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July 2022

Annual Report

Edition 2021

The Chairman's Address

Looking back on the last five years since the inception of the PPS Foundation I am filled with gratitude and pride. It's been very fulfilling to me as Chairman.

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PPS Foundation Team

Subashni Gounder

Corporate Social Investment Senior Manager

Kebone Bolofo

Administrative Assistant

Lesterinah Lengana

1972 - 2022
Administrative Assistant
- “May Her Soul Rest in Peace”

Board of Trustees

Dr S N E Seoka
Chairman

Dr D P du Plessis
Trustee

Ms M Molefe
Trustee

Mr P Ranchod
Trustee

Izak Smith
Non-negotiable Commitment to supporting future graduate professionals

We are proud to be the PPS Foundation's primary sponsor. 2021 was the second year that organisations and the world had to face and deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. While it put much financial pressure on budgets, there were some things and practices we could not let go of as an organisation. Despite the turbulent times, PPS remained committed to protecting professionals' livelihoods. In our concerted efforts to do good and do the right thing within the communities in which we exist, the commitment to support future graduate professionals was non-negotiable. The reality is that challenging times can still bring out the best in people and organisations. Students still need to continue with their studies amid the difficult times; the silver lining is that the stories of success and triumph form part of our beneficiaries' journey, which we are all too glad to be part of.

In our financial results announced in April 2022, we shared that 2021 was an extraordinary year in terms of the opportunity to support our members. PPS was able to return enormous value to our members by meeting claims and making special benefit allocations to the members' Profit-Share Accounts because of our solid business strategy, good expense management, the benign investment markets and our long-term investment approach.

In being the PPS Foundation's primary sponsor, we were still able to provide 100% support which meant that the programmes and initiatives could continue. In 2022, the same support will again continue to ensure that greater impact and reach of improving teaching and learning experiences for more South African youth is achieved at a greater scale. But the more donations we get, the bigger the impact the PPS Foundation will make on our country's future generations.

The Graduate Internship Development Programme (GIDP) that we run every year at PPS has allowed us to experience the young talent that infuses new and vibrant energy into the organisation. PPS has been in existence for over 80 years and we remain passionate about investing in developing the next generation of professionals who will have a profound impact on this organisation and South Africa's future. This programme inducts graduate interns who acquire the skills that will help them develop personally and professionally. Over the years, we have retained quite a number of these interns who have grown in various departments and gone to do great things.

The GIDP supports South Africa's imperative of reducing youth unemployment by providing recently graduated youth with an opportunity to benefit from comprehensive training, gain valuable work experience and develop soft skills. All candidates are supervised by a formal mentor throughout the internship. Over the last few years, PPS has taken 140 young people through the programme, with an average retention rate of 80%.

Our commitment to youth development does not end with the GIDP. Staff members younger than 35 years and showing high potential are eligible to participate in one of our flagship development programmes, the Young Leadership Forum (YLF). Each year, a cohort of ten young leaders is selected to participate in the programme. The YLF is offered academic enrichment through UNISA's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. This is complemented by a bespoke programme supported by the PPS Academy. The purpose of the YLF is not only to develop young leaders but to also tap into their perspectives to solve real business problems.

The YLF engages with other leaders within the organisation to give insights on approaches that can be used to achieve strategic business goals. Since its inception three years ago, we have been exposed to some of the best potentials that PPS has to offer. I am every year so impressed by these talented young individuals. We often invite them to Group Executive meetings and it is a pleasure engaging with these youngsters.

It is important for PPS to contribute to the development of young professionals within the organisation, as well as the graduate professional pipeline in the country. We believe that we are an integral stakeholder that can partner with other organisations such as the government, social organisations and other corporates to ensure that South Africa achieves a better outcome for many young professionals.

Providing a platform, conducive environment and resources for young people to grow within our organisation means that we are contributing to the vision of developing the next wave of economically empowered professionals to help take the country forward. For the graduate pipeline in South Africa, we support efforts that lead to access to quality education. As part of our long-term commitment to supporting South Africa's youth, PPS has multiple initiatives that are designed to assist with learning, socio-economic development, skills development and the creation of employment opportunities.

