About
Our journey.
This year marks our 22nd anniversary. We are celebrating 22 years of transforming education, and positively changing schools and lives in communities across South Africa. We celebrate 22 years of building an inclusive society through education. Through the implementation of our Whole School Development (WSD) model, we have developed schools in leadership, infrastructure, curriculum, and social welfare.
Adopt-a-School Foundation 22 Year Journey
The past 22 years have been quite a journey for us. We are thrilled with our impact over the years and our long-term, holistic model Whole School Development model has addressed some of the many challenges facing our school communities. Our model has continued to evolve over time; based on our learnings, our experience and best practices within the sector. We have been empowered by the relationships we have with our strategic partners, including the Department of Basic Education; with whom we continue to work within the delivery of our programmes in schools. Further, our work would not be possible without the support, commitment and passion of our donors. Partnerships with donors have allowed us to enhance the delivery of Whole School Development. We worked with and continue to work with a range of companies across South Africa; together we are driven by the desire to create a dynamic, transformed and accessible schooling environments that produces capable global citizens to meet the developmental needs of our country.
1999 — 2022 · Milestones
Two decades of milestones.
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1999
Cyril Ramaphosa was contacted by his former primary school, Tshilidzi Primary School to provide a donation of a fax machine. Upon the donation at the school, he realises much more is needed than the fax machine.
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2000
Cyril Ramaphosa rallies support for Tshilidzi Primary School, and the school is adopted and given support by Johnnic and Goldfields
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2001
Shanduka Group is formed
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2002
Adopt-a-School Foundation is officially established. Founding board members, Cyril Ramaphosa, Dr James Mtlatsi, Ntjantja Ned, Donne Nicol, Helena Dolny, Sydney Seolonyane, Griffith Zabala, Themba James Maseko and Zanele Mbere.
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2004
- 8 schools under adoption
- Shanduka Foundation is formally established
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2005
- Olifantsvlei Primary School is adopted through the Shanduka Foundation.
- Shanduka Foundation partners with Kaelo in Mount Ayliff at Dutyini Primary School, through Adopt-a-School Foundation
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2006
- MTN installs multimedia computer centres in ten adopted schools.
- Inaugural Annual Report for Adopt-a-School Foundation with 26 schools under adoption
- AAS is nominated as a beneficiary by the Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation
- AASF hosts its first Golf Day Fundraiser
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2007
- First Back to School Party fundraiser is held.
- AASF adopts its 44th school.
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2008
- AASF hosts its first Learner Awards Ceremony
- AASF hosts its 3rd Golf Day at Sun City
- AASF adopts its 58th school
- Adopt-a-School builds a brand-new school - Banksdrift High School in Northern Cape in partnership with Investec and the Northern Cape Department of Education
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2009
- Adopt a school starts to implement skills and social development programme creating a new implementation Model called Whole School Development
- Lafarge Education Trust adopts 11 schools in Bodibe Village, North West
- AASF now has 85 schools under its adoption Programme
- Adopt-a-School Foundation and Lafarge partner with Dreamfields to bring Soccer Dream Leagues to Bodibe schools
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2010
Adopt-a-School Foundation launches an annual Essay and Art competition for its adopted schools
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2011
- Lafarge Education Trust adopts 26 schools in the Mzimela District- KwaZulu-Natal
- Adopt-a-School Foundation adopts its 100th school
- 1000 guests attend the 5th Back to School Party
- Adopt-a-School Foundation runs its first Social Welfare Campaign with Home Affairs to bring important social services to disadvantaged learners and their families.
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2012
- AAS turns 10 years
- AAS adopts its 139th school
- Launch of a brand new school in Barberton, built by AAS – Fairview Primary School
- Adopt-a-School Foundation pilots its Back to School for a Day initiative which encourages corporate South Africans to go back to school and spend a day with young learners.
- Adopt-a-School Foundation adopts its first school in Mozambique, in partnership with Aggreko and Shanduka Group
- Adopt-a-School Foundation, with Dr James Motlatsi, adopt three primary schools in Lesotho
- Yvonne Themba Climbs Kilimanjaro and raises R90 000 for the Foundation
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2013
- IDC adopts 20 schools throughout the country
- AAS hosts its first international fundraiser held in London - raises over R5.2 million
- Shanduka Foundation partners with Kagiso Trust to form the KST (KST), which partners with the Free State Department of Education to implement AAS Whole School Development at the district level and the Beyers Naude model in 428 schools in the Free State Province.
- AAS and its schools participate in One Young World
- AASF adopts 171 schools – excluding KST
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2014
- AAS adopts 185 schools excluding KST
- KST launches its infrastructure project
- Third Back to School for a Day held on Mandela Day
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2015
- Second international fundraiser held in London - raises over R5.7 million
- IDC further adopt 10 additional primary schools
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2016
AAS held the 10th Back to School Party
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2017
- Launch of the Health, Sanitation, and Sexual Education Programme
- Launch of the Thari Programme in September 2017, a multi-sectoral programme that supports women and children in Botshabelo and Diepsloot.
