MAD Leadership Foundation aims to develop carefully selected scholars as leaders in their chosen fields: they define the parameters of leadership applicable to their lives, but all scholars are expected to step forward whenever there is a need to drive positive change.

We see our role as: Bridging the opportunity gap between marginalised talented youth and opportunities for a quality education at South Africa’s most celebrated universities. Inspiring the next generation to be value based leaders through leadership development and community engagement. Connecting with people (partners, donors, education community) of like mind who are commitment to the same vision.

Since the inception of Make A Difference Leadership Foundation in 2003, Founder and Chairman, Francois Pienaar has had an inspiring vision to provide educational access to deserving scholars with leadership potential (but who face economic and other barriers) through an individualised and personal approach. Therefore, MAD Leadership Foundation focuses on the whole individual, ensuring that our scholarship recipients not only succeed academically but manifest personal success and positive social engagement traits.

Through the comprehensive, personal and long-term support we offer our scholars through our Scholarship Programme, we develop an alumni of MAD Leadership Foundation Fellows who will invest back into South Africa and who will be a powerful force for positive change in their unique way and leaders in their own right. We have set an ambitious goal of funding 1000 scholars through our programme, we hope to achieve this through strong partnerships with corporates who support our fundraising events, partner with us in funding scholarships for individual scholars or by sponsoring specific elements of our programme.