Masenyane Molefe
Aiming for significant impact on society

The PPS Foundation aims to have a significant impact on society and in 2021 we stayed on course in our vision to be involved in the sustainable development of South Africa's youth through quality education and a conducive ecosystem. Our social development initiatives are aligned with the United Nations' Sustainability Development Goals (SDG), namely, SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 4: Quality Education. The primary focus of the PPS Foundation is to drive SDG 4: Quality Education. We ensure that through education, the youth of South Africa can become economically independent sooner rather than later. We do this via our flagship bursary programme and we partner with all public universities in South Africa through our university support programme.

Our bursaries cover students from the time they become a PPS bursary holder until they qualify and even post graduate studies. Ours is a holistic approach where we cover students' books, tuition, accommodation, living allowance, laptops and data should this be required.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a great effect on how students had to continue with their tertiary education. It was a difficult time for all, not just students. We all had to adapt quickly and efficiently. We partnered with many universities during this time to assist students to attain their academic goals. Some of the sponsorship provided to universities was for laptops, digital devices, internet connectivity, upgrading labs with equipment, etc., which washed over into 2021 as well. By operating in a global crisis, we had to modify the position in which the work is done. In 2022, we have had to change things up again to move from digital and support the new hybrid model of work and study.

We also knew that the students were taking emotional strain during this period and that mental health has become a key focus. We have partnered with the PPS employee wellness provider – Reality Wellness – to provide our bursary holders with counselling and online psycho-social services to support them to cope better during these trying times.

It is quite difficult for a student to concentrate on an empty stomach and, therefore, we address SDG 2: Zero Hunger by offering meal packs to university students through our partnership with Rise Against Hunger Africa. This partnership allows us to combat food insecurity which affects a large part of our student population.

The work of the PPS Foundation is known to make a positive impact on the youth of South Africa, due to its commitment to its work. PPS, our primary sponsor, and other subsidiaries within the PPS group, namely PPS Healthcare Administrators, PPS Investments and PPS Short-Term Insurance, recognise this and have contributed substantially to the various programmes we run. Our bursary programme benefitted the most because the financial support received from other organisations who partnered with us enabled the PPS Foundation to increase the number of bursars in 2021. In addition to this, many students had their historical debt paid off, a heavy burden lifted off their shoulders. When they qualify, they would be able to concentrate on uplifting their lives along with their communities. Together with our partners, we believe that we can make a difference for more students in South Africa.

The support of the additional sponsors has meant the world to the PPS Foundation and the goals we are trying to achieve. Partnering with like-minded individuals and organisations makes access to these students easier as we are all working towards this common goal. Our future is in their hands and if we all work together to help a student in need means that we get closer to this goal. The partnerships also enabled us a wider reach in terms of the support we provide to universities.

In saying this, I would like to encourage everyone reading this to donate to the PPS Foundation at https://ppsfoundation.pps.co.za, so that we can change our country's future for the better through education, one student at a time.

Subashni Gounder
We have stayed true to our core purpose

Even during a global pandemic, straight through 2021 and beyond, we manage to stay true to our core purpose of granting young people access to proper tertiary education and equipping them for life thereafter. This is all made possible through our various well-oiled programmes, our sponsors and our valuable partnerships.

It was a year of many highlights, a few of which I would like to mention.

Bursary Programme: The PPS Foundation's continued sponsorship of our bursary holders remained a top priority. The newly developed partnerships with PPS Healthcare Administrators and Accredited Resource Consulting Services, have allowed the Foundation to increase the number of bursaries awarded as we facilitate and administer bursaries on their behalf. The funding received from these partners also enabled the clearing of students' historical debt which allows them to concentrate on their studies and not worry about the potentially crippling future liability. We also partnered with Reality Wellness to assist our bursary holders in managing their stress and emotional wellbeing by offering them counselling, online discussions and events. The PPS Foundation's work is work-of-heart where we support our beneficiaries far beyond financial aid. We keep in touch by communicating with them regularly, either telephonically, through newsletters or via events. I enjoy the conversations more. It is all about listening to their needs and holding their hands during their times of need. The parents of the bursars are also more than welcome to contact us for any assistance they may require.

