ENDORSEMENTS

FEMEF is honoured to have partnered with Columba over what is close to a decade. The work of Columba leadership has made, and continues to make an important contribution to the FEMEF strategy of making a meaningful contribution to shifting the public education system. Their work focuses on cultivating accountability in young people, and their values-based leadership program has an important role to play in creating school cultures that nurture healthy learning in public high schools in South Africa.

In 2023 and 2024, the Mineworkers Investment Company partnered with the Columba Leadership Academy to introduce a much-needed leadership development component to our Schools Programme. Since its inception in 2016, the programme has focused on lower-quintile schools with the potential to excel given the right support and encouragement. While it provided essential academic support, the programme’s core emphasis was on qualitative initiatives that offered learners alternative developmental opportunities beyond academics. These included performing arts, public speaking, and entrepreneurship. Recognising the remarkable impact of the Columba Leadership Academy’s approach—particularly its emphasis on nurturing ambassadors for sustainable leadership within schools—it was a natural progression to collaborate. The academy’s work not only transformed learners but also inspired educators, embedding a culture of leadership and accountability within participating schools. Despite a limited timeframe due to a shift in our CSI strategy in 2024, the programme yielded significant results in our Rustenburg partner school, Zinniaville. It successfully fostered a sustainable leadership culture among the learners and educators involved, underscoring its transformative potential. The Columba Leadership Academy stands out for its ability to drive positive change, particularly in schools operating under challenging circumstances and with limited resources. It is truly one of the best-kept secrets in the education social investment space, delivering meaningful and lasting impact.

We are inspired and excited by the work that Columba Leadership is doing in schools to support young people to be learners and leaders of the future. We particularly like that Columba’s ethos is to encourage those young people to support their peers and other young people which builds stronger communities and healthy relationships

Blue Spec Holdings acknowledges and highly values our partnership with the Columba Leadership Fund Team, who introduced us to the MH Baloyi High School. Our continued contributions, both to Columba and MH Baloyi School have resulted in a meaningful and sustainable impact on the lives of many, and the wider community.

Tiber Construction partners with Columba Leadership to support young people transitioning from school to the workplace, fostering shared values such as integrity, ethical leadership and perseverance.

Columba's commitment to fostering resilience in young people, grounded in principled values, equips its programme participants to thrive in the workplace and actively contribute to their communities. Few organisations in the youth empowerment sector develop young individuals as effectively as Columba. Partnering with an organisation of Columba's calibre has been both enriching and insightful, affording us a deeper understanding to key drivers of youth empowerment.

The Goldin Foundation for Excellence in Education congratulates Columba Leadership for its recognition as an Exemplary Awards Project recipient. Your creative and innovative program continues to make valuable contributions and has a positive impact on students becoming future leaders, classroom teachers, families, and the broader community. Your encouragement and promotion of civic awareness and engagement is applauded. There is great potential for other school districts and community partners to adapt and/or replicate your project.

It is indeed a privilege for us at The Carl & Emily Fuchs Foundation to be partnering with Columba Leadership in contributing to the development of young leaders who are capacitated to facilitate values-based, meaningful change that positively impact our shared future. The need for investment into and far-reaching impact of equipping and empowering future-fit youth leaders and change-makers cannot be overstated. Well done to the Columba team!

We partner with Columba because we believe leadership is fundamental to educational excellence. Just as we at Trevor Noah Foundation understand that leadership extends beyond senior leadership, we recognize that transformative leadership potential exists in every level of education - from principals and Heads of Department to teachers and students themselves. Values-driven agency, thoughtful decision-making and innovative thinking aren't just skills for improving education - they're essential tools for active citizenship and creating positive change. This vision has come to life through our Columba Leaders, who have launched impactful anti-bullying campaigns, organized schoolwide cleanup events and created mental health support systems for their peers. Through our partnership, we're witnessing teachers and students build the skills and confidence to not only improve their school community, but making a real difference in the world around them.

We partner with Columba Leadership because we have seen firsthand the transformative impact of their work in awakening leadership, accountability, and personal responsibility among high school learners. Their programme creates a sense of urgency within the school community, motivating both learners and school leadership to take ownership of the school’s performance and culture.

Columba Leadership helps learners understand that, for both the school and themselves to thrive, they must actively contribute to building a positive school image and fostering a supportive learning culture. The approach, grounded in Columba's core values, empowers students to play an integral role in shaping a vibrant and successful school culture and equips them to become leaders and change agents in their communities. We like their model and approach!

We partner with like-minded organisations like Columba Leadership because we believe education is a national priority that requires socially responsible corporate citizens to pool resources and expertise to address systemic challenges, Our partnership with Columba Leadership enables us to scale impact by reaching more schools, learners, and educators. We do this by bringing our diverse strengths and experiences to the table, enhancing the quality and innovation of education interventions.

Columba Leadership continues to inspire us with its tireless commitment to creating impact through young leaders . We are grateful for our partnership with Columba Leadership, as with each engagement we too learn more about ourselves and are encouraged to do more.

We have supported Columba Leadership and their initiatives to improve and nurture the quality of leaders in our country. The Columba program is well-structured and organised and the content is such that the scholars can relate to it. Corporates such as ourselves have a critical role in supporting our youth to ensure that we have a sustainable pipeline of exceptional future Leaders.

