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Ubuntu’s Jacob Lief Named in Fortunes Top 40 under 40

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The Ubuntu Education Fund in Zwide has received one more accolade in co-founder Jacob Lief being named in Fortune Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 list.

Fortune says; “Instead of helping a lot of people in one area, say, health care or education, Lief’s Ubuntu is working with 2,000 children in one place – Port Elizabeth, South Africa – to help meet all their needs, from prenatal tests to education to medical care and counseling, from the womb to adulthood. That formula was novel enough to win Bill Clinton and Desmond Tutu as major supporters and attract a six-figure donation from Trevor Noah. Now, to scale the idea, Lief is building an institute in New York dedicated to helping other would-be do-gooders set up their own ­narrow-but-deep charities.”

Honoured, but ‘not surprised, the Zwide, Port Elizabeth based Ubuntu Education Fund said; “Ubuntu may not have the largest budget or global brand recognition, but our model is revolutionizing the way we think about investing in disadvantaged communities around the world.”

As proof of the funds narrow focus on it’s stated purpose Lief turned down $10 million in funding to build an Ubuntu-like program in Bridgeport Connecticut, because it was too far afield from the group’s core mission.

“Ubuntu’s South African born solution and it’s lasting impact are truly unique in a sector with countless formulas for ending poverty. Our simple yet radical commitment to support children from cradle to career is transforming thousands of lives and inspiring change around the word. The success of our movement belongs to a global support network and our staff and community in South Africa,” concluded Ubuntu.

Jacob Lief
Jacob Lief introducing his book – I Am Because You Are. Jacob and Banks Gwaxula started the Ubuntu Education Fund in Zwide.

Desmond Tutu wrote the foreword to his 2015 book, “I Am Because You Are: How the Spirit of Ubuntu Inspired an Unlikely Friendship and Transformed a Community.”

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.

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