We celebrate yet another year of success and proudly continue our support for the PPS Foundation. The positive impact of the various programmes managed by the PPS Foundation gives PPS great comfort knowing that the funding provided is going towards skills development and reducing youth unemployment in South Africa.

Our strong partnerships with tertiary institutions are a testament to the support rendered by the Foundation through programmes like the Bursary Programme, University Support Programme, and the LEAP Work-readiness Programme. The value that the Foundation provides to these institutions and the students is evidence of our Ethos of Mutuality.

Our engagements with universities helps us to keep our ears to the ground to understand and meet infrastructure and other needs that could enhance students education experience.

Our bursary recipients, most of whom are the first in their families to obtain university qualifications, continue to thrive academically, benefiting from the support of being part of the PPS Bursary Programme.

It is a privilege to witness the individual growth as our bursary holders graduate, get employment and contribute to their families and communities in a positive way. I imagine that this is what our forebears had in mind when they formed PPS over 82 years ago.

Beyond the financial contribution of PPS as the main funder, our individual members who contributed to the PPS Foundation in 2022 can take pride in knowing that their

collective contributions increased the impact of our Bursary Programme. A display of the power of the collective when working towards one goal.

As PPS members we can do so much to empower our youth from contributing towards bursary funding through the Donations Platform, to volunteering as a mentor or even advertising jobs on the Professionals Connect website. Every action directed towards improving the circumstances of our talented youth can only but reduce our societal challenges.

The scope of what the PPS Foundation is involved with continues to increase. One of the initiatives that is likely to be incorporated, and that gives me great joy, because I am personally involved, is our employee volunteerism programme whose philosophy gave birth to Cultivating Tomorrow’s Professionals affectionately known as CTP. This programme was initiated by employees of PPS who volunteer their time and talents to nurture grade 11 learners as they prepare for their last year of high school. The programme is in its 3rd year and comprises of 10 learners from each of our 8 participating schools from Johannesburg and Cape Town. The learners are chosen based on excellent academic achievements and work ethic and all come from under-resourced schools located in close proximity to our operations. Our goal is to not only help them prepare for their matric exams but also to expose them to real-world work environments and universities, expanding their horizons and introducing them to various possibilities.

Together, let us celebrate the milestones we have achieved, continue the support of our youth, and forge a brighter future for all.