Allan Gray Orbis Foundation

The Foundation is investing in a long-term legacy of greatness through inspiring and developing individuals who will become high impact responsible entrepreneurs. It is the Foundation’s belief that such individuals are capable of shaping and transforming the future of the Southern African region as they will be driven to make a life-altering positive impact on the world around them. The Foundation therefore seeks to nurture and develop an entrepreneurial mindset in the most promising of Southern Africa’s youth through its Scholarship and Fellowship opportunities. The Foundation runs in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland. The Foundation provides full financial support to pursue secondary or tertiary studies at selected schools or universities. These opportunities, known as the Allan Gray Scholarship and Fellowship, explore entrepreneurial mindset development building on the base of a solid academic platform. These interventions, focusing on education, personal development, and entrepreneurial growth, work experience and mentoring, are the first stage in a longer term systematic approach to fostering high impact individuals. Mission: Foster a community of responsible entrepreneurs. Vision: An entrepreneurial, equitable South Africa flourishing with meaningful employment. Ethos: The Foundation’s ethos, or shared fundamentals, is made up of its tactical focus on Education and Experience complemented by the personal traits of Effort and Ethics. Philosophy: The Foundation’s philosophy is informed by its economic context which focuses on the genuine value creation ability of business for the benefit of society; its leadership context whereby leaders are enrolled who can activate opportunities and who are able to influence others to do the same; and its community context which recognises diverse backgrounds and the need for social transformation. This philosophy is intentionally embedded within an African context. Entrepreneurial Values:  The Foundation’s Entrepreneurial Values are made up of its 5 Pillars which are: Intellectual Imagination; Achievement Excellence; Personal Initiative; Spirit of Significance and Courageous Commitment. The high level vision is to activate the Foundations’ Pillars in individuals by establishing an entrepreneurial mindset that gives rise to the ability to become high impact responsible entrepreneurs. Based on these Pillars, the Foundation’s Programmes will facilitate the development of an entrepreneurial attitude by providing access to a range of challenging opportunities and experiences. Compelling practical learning methods, both directed and self-directed, expose, unlock and develop these attitudes into habitual entrepreneurial behaviour.