change in the same sentence was something very new – both to ourselves, our clients and other stakeholders. Up until then, systems change […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 1: Power over An unshakable reality in the work of any social investor is the power-dynamic inherent in any benefactor-beneficiary relationship. Traditionally, the view is that the one with the money has the power – to infer, to influence, to direct, to impose. This dynamic is often further fuelled by compliance requirements of the […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 2: Power with In reflecting on Tshikululu’s experience over the past two decades, we have been able to transcend through and beyond the “power over” dynamic. My favourite example of this is of Tshikululu’s founding social investment (and infrastructure) specialist, who would take time in his first engagements with a school governing body (be […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 3: Power to Recently Tshikululu has been assisting some of its clients to invest in initiatives that drive more purposefully towards definable impact and even achieve systems change. These clients are not satisfied merely addressing symptoms when they could be tackling the underlying causes of the challenges society faces. We are excited to be […]
Development through (em)power(ed) relationships
Part 4: Power within Tshikululu has found that even after successfully convening a forum committed to achieving collective impact, and even with a robustly debated and jointly agreed end goal, we sometimes don’t see the anticipated movement towards achieving that goal. The energy does not flow as one might have hoped. We’ll have the right […]
Fee-free education not a panacea to higher education challenges
Since the announcement of fee-free education by former President Zuma in December 2017, many people and organisations in the Post School Education and Training (PSET) system have grappled with the practicalities of “adequately” funding students. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) currently finds itself dealing with a new wave of student protests linked […]
Migration of Early Childhood Development from DSD to DBE: the hard work lies ahead
Last week’s State of the Nation saw President Cyril Ramaphosa announce that Government would be migrating the responsibility of early childhood development (ECD) centres from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Basic Education (DBE). This was met with much excitement, accompanied by confusion and questions in some quarters. Without any doubt, […]
Creating clear education and employment pathways for South Africa’s youth
The matric results’ announcement was met with much debate about what the “real” matric pass rate is. This has now become an annual practice and, as one education practitioner highlighted, “everyone has an opinion, right or wrong, about education”. Whatever your view on this issue is, the class of 2018 will see over 400 000 young […]
Matric results: time to take a sustainable approach
At the beginning of each year, the country’s attention is directed towards the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results. Much of the discussion is typically about the success and/or failure of Government to provide quality education for our children. However, Government is not the only stakeholder that has a critical role to play. Private social investors […]
A case for social impact bonds: critical learnings for potential stakeholders
In 2015/16, one of Tshikululu’s clients approved funding towards the establishment of a pay-for performance platform (or social impact bond) in partnership with a provincial Department of Health (DoH). The focus of this bond was funding home-visits to mothers and children in the first 1 000 days of the child’s life. This was to ensure […]
Using adaptive management to improve learning
The role of adaptive management is often underplayed by social investors in terms of strengthening strategies, implementation and impact. Adaptive decisions are based on learning, data, reflection and analysis, and are responsive to changing contexts. Given that they focus more on “what works” instead of “what doesn’t”, they have a critical role to play in […]
Room for improvement in Empowerment Endowment asset management
A new independent research report carried out by Intellidex and funded by Tshikululu Social Investments has found significant room for improvement in the asset management of Empowerment Endowments, corporate social investment trusts and funds. A new report, Understanding Empowerment Endowments, the first of its kind delving into BEE foundations, has uncovered a number of asset […]
Report underlines the risks of Empowerment Endowment governance failure
An independent research report carried out by Intellidex and funded by Tshikululu Social Investments has highlighted the risks facing Empowerment Endowments, corporate social investment trusts and funds when effective governance is not in place. Based on a six-month research exercise into the charitable and community components of the 100 largest JSE companies’ empowerment deals implemented since 2002, […]
Local trusts pack billions in B-BBEE spending power
South Africa’s empowerment endowment trusts have a collective value in the tens of billions, with the potential for significant black economic empowerment impact, a new study has found. A recent independent research report carried out by Intellidex and funded by Tshikululu Social Investments has found that, if managed well, corporate funds and foundations focused on […]
A tale of three schools in the country’s education system
In a National Education and Evaluation Development Unit (NEEDU) report published in April 2013, Dr Nick Taylor concluded that there are two kinds of teachers in South Africa’s school system currently influencing it in a negative way: “those who can’t” and “those who won’t”. Both have significant implications for learners and their futures and, consequently, […]
NGO leadership: time to embrace transformation as part of succession planning
In recent years the leadership of NGOs, non-profit companies and independent trusts (commonly referred to as civil society organisations) has come under pressure both from a transformation and delivery point of view. This includes regarding their ability to reinvent themselves in our changing developmental landscape. While these organisations have always been commended for the good […]
Community assessment: still the best starting point for a meaningful social investment strategy
We live in an era where vast amounts of detailed information are at our fingertips. Given this, one might question the need to carry out a community assessment before designing a social investment strategy. These assessments play an integral role in developing high-quality strategies aimed at maximising social impact and are a critical part of […]
Using the Theory of Change to evaluate and strengthen social investments
Organisations remain under enormous pressure to monitor and evaluate their social investment programmes for learning purposes and adaptive management. They are also often faced with heavy workloads due to conflicting demands from multiple donors with different contractual and reporting requirements. Despite these pressures, non-profit organisations must demonstrate the impact and value of their social initiatives […]
How to maximise the impact of your empowerment endowment
With the advent of the BEE codes in the early 2000’s, many large South African companies established trusts as one of several strategies to diversify ownership structures. Unlike most charitable or corporate foundations in the country, these “empowerment trusts” hold shares and are funded by dividends rather than donations. In different ways – depending on […]
Understanding Empowerment Endowments is a report by Intellidex, funded by Tshikululu Social Investments.
