Greater Good South Africa

Dear friends,

At the tail end of a hard year, there is nothing more satisfying than hearing Europe’s “The Final Countdown” and shouting 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!  In the case of 2011, I think this was true for many people. I like to picture a glass, sound-proof wall coming down and all the negative influences getting stuck behind it with no way of entering the new year. As the clock struck 12, in my mind I watched gleefully as Mr Financial Crisis, Mr Economic Meltdown and Mr Recession lost all their power. I know that champagne was partly to blame, but I feel an electricity of excitement and anticipation in the air for 2012. 

Challenges and opportunities
It is remarkable, when one reflects back on a difficult time, to realise how much was achieved. The GreaterGood group’s 2011 was a year of great challenges and wonderful opportunities. We began the year, like so many NGOs, with the knowledge that our grant funding had been cut by three quarters. While this meant a few sleepless nights (okay, many sleepless nights), it gave us the opportunity to put our money where our mouth was and become a truly sustainable social enterprise. Thankfully, this proved a good strategy. We grew the consulting business substantially and 2011 ended with GreaterCapital fully self-funded as well as generating the majority of the required income for the GreaterGood South Africa Trust’s running costs. 

Growing giving community
Our online community reached 10,000 registered givers, 1,350 listed causes and we raised more than R10 million for SASIX projects in the first three quarters of the financial year.   

Our work in the Impact Investing space also grew substantially. The joint venture with Cadiz Asset Management continues to break new ground, while offering competitive financial returns. Along with traditional pension fund investors, it is attracting the attention of Country Funds such as the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) and US AID.

Uncharted territory
The year saw a partnership with the Southern African Regional Programme on Access to Medicines (SARPAM) develop, with the intention to invest in organisations that provide access to medicine to thousands of people within the Southern African region. The total investment portfolio currently stands at approximately R1.4 billion, a number which we know will continue to grow in 2012, particularly in light of a guarantee provided by USAID. This also meant a new stream of consulting work for GreaterCapital as pension funds begin to navigate their way into this uncharted territory. We are also in the process of researching the role of Impact Investing as a tool to fuel development on behalf of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Innovation and good will
We are in a very privileged position as we have a bird’s eye view on what is being done to fuel South Africa’s growth and development and are constantly amazed at the innovation and collective good will.  We love what we do and are enriched by what you teach us. 

One thing that stood out for me in 2011, was the need for South Africans to tell our stories of victory. Our news reporters love the “horror stats”. Quite frankly, they are overwhelming, and boring to read. What about the boy who studied by candle light in a rural village and got six distinctions for matric? Or the domestic worker who went on a business management course and now employs 50 people?

Leave JuJu rants behind the wall
I reckon, South Africa has some of the best material in the world for Hollywood tear jerkers. Our “based on a true” stories could give Erin Brockovich, The Blind Side and Precious a serious run for their money. Let’s concentrate on this and leave the rantings of JuJu, Mugabe and others behind the glass wall.  

And now for the sales pitch…           
This year, GreaterCapital will continue to offer professional consulting services for organisations, companies and government departments who want to ensure that their investment in time and resources has the maximum positive impact on those who need it the most.

And GreaterGood SA will continue to draw attention to the good work being done across the country as we aim to increase our listed organisations to 10,000. We know that there are a lot of online fundraisers out there but believe that there needs to be a single, smart online place that both local and international donors can go to find reliable information about what’s happening across the country. With this vision in mind, we are collaborating with forgood to ensure that we reach as many good South Africans as possible.    

From all of us here at the GreaterGood group, we wish you a year of many blessings.  Remember the glass wall and look ahead with excitement and anticipation.

This is going to be a great year. 

CEO
GreaterGood group