There are many children in South Africa who have the potential to become future leaders, but home circumstances often make it hard for them to realize their dreams.

Our scholars continue to excel with their resilience, intelligence, tenacity, and ability to face any challenge head on. They are courageous, vulnerable and they know what strength is.

Who are we?

I think of the words of Mandela when he said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” and what that means.

Through building Future Leaders who have a direct impact on uplifting communities, we are creating change agents and the multiplier effect is key if we are to address societal issues.

The Kay Mason Foundation was founded by Richard Mason in 1999 to eliminate barriers to quality education for underprivileged children and to bridge the opportunity gap, which is one of South Africa’s greatest challenges.

We are unique in that we take a holistic approach to the development of each scholar.

Youth, finding themselves in challenging circumstances, often lack the opportunity to develop skills such as decision-making, a healthy self-image, conflict resolution, communication, interpersonal skills and leadership.

We nurture both the academic and personal potential of our scholars and we support them in both areas for the duration of their school career, plus continued mentorship, support, and guidance post-graduation via our Catapult Program to link them up with experts in the field they wish to pursue, to ‘catapult’ them to success.

We know and understand that mentorship is the golden thread linking a scholar to their dream career and instilling in them the belief that nothing is impossible.

Our vision and mission

Our vision is to ensure equal opportunities through quality education thereby building a nation of leaders and achievers. Our mission is to provide talented, underserved scholars in South Africa access to quality education, support and life opportunities that build tomorrow’s leaders.

The significance of investing in Education

According to Statistics South Africa’s Third Quarterly Labour Force Survey in 2022, 59.6% of young people aged between 15 to 34 years are not in employment, education, or training. 

Investing in education and the right skills is vital for the country’s economic growth, development, and competitiveness.

If action is not taken immediately, the consequences will be devastating.

The pandemic has added another layer of complexity and challenge to this serious situation.

South Africa has a high-cost, low performance educational system (Autonomous Centre for Education Policy Development, CEPD) that compares poorly with systems in other developing countries. There is a shortage of teachers, under-qualified teachers, poor classroom discipline, insufficient resources, and vastly inadequate infrastructure.

Too many development projects provide financial support that makes opportunities accessible to select individuals, but then leave the recipients on their own without further support and mentoring. These programs, although well-intended, build a further dependency on external support that is never provided and therefore ultimately fails in its original goal.

Youth needs to be constantly motivated and stimulated to develop to their full potential. It is in this environment that they shape their identities, select role models, and build their value system which guides their choices and actions.

A holistic personal development program, primarily based on quality education, remains the only sustainable solution to assist a scholar not only to achieve her/his full potential, but to develop the abilities to reach out to their original communities to affect the necessary social change.

Education is a fundamental driver of personal, national, and global development. One of the most important factors for escaping from poverty is education. The only way a society can continue to grow and prosper is through proper education at all levels.

Education systems must now be focused on producing skills and young people who have both strong foundational skills as well as specific skills for jobs.

The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a patron of the Kay Mason Foundation and an avid supporter of our efforts to help young people realize their leadership potential through quality education. 

We piloted the ethical leadership campaign in 2022 and it was a resounding success. Our scholars showcased their resilience and grit in putting projects together that got them thinking creatively and critically about what they would do if they were leading South Africa and the junior grades studied iconic African Leaders and the impact they made.

The Scholars spent time at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation educational Truth to Power permanent exhibition, which showcases the Archbishop’s contribution to the fight against Apartheid and other social injustices. 

The program aims to empower young minds and foster ethical leadership qualities that will shape a better future for our communities and the environment.

We have created the 2023 campaign to reflect our vision of “Ethical Leaders; Love in Action.” Scholars will be required to submit their assignment where they plan and execute community or environmental outreach projects.

What differentiates us from other NPOs?

For the Kay Mason Foundation, it is the personal touch coupled with the fact that we also select scholars based on their potential, and we nurture this attentively, giving them the support, life experiences and mentorship that they require.

Donors can support a specific scholar and they get to walk a path with that scholar for as long as they wish, building a strong bond. The scholar knows that not only is this person investing in them financially, but that their donor cares for their emotional wellbeing and success. DM