By Alec Hogg
In his bestseller David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell concludes that chances of doing well in life are better if you’re top in a lower grade university rather than middle in the Ivy League. It’s all about confidence that comes with being recognised as you progress, no matter how humble one’s beginnings.
Thanks to the initiative of former Edcon CEO Steve Ross, I got to see hundreds of these potential Davids yesterday. Children born into abject poverty being given a shot at life through the vision of American entrepreneur Christel DeHaan, the billionaire founder of global timeshare giant RCI. Entry into Christel House, a 750 pupil Grade R to Matric school in Ottery, Cape Town, requires household income well below the poverty line. Children are bussed in, fed and uniformed as part of the package.
It was inspiring. And provided another example of the way so many people are doing so much to help South Africa address its challenges. Quietly getting on with work that really matters. Helping to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.
My visit to Christel House was also featured in today’s Rational Perspective video (click below)