The Columba Leadership Programme is values-based, an opportunity, to learn, grow and look at one's life freshly in the context of values and possibilities.

One of the major reasons we have partnered with Columba is because our country is in need of young leaders with expertise and individuals who strive for excellence in order to lead us though the current political and economic challenges and to pioneer us through the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Bidvest Bank partners with Columba Leadership as part of its commitment to socio-economic development (SED) and transformation. This partnership aligns with the Bank’s strategic priorities to foster sustainable community development and youth empowerment, key pillars of its corporate social responsibility and transformation objectives. By supporting Columba Leadership, Bidvest Bank contributes to nurturing young leaders who are equipped with vital skills, ethical values, and resilience, enabling them to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the broader economy.

This collaboration also enhances the Bank's mission to drive inclusive growth by addressing socio-economic disparities and creating opportunities for disadvantaged groups. It reflects Bidvest Bank’s dedication to transformative practices that go beyond compliance, focusing on impactful initiatives that build capacity and promote long-term societal progress. Through partnerships like these, Bidvest Bank reinforces its role not just as a financial institution, but as a catalyst for social change and empowerment.

Working in schools in some of South Africa’s most challenging neighbourhoods, Columba Leadership transforms the way in which staff and students see their role in improving school life for everyone. With ‘engagement’ being such a critical driver of a school’s success, Columba brings each of a school’s stakeholder groups together. It helps them align towards common goals while setting them up for a lifetime of leadership outside the school gates.

Why we partner with Columba Leadership? Tutuwa was founded on the premise of harnessing the potential of South Africa's youth. CL is one of our strategic partners entrusted to help achieve this mandate. A credible organisation, passionate about unleashing the fullest potential of black schooling going children to become positive change makers in their communities and later prominent leaders in their careers.

Umoya Energy partnered with Columba to address the immediate needs of our school communities, through a responsive approach by igniting this leadership journey of change, which is essential for a more sustainable and equitable future by leveraging strategic partnerships to optimize impact.

Waterloo Solar, is honored to be in partnership with Columba. Why Columba...Team of visionaries who are actively making impactful change in diverse communities. Waterloo Solar and Columba, share the same value and share the same actions of being positive catalyst to heart centred, impactful change within our communities. It makes sense to work together.

The partnership with Columba Leadership has been an incredible journey, this brilliant initiative is exactly what Africa needs. To create an opportunity to develop and inspire young people, turning them into thoughtful and good leaders, while changing their lives and their communities from within. Columba are developing an important opportunity for meaningful change in South Africa through this development of this network of young leaders through a targeted intervention in schools to improve youth engagement and provide opportunities within schools for these future learners. Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation and the Oppenheimer family are proud and honoured to be a part of this amazing initiative and remains committed to improving the lives of youth in South Africa

Columba has led Temple Valley Secondary step by step to greater heights.It has taught and equipped learners and educators with resilience, hard-working ethics and dedication. Thank you Columba, we would not be where we are without you. Forward with Columba forward!

Throughout my career I have participated in countless leadership development programs none of which have come close to achieving the transformational impact of attending this academy. I have observed a significant transformation in the conversations around our boardroom table. My experience contributed significantly to improving my own role at work and to winning the IPN HR Manager of the year in 2013.

I was truly humbled by the incredible Columba Leadership experience I was so privileged to enjoy with the students from Fumana Comprehensive School. These young adults were amazing and I have no doubt that they will make an incredible contribution to their school, their community and to this wonderful Rainbow Nation!

The introduction of the program at our school was a great blessing as it came at the time when our school was plagued by negative elements of gangsterism , ill-discipline ,poor academic performance , dilapidated infrastructure and low teacher morale . It ignited within us, the passion to turn our institution into a school on the path to excellence. It came in as the third arm of support for development and progress.
Through the new shared vision of a school on the path to excellence, we successfully managed to incorporate the six Columba Values into our school plans.
We attribute our success to the invaluable support and guidance from Columba officials. We cannot articulate our achievements as a school without highlighting the important role played by Columba Leadership in our success.
MAY THIS PROGRAMME GROW FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.

My experience with Columba Leadership was astonishing, incredible and informative. I am convinced that the learners that joint me in this experience will be agent of change at their school, community and in their families. I have seen transformation in my life and from those I used to work with since I have encountered the six values from the program.

Columba Leadership has added purpose to our business. Our staff work hard but they willing give up their time to attend the program.

I am truly grateful for the programme and its impact. The programme made me to understand my learners better, because before then I never had a close relationship with my learners. My focus point was exclusively teaching and learning, but after the academy I understood my learners better and the fact that learners contain wealth and potential that I as a VC must stir, inspire, and nurture. For instance, because of the academy I observed that I have good leadership qualities and I can also lead debate and public speaking. As a VC I learned to cultivate a good relationship with my learners to such an extent that I supported them beyond my job description. The programme really brought a change into our school community, because as the VCs and the team, before we can get cleaners, we used to take it upon our shoulders to clean the school community. I am thankful for the program. Lastly, the program sensitizes me not to give up or lose hope on learners who are troublemakers.