Until the Cows Come Home

2025 has been marked by rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Despite advances in artificial intelligence, modelling, and algorithms, human behaviour remains fickle and the future hard to predict. Uncertainty breeds fear, which in turn leads to isolation, depression, aggression and paralysis.

In the midst of the chaos, one thing remains certain: access to education has the power to transform lives and communities. It moves people forward.

Earlier this year we joined four of our Scholars as they returned to their former primary school. The entire school assembled outside to listen to our Scholars tell them to seize the opportunities they had with both hands—"you never know where your hard work will lead you." Rapturous applause and innumerable photos with former teachers followed.

At another home we visited, things had visibly improved since the Scholar’s recruitment. Walls were freshly painted and gaps in the roof sealed. Our Scholar’s older brother had been inspired by her success and enrolled himself in a trade school. He was learning to be a builder.

In communities starved of success it can be easy to give in to the pervading narrative of hopelessness and get stuck. When rejected by universities that are oversubscribed it can be easier to stay home than keep looking for ways to improve and develop.

This all changes the moment someone succeeds. A new narrative is written. Hope spreads.

In January we were delighted to host our board chair, Phil, for a visit to see our work. While on a journey to a Scholar’s home we found a forest road blocked by an underpowered bakkie (pickup truck) that could not pull a trailer full of cows up a steep, rain-sodden gravel track. Rather than turning around, everyone got out to help the driver (and terrified cows!) by physically lifting and shifting the trailer so that they could continue their journey.

In many ways this moment is a metaphor for our work. We enter a place where people are stuck. We work collectively to find a way forward. It takes time. Sometimes we slide back. Sometimes we try our hardest but just spin our wheels and go nowhere. We get dirty and banged up, but in the end we all move forward. We don't give up. We are in this until the proverbial cows come home.

Thank you for joining us on this journey and your incredibly generous support.  We are so excited that nearly 100 Scholars are enrolled in schools across South Africa this year. We are so excited that all of our 2024 high school graduates are studying at tertiary institutions. In a country where 68% of young rural women get stuck and cannot work or study further, we are proud that all of our young women move forward.

At the end of his visit, Phil looked at me across the table and said, “We really need to grow to 200, don’t we?”

 We do. If you can lean in, we will get there, and soon.

Amid this year’s uncertainty and fear, thank you for spreading a contagion of hope.

With gratitude,

Paul Horn
CEO