1. IMBO/ ISSUE 29/ '14 45 IMBO/ ISSUE 29/ '1444
Yusuf Randera-Rees inspires his peers at
large by proving that any big idea, when met
with clever strategy can result in a blindingly
powerful force.
W H E N
A S P I R AT I O N
M E E T S
S T R AT E G Y
F E AT U R E P R O F I L E

2. IMBO/ ISSUE 29/ '14 47 IMBO/ ISSUE 29/ '1446
A POWERFUL VISION FOR SOUTH AFRICA
Any man who takes on the responsibility
of changing the status quo and rises to the
challenge of actively shaping society is a man
that is working off of a powerful vision for
that society. For Yusuf, this vision is building
the type of society that Nelson Mandela, and
leaders of that generation, would be proud
of. A life changing entrepreneurial incubator,
Yusuf believes that the Awethu Project is a
manifestation of what is possible when one
allows every individual in a country to realise
their potential. According to him, one can’t ask
for much more than that a country gives every
person a chance to do what they are capable
of doing as long as they are willing to put in
the work. Although we might like to believe
that hard work always pays off, for Yusuf, this is
not always the case, especially in South Africa.
“Many people work hard and they don’t get a
chance to do what they are capable of doing.”
ASPIRATIONAL WHAT?!
Although it's a brilliant and wonderful business
idea, Yusuf admits that he and his partner had
trouble raising capital for the Awethu Project in
the beginning, and perhaps this was because
of how ambitious it seemed. “The first time
we pitched Awethu was in a business plan
competition at Oxford, the biggest business
plan competition in the UK and we got to
the finals and we thought we had done a
great job and that we were going to win” says
Yusuf. “However, the panel− of nine white
English people− told us that the idea was too
aspirational and the winner was the other
business.”
Notwithstanding, Yusuf has proved that
ambition, when met with substance and
backed up with hard skills, can result in a well-
functioning and life changing organisation.
“Success in business is all about substance,
forget the razzmatazz and find two things of
substance, number one your passion (and
passion must align clearly with ability) and the
other, application. I think the problem with
young people today is that they are not backing
up social aspirations with hard skills, and that’s
the key part. It is naïve if you just talk about
“we are going to change South Africa” but you
don’t understand the levers that you are going
to have to pull.”
An inspiration to young and well-versed
entrepreneurs alike, Yusuf is a tactical and
passionate working terrorist that is actively
changing society as we know it.
The Awethu Project business incubation and
growth platform is the result of Big ideas, clever
execution and powerful leadership.
BY: Amanda Nkwinika
S
ituated in the Constitutional Hill
precinct, I made my way to the
Awethu Project offices not quite sure
what to expect. My interview with
co-founding CEO, Yusuf Randera-
Rees, was scheduled for 08:30 and I arrived
forty-five minutes early, just to scope the place
out, get an idea of the culture and people led
by this incredible social entrepreneur. Like
any organisation proud of the incredible work
it does, the reception area’s walls were lined
with images and articles of the Awethu team, its
entrepreneurs and all the awards and accolades
they have accumulated over the years. It felt
like history laid out haphazardly for you to
witness, as you got a glimpse of the passion
and zeal that runs through the space on a day
to day basis.
The first thing you will notice about Yusuf
himself is his analytical nature. A man who
doesn’t really say much but listens intently, you
can almost see his mind working at a supersonic
pace, probably planning, strategizing or
scouting for unconventional ways to make his
business- and those of others- work.
FINDING THE PERFECT BALANCE
A graduate of Harvard and Oxford University,
Yusuf has always had social entrepreneurship
and social change as a central theme in his life.
During his stint in the US, he founded two non-
profit organisations that were supported by the
International Finance Corporation and UN AID.
It thus came as no surprise that upon his return
to SA in 2009, he decided to bring Awethu
to life − an idea and business plan he had
developed while at Oxford. Asked why social
entrepreneurship is something he can’t shake
off, Yusuf explains that he is most passionate
about social change, and that this is a result of
his background.
However, what makes Yusuf so remarkable and
his endeavours successful is the strong belief he
holds, that business (another passion of his) is a
veryquickandeffectiveroutetoachievingsocial
change and achieving the social outcomes
that one wants. That idea resonated with him
when as a young boy; he saw a billionaire US
presidential candidate use his own money,
attained from years of business, to try to get
social outcomes while the other candidates
had to convince other people to support their
cause. It is in understanding that business can
be a tool for social change that Yusuf was able
to build Awethu into a formidable and life
changing organisation.
“ B u s i n e s s i s a v ery
q ui c k a n d effe cti v e
route to a c h ie v i n g
s o c ial c h a n g e .”