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2018
- Launch of the audiology programme
- Formulation of the AAS in-house School Leadership Programme
- A Billion rand invested milestone
- Million learners reached – milestone
- IDC extends its programme with an additional 3 years in the 30 schools.
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2019
- Launched 3 newly built schools in KZN in partnership with DBE
- Pilot of green-building technology and innovative design projects at four schools. (Fortune Kunene Primary School in Mpumalanga- four classrooms Construction with light facing windows and sensor lights, Welabasha Secondary School, in KwaZulu-Natal-waterless system on an ablution block, Sewali Senior Secondary School in l-ablution block with a low flush system, Qhobosheane Primary School in Gauteng -Construction of feeding scheme kitchen with solar panels, Ditsepu Secondary School in Limpopo- four classrooms Construction with light facing windows and sensor lights)
- Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation is nominated as a beneficiary of the Presidential Golf Challenge and the Adopt-a-School Foundation is assigned to implement infrastructure projects - Four structures-built structures were built through the Presidential Golf Challenge, funded by CRF. (Construction of three classrooms at Ditsepu Secondary School in Limpopo, Feeding Scheme Kitchen at Motshegofadiwa Primary School in Gauteng and ablution facility at Rode Secondary School in Eastern Cape).
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2020
- COVID-19 relief interventions to support schools that have been impacted by the pandemic
- SACE and SETA-accreditation of School Leadership Advancement Programme
- First AAS Fundraising Dinner hosted, in lieu of Back to School Party
- Four ablution structures-built structures were built through the Presidential Golf Challenge and in line with the SAFE Initiative, to eradicate pit ablutions funded by CRF. (Schools are, Rode Senior Secondary School, Ixopo Junior Secondary School,
- Mandleni Junior Secondary School and Mpucuko Primary School).
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2021
- Three ablution structures-built structures were built through the Presidential Golf Challenge and in line with the SAFE Initiative, to eradicate pit ablutions. (Schools are: Madikoti Putsoa Primary School, Bodutlulo Primary School and Tlouatiba Primary School.
- Launched an efficient hygiene handwashing stations
- Anglo American South Africa Education Programme project implements infrastructure renovations in 15 schools
- Appointment of Trustees for the establishment of UK entity
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2022
- African Bank adopts an additional 7 schools in Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KZN
- Anglo American South Africa Education Programme project implements infrastructure renovations in 31 schools
- IDC programme in the 30 schools is concluded.
- One ablution structure was built through the Presidential Golf Challenge and SAFE Initiative. (Schools is: Nongamlana High School)
In their own words
Testimonials
I believe everyone has the capability to collaborate and join hands to bring about meaningful change.
I have very many highlights with Adopt-a-School. Given my passion for Early Childhood Development, one of them was the launch of a New Kanana Community ECD Centre that replaced four shacks in March 2020, in Orkney, in the North West. The joy of the children, parents and teachers will stay with me for the meaningful difference that was made and inspire and motivate for ever more lives to be improved.
Thank you for all the programmes you have implemented they have helped us. Our school’s performance was below 80% in maths and science and through you, our educators are now able to perform above 90% in both subjects.
Thank you for building us a water station and classrooms. The job you have done has impressed us and as I stand here as a Grade 7 learner, I speak for everyone saying thank you.
I was a learner at this school, now I am an educator and Head of Department. Thank you, Adopt-a-School Foundation for adopting Nageng Primary School we appreciate your contribution.
We take pride in supporting education, as we believe it is the key to opening doors for financial and economic inclusion. We have supported you and your initiatives to improve education for a number of years and are looking forward to seeing what the next 20 years hold!
You are an excellent example of a business community coming together to get involved in the school community and give it tools to significantly raise its outcomes. Well done and thank you to your entire community that has made this happen.
The JSE shares the belief that education is a critical driver of social and economic change and we look forward to continuing the journey of growing shared prosperity with the learners and greater communities impacted through the Adopt-A-School Foundation.
I’m continually inspired by the Adopt-a-School team's passion and commitment, who continually strive to make a difference and their donors who make all of this possible.
We appreciate the classrooms, ablutions and kitchen that you built for us. We also appreciate the services of your social welfare team who are helping many of our learners. I would like to thank you personally from the bottom of my heart for the learners you took to university.
It’s an honour and privilege to support the work of the Foundation over the past fourteen years. I congratulate you on the milestone you are celebrating today. Many dreams have been realised, many lives have been touched and many communities have been uplifted by the good work that you do. Here's to continued partnership and success in years to come!