University Support Programme: The PPS Foundation was still able to build meaningful relationships with various universities regardless of the environment we had to operate in. What helped us during this time when the pandemic upended our “normal”, was being able to engage more with universities as it was much easier to get everyone in one room virtually compared to doing so in person. The PPS Foundation was able to be fast in its decision-making as we were able to assist in times of need. Two examples were the fire at the University of Cape Town and the riots in KwaZulu-Natal. In both cases, we were able to donate funds and meals almost immediately when the need arose. Our partnership with Rise Against Hunger Africa enabled us to donate food parcels to various institutions to assist students in need so they could focus all their attention on their studies.

LEAP Work-Readiness Programme: This is such a rewarding programme for us! We get to see the AHA! moments when students identify what they can do better with their CVs when applying for a job or how to conduct themselves in an interview. It is an eye-opening experience when we chat to them about their personal brand and how their online presence can impact their future and careers. Their thirst for information about building a good relationship with money is also quenched with our consumer financial education modules. It all makes what we do worthwhile and the noticeable difference we see in all the participants is priceless. We were able to roll out this programme to the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) beneficiaries and their alumni. Most of ISFAP leadership are PPS members and it was an absolute pleasure helping our members wherever we could. Even though the PPS Foundation could not assist with funding, we could assist through our other programmes. We are playing in the same environment where both our organisations were still able to work together. We must meet our common objective to ensure that we do what is possible. To ensure that the youth of South Africa get an education so that they can become employable and economically independent.

Graduate Internship Development Programme: PPS was able to absorb quite a few of our 2021 graduates into the business regardless of the tough economic climate. Graduates bring about a new perspective to the business and their insights can prove to be most valuable for the organisation. In 2021, PPS staff continued to work remotely, spending little time in the office, but this did not deter the graduates from building great relationships with their colleagues and fellow interns. This is what they will take with them for years to come. The Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute in partnership with UNISA are solid partners that offers academic enrichment to our graduates and Young Leadership Forum cohort. This programme allows students to think out of the box and take accountability to make a positive difference in our country and Africa as a whole.

Professionals Connect: Is a digital platform created to empower South Africa's youth. This is done by sharing job opportunities and career-focused content relevant to students and recent graduates who have just started their professional journeys. Constant communication is sent out to registered Professionals Connect users, keeping them abreast of the events and programmes of the foundation. Last year, the 2021 PPS graduate interns played an instrumental role in spearheading a project that focused on ensuring that the platform was upgraded to provide users who access the portal with the best experience of the PPS Foundation and its affiliates.

I would like to sincerely thank each and every member of this incredible PPS Foundation team who give their all to ensure the success of our programmes. A special thank you must be given to Lesterinah Lengana, one of our team members who regretfully passed away in recent months. She was an integral part of the Foundation for more than five years and her passion for youth development was inspiring.

Our bursary holders knew her as Ma Lesthi. She built great, meaningful personal relationships with our bursars, their parents and many universities. Lesterinah would not think twice about picking up the phone and chatting with our bursars whenever they needed a helping hand, or if they needed a stern talking to when their grades have dropped. She did the work of the foundation with zest and love and left a big hole in our hearts. She is sorely missed.

Distributions

Here's to another successful year

2021 was another tumultuous year due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but through the passion, purpose and dedication of our foundation team, even more students, graduates and institutions were supported.

Once again, PPS Insurance Company Limited, the Trust's founder, was the primary donor in 2021. However, several other organisations partnered with us to fulfil our objectives and create an even bigger impact. The Chairman's Challenge fundraiser that was rolled out internally was also a huge success and boosted the foundation's coffers and, thus, our ability to assist.

