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easy. Ithala SOC Limited offers affordable interest Ithala Digital Skills Development Programme
rates because we believe that every South African The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is changing the way
deserves access to affordable banking services.” we live, work and interact. New digital technologies
Dr Vilakazi is ready to take Ithala SOC Limited to the are merging with human physical lives and totally
next level as a state bank. He said banking systems transforming how everyday activities are performed
needed to be conducive to serving the interests of and the skills required to navigate this new world of
everyday South Africans – a role that Ithala has long 4IR. Digital skills are becoming a critical success factor
been fulfilling as a development finance institution. across all spheres of life.
“The creation of a state bank would be in line with Ithala Education Fund has partnered with GoDigital
government’s strategy to transform the financial Foundation (NGO focusing on training the youth
sector, and will empower communities and accelerate on digital skills) to hold digital skills training for
radical economic transformation,” he added. learners from rural areas. The programme targets
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 150 learners annually in the foundation, intermediate
and senior phases.
Ithala MoneyTalks
Ithala MoneyTalks is Ithala’s flagship financial education Ithala Edu Platform
programme. The aim of the programme is to empower The outbreak of the coronavirus and subsequent
ordinary South Africans with financial literacy skills that National Lockdown resulted in school learners losing
will empower them to make sound financial decisions, a substantial amount of their school academic year.
manage money and create wealth. The programme Some schools and learners with access to technology
targets Ithala clients, students, entrepreneurs and and resources were able to do some schooling during
ordinary people. MoneyTalks offers practical easy to this period, many from disadvantaged backgrounds
follow guide and tools to help people to create wealth. have been left behind and require assistance to
catch-up.
MoneyTalks wealth creation formula:
Get out of Debt To respond to the need to assist learners, Ithala
Start Saving Education Fund launched Ithala Edu Platform. The
Start Investing Ithala Edu Platform has enabled more than 206 867
Build Multiple Sources of Income students from underprivileged backgrounds to benefit
MyBest Childhood Foundation from programmes focusing on the Caps Curriculum,
Soft Skills and Career Guidance.
The Ithala SOC Limited’s partnership with MyBest
Child-hood Foundation is aimed at assisting previously “The hard reality is that South Africa cannot afford
disadvantaged learners in remote areas where schools to lose another learner or another hour of learning
are often overlooked and under resourced. The time. At Ithala, we want to make as many students
partnership focuses on the following projects that will as possible aware that our programme is still up and
be delivered by My Best Childhood Foundation: running for the 2021 academic year.
School Feeding Scheme Ithala continues to help communities who lack the
Vegetable Garden Programme means to improve their lives, especially in these
School Signage difficult times of the pandemic,” said Dr Vilakazi.
www.myithala.co.za 79
