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Vision, experience and advocacy: Shaping the future of education
A collective commitment to changing lives through education.
For nearly three decades, the Kay Mason Foundation has invested in academically gifted learners from under-resourced communities, equipping them with quality education, leadership development, mentorship and life skills. Through its holistic support model, the Foundation has helped hundreds of young South Africans realise their potential and build successful careers across a wide range of professions.
As an award-winning author, Richard Mason is well-versed in storytelling. But it’s in his role as founder of the Kay Mason Foundation (KMF) that he gets to translate the power of a story into something tangible: the real-life journeys of students whose futures are being reshaped through education.
Established in 1999 in memory of his sister Kay, the foundation has flourished and it’s vital work was recently celebrated in October at the KMF’s Hummingbird Ball at Cape Town’s Zeitz MOCAA, where influential figures from business, finance and culture gathered to help further its mission raising millions of Rand for the Charity.
At the KMF, supporting education isn't just about building the nation's future, Mason says: “It actually is an investment in the donor's future, and the donor's happiness. I've spent money on many frivolous things in my life. I wrote a novel called History of a Pleasure Seeker, and what I can say is I know what it is to stay in a nice hotel, or buy expensive clothing. The money that I personally have spent on helping a 15-year-old like Kevin Stoffberg growing up in food scarcity, and later becoming a doctor and surgeon - that joy is some of the most intense, purest joy I've ever experienced. And what the KMF allows, is that the people who help us invest in these kids, taste that joy for themselves.”
“I'm very proud of the work the KMF does to help children in need. Our oldest alumni are now in their late 30s, and watching them as they set up companies; and become doctors, teachers, lawyers, and judges fills me with so much pride. Building a brighter future for all of us gives me tremendous hope.”
Also working to advance the KMF’s vision is South African-born, Hollywood star and KMF Trustee, Lesley-Ann Brandt. Reflecting on why the KMF’s mission resonates so deeply with her, she explains, “Where I sit in life today is not necessarily the future that was envisioned for me. That wasn't for lack of talent, it was really just opportunities and resources.”
“We have a high unemployment rate in South Africa, and we have real social issues. But when you invest in a child's education, the long-term value for a country is invaluable. We have a responsibility as a wider community to create opportunities for them. While there are obstacles for young people, what, for example, the KMF programme is doing, is tapping into potential, allowing children to grow and to be a real changemakers - which is what we really need.”
* For more information on the Kay Mason Foundation, see https://kmf.org.za/