Distributions to beneficiaries are made in line with the deed of the Foundation Trust, as overseen by the Board of Trustees. To continue with our upliftment of the professional community, we distributed 79% of the foundation's financial budget to the bursary programme and 19% to the University Support Programme, while the remaining 2% went towards other Foundation endeavours.

The PPS Foundation will strive to improve our reach by engaging with stakeholders and partners so we can continue on our upward trajectory and make a difference in more beneficiaries' lives. A full set of audited financial statements may be viewed at the PPS Foundation offices on request to Mr M Spies – Executive: Finance (Group).

Governance Report

Reviewing operational progress against strategic goals

The PPS Foundation Board of Trustees, led by the chairperson of the PPS Holdings Trust (the PPS Group apex body), meets quarterly to review operational progress against strategic goals, the review of fiscal management against set financial governance standards as well as risks.

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Graduate Internship Development Programme

Equipping young graduates for employment and life

The Graduate Internship Development Programme (GIDP), which is SETA-funded, has been an integral programme for the PPS Foundation since its inception in 2016. Through this programme, successful graduates are placed within divisions of PPS to expose them to real work experiences.

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2021: An exceptional year for the Bursary Programme

2021 proved to be an exceptional year for the bursary programme. We not only awarded bursaries to 78 students, but we also now have an alumnus.

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The Foundation's agility gives opportunity for greater impact

The purpose of the University Support Programme is to improve the teaching and learning experiences at tertiary institutions.

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Preparing young leaders for a bright future at PPS

The Young Leadership Forum (YLF) is a mentorship programme designed specifically to cultivate young leaders for the future of PPS itself.

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Our Partnerships

Together in one goal with one mission to a better South Africa

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LEAP Work-Readiness programme gaining popularity and reach

Equipping the youth with the necessary life skills demanded by the work environment.

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Providing solutions in the fight against unemployment

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate in South Africa rose even higher in the 2021 financial year to a shocking 35.3%.

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Thank you. Enkosi. Siyabonga. Baie Dankie. Re a leboga

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” - James Allen

When it comes to our incredibly generous donors that kept our hands strong at the PPS Foundation through yet another stormy year, there can never be a big enough THANK YOU. These wonderful individuals and organisations share our dream and vision of the importance of access to higher education and our mission of building capable young professionals. Let us not forget that it will be the youth who will take our precious country to the future.

Thank you, not only your financial donations but for your precious time and involvement in our programmes. For being there when we and our students needed you most. For the willingness to partner with us in the first place, as so many charities must be fighting for your attention. We believe in ourselves, thank you for believing in us too.

The PPS Foundation team truly urge each end everyone who donated to this worthy cause, to keep on doing so in the future. To help us further build this initiative to even greater heights. Visit https://ppsfoundation.pps.co.za to make your contribution for a greater tomorrow.

Alexandra Oxley

BSc Mathematical Science

University of Stellenbosch

Anneke Fourie

BSc (Human Life Sciences) with Psychology

University of Stellenbosch

Boipelo Palesa Tlhoaele

BCom

University of Johannesburg

Darryn Dean Michels

Bachelor of Law (LLB)

University of Cape Town

Lebohang Anna Moloi

Bachelor of Law (LLB)

North West University

Louise Van Der Meulen née Hertzog

BArch

Tshwane University of Technology

Mapule Madi

BSc Biochemistry & Botany

University of Johannesburg

Naquelle Chikamba

Bachelor of Law (LLB)

University of Pretoria

Nikhil Hagroo

Actuarial Science

University of Witwatersrand

Nthabiseng Kulate

Bachelor of Law (LLB)

North West University

Oarabile Moratwa Ernst

BSoc Criminology

University of the Free State

Thembelihle Hlongwane

Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations

Durban University of Technology

Disclaimer: All COVID-19 protocols and health guidelines were observed during photo shoots.

You too can help nurture the potential of our youth. Donate today to help the PPS Foundation increase the reach and impact of its programmes.

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The Professional Provident Society Foundation is a registered Public Benefit Organisation. Registration No. IT873/2016(G).
PPS is a licensed insurer conducting life insurance business, a licensed controlling company and an authorised FSP.

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