Well, I just teared up. We sent one of our Footprint training mentors, Jill Wellbeloved, out into the field in Bronkhorstspruit to do some interviews and write an article about the entrepreneurial spirit of one of our trainers, Tshepo Malibe.

Shew! She brought back such a touching article that gave us exactly the feelgood fix we all chase in Footprint, and I wanted to share some poignant extracts from Jill’s article…

Tshepo said that learning to be a financial literacy trainer had “changed my life”. Now after having trained 379 learners he says “To see other people changing is a wonderful thing - especially that everything revolves around money. You can see it in their eyes during the workshop - a light goes on! As a trainer I feel as if I’m contributing to the community and making a difference. This work also helps my entrepreneurial spirit, not only by seeing training as a business, but I am now seeing opportunities all around me. Kwaggafontein is growing and I can be part of that.”

And…

Annah was really excited that she had attended the course before Christmas. “I spent wisely this Christmas. This course helped me make my Christmas grocery list. I worked out my budget and looked at my needs and wants, so was able to see what was important and what was not. I stuck to my list so didn’t spend money on unimportant things. This made me happy.”

Also…

Grace … added, “Tshepo managed to be patient with us older people when trying to teach us. This is unusual for young people who are always impatient. And because of this, I have managed to save for school fees for my young ones this year. I didn’t punch my money away in December and so I can pay for school fees. So my young ones also benefited from the workshop.” 

And then…

Busisiwe grabbed Tshepo’s attention and told him, “You must get the young people to come to your workshop. If I had known this information when I was young I would have been a rich woman now!”

You see, this is the kind of thing we dreamed of when Footprint was conceived in our hearts – helping South Africans become empowered, one person at a time.

We go live next week in Bronkhorstspruit with four trainers training Money Fo’ Sho’ under the PostBank and Wizzit Bank banners, sponsored by the Financial Education Fund in the UK.

We are proud to be part of a great experiment, a test case to see which financial literacy model works best in the African context. FEF is running 9 projects across the continent, and the ones that yield the best results will become models for future investment in the upliftment and poverty alleviation in Africa.

Footprint’s peer-trainer model is being put to the test, and we already know it works well. In addition, though, we are seeing our entrepreneurial model taking flight. We have made some strides in understanding how to ignite and support our trainers in starting training SMEs of their own with whom we can walk in sustainable partnership. Already in all the regions targeted for this project our trainers have been pro-actively activating their community networks, plugging in to local business development and seeing returns on their efforts.

Good luck, Footprint trainers: we wish you all the success you’ve worked so hard for! And know, you are making a real difference to the people who carry this country.

Jules’ new article entitled “Finding ways to reach people is a creative exercise” featured in the Star Workplace newspaper yesterday.

Less than perfect conditions have lead to trainers having to use their imagination in delivering our material effectively. Ask yourself how much it really matters to have all those worldly luxuries, like… well, like chairs and tables?  For some communities, in a training hall, chairs and tables is not a must have but a nice to have. 

Read Jules’ article here to find out the whole story.

…or in this case, 250 people at a time!

I am delighted to be able to announce that, at this very minute, our Footprint team has 10 ‘Money fo’ Sho’ ‘ sessions running across Gauteng!  Even as we speak, almost 250 people are engaging in very important financial literacy conversations that will empower them to make critical personal financial decisions for many years to come!  By Friday, we will have trained just under 500 people, and hopefully have tested all our processes, given our trainers some live practice, and also fed 500 people.

This is one of our pilot days to give each of the trainers we engaged to help us run training sessions as part of the FEF project we are rolling out, a chance to practice, be mentored and coached, and build the confidence they need to go out there and bring the message to the people!  By the time we’re done, in about April next year, we will have trained over 10 000 people!!!

Part of the empowerment plan is to encourage grass roots entrepreneurs to supply us with catering for the training days, train the actual training programme, and get involved in sourcing learners to fill the training sessions.  Today, the Boikamosa Boys excelled in their learner sourcing project - we had crowds of people lining up to be trained (even turning some away, as we can only cater for 25 people per classroom: will revisit there again tomorrow).  Lele Direko, our grassroots caterer, has been bustling all over Soweto ensuring that everyone is well fed.

I am so proud of the Avo and Footprint team that has stood together to make the empowerment dream a reality - all of you have worked your beanies off to get to this point.  Take a bow.  You are all just awesome!!!

I got to spend an inspiring morning with my team who are working on a lovely project.

Our endeavour is to address HIV and Aids in our country.  In our current project, we have a training and counselling programme on HIV that will roll across South Africa in waves.  It starts with some Avo trainers who are training 30 master trainers from many AIDS organisations across the country.

Once we’ve taken them through the content, process and activities; they will, in turn, train 600 people in South Africa on how to deliver the content. These 600 will then train and counsel thousands, and eventually millions of South Africans!

The numbers are mind boggling, and it makes me think of the classic metaphor of the pebble dropping into a still pond, and then the rings growing wider and wider as the impact spreads.

So whilst on the one hand, Jacqui and team are having to get their minds around training content that involves a lot of condoms, vibrators and bananas, on the other, there is a roomful of incredible human beings who have chosen to use their life journey to bring messages to people that can so easily save lives!

This felt so connected to the philosophy and name of Avocado Vision: we plant trees in whose shade we may never sit, and whose fruit we may never eat!  I am so proud that we have had the opportunity to contribute in this way!  Well done to the Avo team in this journey!

Footprint and our client the FSB have made it into the Star Workplace! 

Thanks to the AVO’s who have supported the Footprint team on this project. We have invaded your space, which you have taken so graciously, used your man-power and learned from your abilities and skillls. Thank you! Click on the Footprint logo to your right to read the article!

Our own Nomsa is spearheading the Pilot training for our new company, Footprint!  We had an inspiring week, working with Soweto communities and testing our new ‘Money fo’ Sho’ product on financial literacy. 

Go read Nomsa’s account on our new Footprint website!

Extra, Extra… Read All About It!!! 

This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for and after all the anticipating it has finally arrived… 

The international channel CNBC Africa came to interview the founders of Footprint SA on Avo grounds.  After a successful day of shooting, our Footprint insert will be flighted on CNBC Africa (DSTV 410) this Saturday, so tune in.  The show starts at 19h00.

Enjoy!

:)

I have had a superb day! Other than now having ear-ache, I know I worked in my zone today. Dr. John Demartini says ” I do what I love and I love what I do”. I communicate well, I network well and damn I am good on the phone!

I set aside time this morning with a task of cold-calling and getting our Footprint SA information into the right hands with four more financial institutions - our potential customers. Well done to me, I used my strengths and we are now on back our way again.

We are getting closer I can smell it!

I see feet running everywhere, people are creating and building and making things happen. Footprint is growing, the foundations are laid.

It is wonderful to see the work been put into building this amazing company that will change the lives of many South Africans. Vanessa, Jeannette and Mel have done some lovely work onthe training material which we continue to pilot in September. The NGO (now known as ‘Own Two Feet’ is taking shape fast and furiously with Linden at the helm. Watch out Joburg: he lands from Knysna today and I think we are going to feel the next wave soon. Jules has been holding it all together weaving the network of people.

It is a wonderful thing to watch this all happen. The sales team is making inroads into market having inspiring conversations with new potential customers and old friends, and we will land a deal soon….

Watch this space guys. Well done to Jules and her team for all the committment and hard work.