Gilbert is a Ruta Sechaba Foundation (RSF) scholarship holder and was head boy of Curro Durbanville in 2022, where he achieved a 89,42% average and seven distinctions in matric. He aspires to be a motorsport aerodynamicist and has been accepted into a university course in England which could set him on the path to becoming a real F1 engineer.
“My motorsport career goal is to make F1 predictable. I want to design the most dominant cars in F1 history, alongside which I would like to develop my existing aerodynamic research toward reducing energy demands and carbon emissions of road cars through aerodynamic concepts.”
Gilbert is one of three top scholarship learners who were invited by RSF, a non-profit organisation dedicated to investing in the potential of South Africa’s brightest young minds, to create extraordinary visions for South Africa's future.
“Access to education is just the beginning. By investing in potential, we can provide the right support and resources learners need to succeed in academics and sport. We are dedicated to empowering young people to reach their full potential, in turn, building future leaders, innovators, and changemakers who will drive progress in our communities and the world,” says Natasha Mkhize, Executive: Strategic Relations at the Ruta Sechaba Foundation.
Using AI technology, the selected learners were encouraged to envisage and artistically represent their ideal South Africa using iconic landmarks across the cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. “The resulting visuals are testament to the boundless potential of young minds when adequately nurtured and supported. Empowering our learners to imagine and re-imagine their country's future and bring it to life in such a tangible, thought-provoking way is a clear demonstration of the success of our ‘investing in potential’ manifesto.”
Born in Chatsworth in KwaZulu-Natal, and raised in the Western Cape, Gilbert’s Ruta Sechaba scholarship enabled him to attend Curro Durbanville, which led him to finding his passion for aerodynamics. In addition to being head boy, he also captained the soccer team, founded and led a digital media team, joined the school’s diversity committee, participated in community outreach programmes, and was Mr Curro Durbanville 2022.
“I was able to be involved in multiple extramural activities that all related to what I enjoy doing. Most of my spare time was spent developing my F1 aerodynamics research, which has thus far received a full scholarship award and third place in Physics and Astronomy at the largest pre-collegiate science fair in the world in Atlanta in the USA.”
Gilbert has been accepted to study at the leading F1 recruitment university for aerodynamicists, the University of Southampton. Gilbert was offered the opportunity to combine the master’s programme with an industrial placement this year, which means he could be working in F1 as early as 2025.
The RSF project is a powerful reminder that our young people have the capability and the drive to shape the world positively. “Who says it can't be? These are the vivid imaginings of our brightest minds, and their creations have the power to make you stop and think. This initiative underscores the importance of not just providing access to education, but also the right support and resources to help learners unlock their potential,” says Mkhize. She invites other gifted and ambitious learners in need of financial support for a quality high school education to apply for the scholarships when applications open via rutasechaba.org.
Corporate investments are paramount to the work of RSF which enables them to provide a quality education to the country’s most talented, curious, driven young minds to reach their full potential, and help them shine brighter. ’In today's rapidly evolving world, talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn't. The potential of our nation's brightest young minds often remains untapped due to the lack of quality education. But you have the power to change that. By supporting the Ruta Sechaba Foundation, you are not just investing in a learner's education; you are shaping the leaders of tomorrow, moulding future innovators, and creating brighter prospects for our entire country.’
Every donation, irrespective of its size, can transform the life of a learner brimming with untapped potential. To learn more about our partnership opportunities and make a life-altering contribution, please visit rutasechaba.org. DM