The report is based on a six-month research exercise into the charitable and community components of the 100 largest JSE companies’ empowerment deals implemented since 2002, when community schemes started to be included in BEE deals. It follows an earlier research report, The Empowerment Endowment, which undertook research into the scale of BEE foundations. The […]
Scaling social impact: what is really missing?
As more and more funders make the shift from traditional grantmaking to investing in strategic, system-shifting initiatives, conversations around scaling the impact of flagship programmes and successful pilot projects have dominated meeting agendas. The idea of scaling is not a new one. In the for-profit world, expansion of market reach, product offerings and operations form […]
Reflections on Mandela: ethics, purpose and love
Across the world we commemorate Mandela’s 100th birthday this month. We remember the enormous sacrifices he made and the impact he had on building a democratic South Africa. It is a time to give back and volunteer time to worthy causes. However, the spirit of Mandela transcends beyond our volunteer-time during July… For me there […]
Community development partnerships: key steps in the social investment value chain
Collaborative approaches to community development can magnify the impact of social investment, but only when the key steps in the social investment value chain are followed. South African social investors show great willingness to collaborate on projects and programmes, but too many fall short on one of the key steps in the value chain – […]
Time for social investors to rethink their role in mainstreaming impact investing in South Africa
Impact investing in South Africa is increasing – becoming less of a buzzword and gaining traction among development and commercial investors. Given this, and the unique position of social investors, Sibonakaliso Mavuka, Social Investment Specialist at Tshikululu Social Investments, argues that there’s never been a better time for them to lead thinking and action in […]
Celebrating 20 years of strategic social investment
Looking back to July 1998, it is with a sense of pride that we celebrate Tshikululu’s 20th anniversary today. Many people and organisations have paved the way for our very existence and ongoing success in South Africa; starting as far back as the late 1890s when De Beers Consolidated Mines first started contributing to the […]
Reflections from the Skoll World Forum 2018
In April 2018, the 15th Skoll World Forum (SWF) on Social Entrepreneurship was held at Oxford University. This is an annual gathering of social entrepreneurs, thought leaders, social investors and other stakeholders, all of whom come together to share knowledge and exchange ideas in the “pursuit of learning, leverage, and large-scale social change”. This year, […]
Unlocking change for early childhood development
A collaboration across 13 local organisations is bringing new hope and impetus in addressing some of the challenges facing South African early childhood development (ECD) services. Combining a wealth of resources and experiences, we’re hoping to collectively rethink approaches, responses and ultimately solutions for our country’s children… Giving children access to high-quality ECD services, including […]
E Squared
E2 offers various forms of support tailored to match entrepreneurs’ specific requirements to enable them to grow their businesses. Tshikululu Social Investments has partnered with E2 who are seeking to invest high-value grants in selected PBO social enterprises, or companies that are seeking to become social enterprises or enhance their self-generated income streams. Organisations must […]
Millennials contribute new approaches to social investing
South Africa can look forward to further innovation in social development as the country’s Millennials take up the challenge of driving change. Technology-savvy, outspoken and connected, Millennials are refreshing and disrupting South Africa’s social investment landscape. Born after the 1980s, Millennials have grown up in a world where change is taking place at a rapid […]
Next generation M&E ensures high impact social investment
It’s an exciting year for the world of social development. Now, for the first time, advanced digital tools allow for in-depth and enhanced Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) that not only tracks progress, but actually assesses long-term social impact and embraces community-driven project design. Moving beyond traditional anecdotal evidence, new M&E methodologies have created new possibilities […]
“New kid on the block” impact investing gains traction in South Africa
Introduced as recently as 10 years ago, impact investing is changing the face of social investment as we know it. No longer just accepted as a given, the correlation between real “impact” and social investment is increasingly being challenged by the “new kid on the block” approach of impact investing. The term – and approach […]
Sustainable energy = sustainable communities
Renewable energy projects continue offering hope for much-needed power access for under-served communities across South Africa. As a partner in this critical space, we’re already helping add impact to some of these projects through targeted value-added initiatives.
New thinking required to solve the educational challenges
When Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga announced the 2017 matric results on January 04, most South Africans would have expected the Eastern Cape to occupy its rightful position, that of being last out of the nine provinces. And like a recurring episode in a movie, MEC Mandla Makupula and his team gave the usual performance. […]