The Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa (FCS) Foundation has generously endowed a new scholarship within the GSB Foundation. The Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa (FCS) Scholarship for African Women is dedicated to empowering African women while celebrating the extraordinary legacy of Dr Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa. The first candidates for this prestigious scholarship will be considered for the full-time MBA program 2025-26 at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Graduate School of Business (GSB). Those wishing to support this initiative can now contribute directly to the FCS Scholarship, ensuring that Farai’s legacy and vision continue to inspire future generations.
A legacy of empowerment
“Farai was a phenomenal woman, an accomplished mother, physician, board advisor, and executive,” says Nana Kankakee of The Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa Foundation. “The Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa Foundation is excited to begin our donation journey with UCT, a school of special sentiment to the foundation, as Farai was a proud alumna.”
Dr Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa was a passionate advocate for the potential of African women to transform the continent. Her legacy is a testament to the power of education, leadership, and community. Her mother, Francie Shonhiwa, an esteemed businesswoman, shares, “Farai had a sharp intellect; she used her gifts and talents for the common good, working on projects like launching low-cost maternity facilities for underprivileged women in Johannesburg and Nairobi. It is through the lens of her virtues and values that The FCS Foundation was established, with the objective of honouring her legacy and continuing her vision and mission of uplifting African women.”
Uplifting the next generation
The Farai Cheryl Shonhiwa (FCS) Scholarship for African Womenis specifically created to empower exceptional African women who aspire to make a significant impact on Africa’s future.Recipients receive generous financial support to attend the full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the UCT GSB, along with additional mentorship from the FCS Foundation.
Linda Fasham from the GSB Foundation says, “We are delighted to announce this partnership and opportunity for MBA candidates and our supporters. This scholarship empowers women leaders who are set to innovate and drive transformative change across the African continent. Our supporters also gain a direct channel to contribute to this initiative. It’s incredibly exciting!”
As another financial year draws to a close, I am delighted to use this opportunity to reflect on the GSB’s achievements over the past 12 months, and by extension, the continued success of the GSB Foundation.
Despite the global downturn in demand for full-time MBA studies and the subsequent competition between business schools to fill their respective seats, the GSB remains the only institution in South Africa to offer a full-time MBA programme whilst sustaining its triple-crown accreditation. The aforementioned accreditations include AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS – and it is worth noting that the latter is particularly special, since for the first time since 2007 we have been granted a 5-year accreditation (as opposed to 3 years). This honour speaks to the hard work and dedication of the GSB’s leadership team and support staff, who are to be commended on their efforts.
The resilience of our full-time MBA programme is in part owed to our visionary director, Dr Catherine Duggan, and her courageous decision to adjust the course’s calendar so that it begins in August, in alignment with our business school peers in the Northern Hemisphere. This has led to a significant increase in international applicants, and a near doubling in student headcount post-Covid. Our Modular MBA programme is also thriving, with 69 new students having recently embarked on their 2-year journey earlier this month. It is mightily encouraging to see the campus halls and lecture theatres bustling with activity again – not to mention The Brig – and our beloved Sunrise Club grows from strength to strength.
The GSB Foundation marches on, resolute in its mission to attract exemplary students to the GSB’s classrooms. With the awarding of 3 full scholarships in 2023, this brings the total number of scholarship recipients to 27 since the Foundation’s inception. These scholarships are critical to maintaining our Financial Times rankings, and thus ensuring that our flagship course is able to maintain its status as the leading MBA programme in Africa.
If you would like to contribute to this worthwhile cause, please visit gsbfoundation.org.za where you can learn more about our assorted fund-raising initiatives. Even if it is something as small as signing up for our R100-per-month campaign, every little bit counts, and if several thousand of us alumni were to collectively back this effort, it would cement the GSB’s position at the apex of African business schools for decades to come.
In closing I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to our existing and past donors for their generosity. None of this would have been possible without you.
Yours in service to our revered alma mater,
Kosta Kontos MBA 2009/2010 and GSB Foundation Chairperson
Tax season is the best time to maximise your tax deductions and give back. By making a donation to the GSB Foundation, you can support our work and reduce your taxable income at the same time. We call that a win-win!
Donations allow you to help build better futures through education. By contributing to the GSB Foundation, you create opportunities for aspiring MBAs who might otherwise be unable to pursue their dreams.
Last year, we were able to give such an opportunity to three beneficiaries – all of whom successfully completed the full-time MBA in December – with the help of donations to the Foundation. We are proud to say that Liz, Minaz and Vishal are also class leaders in terms of their achievements, gaining top student awards. They are ambassadors for the GSB and the Foundation and a shining example of our commitment to helping students focus fully on their studies.
