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Schoolchildren engage with the teacher during a lesson at a primary school
MAKING A DIFFERENCE WHERE

IT COUNTS

nly by getting to the core of job, and also be able to look after themselves and
the education system will The Anglo American their families. In terms of developing the nation, it’s
change be effected, not by South Africa education the one thing that touches everything.
sitting on the periphery “It’s very clear that, of all the things that we do as
throwing money at it. This is programme has Anglo American, the most satisfying is to be able to
Owhat Norman Mbazima, the help the education system. It’s something that
driving force behind Anglo American’s ambitious gone back to basics, and Anglo American just must do because we operate
South African education programme, believes. in communities. And if everything that I’ve said
The years spent on the outside – reading Norman Mbazima believes about development is right, then that is the one
proposals, deciding on the projects that could do that helping children get place where we can spend some of our money and
the most good and then funding those projects – do the most good – for the country, for individuals
led the former deputy chair of Anglo American the best start possible will and, indeed, for ourselves.”
South Africa to launch one of the company’s most Mbazima was the chairperson of Anglo
ambitious corporate social investment initiatives to lead them out of poverty American’s Chairman’s Fund for “a long, long time”,
date. and he can’t remember one meeting where funds
In April last year, the company partnered with the and to future success, weren’t allocated to an education project.
department of basic education and undertook to “The difference this time is that we thought we’d
improve outcomes for children living around its writes Alison Visser go back and just rethink about what we are doing,
mining operations in South Africa. how we are spending our money and how we can
The plan is to do this “purely by supporting what schools to take ownership of the required change. make it significantly more effective.”
government is trying to do, and by helping it do it. I Mbazima has been with Anglo American for 18 The focus has shifted from infrastructure and
believe that we can have a much bigger impact on years. Although he officially retired on June 30, he equipment to the core of the education system –
our kids,” says Mbazima. will keep on leading the steering committee of the the teachers and school management.
The numbers are ambitious. Anglo American is education programme because it’s something he is “Usually, when you offer help, people don’t go to
targeting 100 early childhood development sites, passionate about. the core of education, which is what we are trying
and 100 primary and secondary schools – about Mbazima received free schooling in Zambia and to do. And we are trying to do it in support of what
70 000 pupils in total. The company has met directly his tertiary education was covered by a parastatal. the education department is trying to do, rather
with the school governing bodies, teachers and “It took me out of poverty and helped me get to than starting something new or separate.
principals to understand the challenges in the where I am today. It takes people to another level in “We wouldn’t be able to make it grow and
targeted schools, and is inspiring the staff at the terms of being educated and therefore able to get a replicate it. I think that we can have a much, much
42 ANGLO AMERICAN 25 REASONS TO BELIEVE