Community Investments

The number of books in the home has been shown to be the most powerful predictor of a child's future academic success, no matter where a child comes from or their socio-economic status. (Evan et al 2010)

Book Dash aims to flood South Africa with storybooks for very young children to address the nation's critical literacy crisis. The innovative Book Dash model harnesses creative volunteers to make high-quality African storybooks over a 12-hour sprint. The books are then translated, printed and distributed directly to children and parents across South Africa through partner organisations.

Since 2014, Book Dash has created 117 original, engaging African picture books and printed and distributed 430 000 copies to children across the country. Their immediate goal is to reach a million books distributed by the end of 2020.

Founded in 2003, LEAP Science and Maths School is the only privately funded maths, science and technology school in South Africa.

It aims to transform disadvantaged communities throughout the country via education initiatives focused on mathematics and science and partners with specific communities to provide their children with the opportunity to gain access to tertiary study opportunities, to be successful in their chosen career path and to develop as socially responsible citizens of South Africa.

LEAP currently relies on private funding and donors. Foord identified the school’s need to establish an endowment fund to provide ongoing, long-term financial support. To this end, Foord contributed seed capital and makes ongoing annual donations to an endowment fund that Foord manages on behalf of LEAP in Foord's flagship multi-asset portfolio, the Foord Flexible Fund. The objective of this initiative is to create an endowment fund of considerable scale, thereby creating a sustainable income source for the LEAP School, reducing its dependence on third party donations.