Recognising Leadership in our Land

Fifteen exceptional South Africans were honoured recently for their philanthropic efforts at the 2010 Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards.

The aim of the awards is to inspire South Africans at all economic levels to take responsibility for our social development by giving what we can, by contributing as we can and by recognising ourselves in the philanthropic role models that these awards applaud.

Cape Insights is proud to be associated with these these initiatives, some of which we actively support – see those marked in red.

The awards demonstrate how each one of us can make a difference to the lives of others, regardless of income. Some of the winners among the nine categories were:

Merit Award for Philanthropy:
• Noel de Villiers who set up and funded  Open Africa, which offers life enriching journeys across Africa to travellers, while enabling livelihoods and enhancing the conservation of Africa’s spectacular natural environment.

• Richard Mason who funded the start of the Kay Mason Foundation from the proceeds of his first novel and recognises that the education of our youth is the only viable foundation for our future.

International Philanthropy to South Africa:
Anthony and Carole Record who established the Light from Africa Foundation, a ceramics initiative, to generate funds for their Foundation which recognises the critical situation of child-headed households and the growing numbers of orphans in South Africa.

Community Philanthropy:
• Jonathan Schrire who facilitated the joining of two opposing community groups to form the Vrygrond Community Development Trust, which has changed the lives of over 15 000 people

• Mark Solms of Solms Delta wine estate, who together with his partner Richard Astor, have transformed the lives of their farm workers through a truly innovative empowerment mechanism, involving equity transfer to the Wijn de Caab Trust where the employees of the farm are now effectively part-owners of the wine estate.