With your support, you are making a lasting contribution to the future of Africa. Your donation will provide invaluable assistance and resources to GSB MBA students who have the potential for inspiring positive change in their home countries, this continent and the wider world.
We hope you will help us continue to build leaders building Africa.
Yours sincerely,
Linda Fasham
Executive Consultant
On behalf of the GSB Foundation Board of Trustees
– – –
Who we are
The GSB Foundation was started in 2016 by the GSB MBA Class of 1969. To date, with the support of alumni and associates of the GSB, the Foundation has awarded scholarships for 22 students, helping them earn a world-class MBA.
How to donate
You can donate to the GSB Foundation in two convenient ways:
The tax benefits of donating – from SA or overseas
As a registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), donations to the GSB Foundation are tax-deductible. Are you registered for tax in South Africa? If you are, you can claim an annual donation deduction of up to 10% of your annual taxable income. If you are registered in a country outside South Africa, you might also be eligible for tax benefits. See details here: gsbfoundation.org.za/tax-information/
Why give back?
The mission of the Foundation is: “Building leaders building Africa.” The scholarships allow the most talented students an opportunity to benefit from a world-class UCT GSB education, regardless of their financial circumstances. Our aim is to nurture a diverse leadership that can play a significant role in building the continent.
– – –
GSB Foundation Trustees: Kosta Kontos, GSB MBA 2009/10 (Chair); Stewart Cohen, GSB MBA 1969; Tiger Wessels, GSB MBA 1969; Dr Catherine Duggan, GSB Director; Ian Reid, GSB MBA 1993; Raymond van Niekerk, GSB MBA 1996. The GSB Foundation is registered in South Africa as a trust (IT002858/2015(C)) and non-profit organisation (169-125 NPO). It is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO ref. no. 930052029) in terms of Section 30(3) of the Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962 and is approved for the purposes of Section 18A(1)(a) of the Act. The GSB Foundation is a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor.
Tax season is here – a time many of us complete our tax returns. If you would like to take full advantage of the tax-deductible amount for charitable donations, please consider us.
Making a donation to the GSB Foundation gives someone the opportunity to complete an MBA at the GSB, who might not otherwise have the means to do so.
Our work is only possible with the help of our GSB alumni and like-minded supporters of the Foundation. Your donation will not only benefit a GSB MBA student but is also a long-term investment in the future of the African continent.
We hope you can help us continue to build leaders building Africa.
Yours sincerely,
Linda Fasham
Executive Consultant
On behalf of the GSB Foundation Board of Trustees
– – –
Who we are
The GSB Foundation was started in 2016 by the GSB MBA Class of 1969. To date, with the support of alumni and associates of the GSB, the Foundation has funded scholarships for 22 students, helping them earn a world-class MBA. Three scholars are currently enrolled in this year’s GSB MBA programme.
How to donate
You can donate to the GSB Foundation in two convenient ways:
The tax benefits of donating – from SA or overseas
As a registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), donations to the GSB Foundation are tax-deductible. Are you registered for tax in South Africa? If you are, you can claim an annual donation deduction of up to 10% of your annual taxable income. If you are registered in a country outside South Africa, you might also be eligible for tax benefits. See details here: gsbfoundation.org.za/tax-information/
Why give back?
The mission of the GSB Foundation is “Building leaders building Africa.” The scholarships afford the most talented students an opportunity to benefit from a world-class UCT GSB education, regardless of their financial circumstances. Our aim is to nurture a diverse leadership that can play a significant role in building the continent. Find out more here about the supporters and beneficiaries of the Foundation: gsbfoundation.org.za/category/voices/
There is less than a month to tax-year end on 28 February. If you haven’t taken full advantage of the tax-deductible amount you’re donating to charitable causes, then now is the time to do so.
Maximising your donation now will not only save you tax: it may also allow you to increase the amount you donate and benefit others you sponsor even more.
How you can help us fund Africa’s future leaders
You can take advantage of the tax benefits available by donating to the GSB Foundation before the end of February in two convenient ways:
Become a regular donor making recurring contributions by signing up for the R100-a-month campaign. You could also pay R1200 or more for the full year up front to boost your tax benefit. Donate now
Your tax benefits
If you are registered for tax in South Africa, you could stretch your donation further by donating up to 10% of your annual income without paying a cent of tax on it. We will also give you a tax certificate to present to SARS, as we are a registered Public Benefit Organisation.
Other countries where you can donate to the GSB Foundation with tax benefits include Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. Benefits vary from country to country, read more here.
For more information on any of the above ways to donate and the particular tax benefits for the country where you pay tax, please email us at contact@gsbfoundation.org.za
