Marc Lubner, CEO of Afrika Tikkun, was recently awarded the Top NGO Conscious Companies Award on behalf of Afrika Tikkun and the Smile Foundation. The Conscious Companies Awards is in recognition of organisations that:

· understands what it takes to be authentic
· operates with a sense of higher purpose
· integrates the interest of all stakeholders
· develops visionary leaders
· builds a culture of trust, accountability, governance and caring
· encourages creativity and innovation
· is a responsible citizen in the communities that they operate in”

The award is a significant honour in recognition of Afrika Tikkun and the Smile Foundation, which strive toward transformation of South African society.

Marc says ‘The award was probably one of the most meaningful I have received on behalf of these two organisation, for the very concept of mindfulness is what my late dad preached and indeed lived. When with him, people felt that they and they alone mattered in that moment. Through him, I learnt just how important it is to make people feel how much they mattered. The award was a recognition of this value. I recognise that awards like this, whilst given to me, are the result of input and effort from a whole array of people including you our board members. In receiving this award I did so in the name of all of us who make the magic happen.

My passion as a South African and as a father is to assist wherever I can to create a better environment both physically through the projects I run, emotionally through the way I hope I treat people and spiritually through the way I live within my own ethics , non-judgemental of others but critical of self and always trying to improve the man I am.’