Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy South Africa Annual Report 2024: Our Journey Toward Systemic Impact
We are proud to share our 2024 Annual Report, which captures Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy South Africa’s (AGGP_SA) journey over the past year as we deepened our impact, built catalytic initiatives, and strengthened partnerships to grow South Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
In 2024, we worked against the backdrop of a challenging socio-economic environment; youth unemployment remains above 45%, and systemic barriers continue to limit entrepreneurial growth. Despite these hurdles, our commitment to being an ecosystem builder, enabler, and convener drove meaningful progress in fostering opportunities for entrepreneurs and changemakers across the country.
What we achieved together in 2024
- Unlocking Insights with Connecten:
We pioneered local-level ecosystem data mapping in places like iLembe District, providing actionable insights to help ecosystem enablers and policymakers better support entrepreneurs. - Strengthening Education Foundations:
Through Funda Wande and Hamba Nathi, we helped equip 5,648 educators and reached more than +202,000 learners, addressing the literacy and numeracy challenges that are critical to building entrepreneurial talent. - Developing Entrepreneurial Talent:
Our support for the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship reached nearly 200 fellows who collectively impacted over 110,000 learners, while Inspire piloted its first entrepreneurship teaching programme to equip educators with entrepreneurial skills. - Supporting Informal Economies:
With our Technicolour initiative, we partnered with 10 enterprise support organisations projected to reach 29,980 entrepreneurs in underserved communities, creating pathways to sustainable business growth. - Accelerating Artisan Entrepreneurship:
Through Allan Gray Makers, we supported 105 new artisan businesses, hosted Makers Fest, and launched initiatives like Artisans of Mzansi, shining a spotlight on vocational entrepreneurship. - Driving Collaboration Through Motse Collective Impact:
Our Motse platform became a powerful space for dialogue and collective action, from Table 15 convenings to high-profile engagements at GEC+Africa and AWIEF, connecting diverse voices to shape entrepreneurship policy and practice.
Why this matters
At AGGP_SA, we believe that to truly shift South Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, our work must be catalytic, sustainable, and scalable. Our “Diagnose, Demonstrate, Dialogue” approach is grounded in research, innovation, and convening, and has helped us better understand what works and how to align partners around evidence-based solutions.
As we reflect on 2024, we are inspired by the progress made and excited about the path ahead. We are not just funding programmes; we are building pathways for systemic change that will outlast any single initiative.
Looking ahead to 2025
In this year, we continue to:
- Expand Connecten’s ecosystem insights to all provinces.
- Integrate entrepreneurship into education through Inspire and AG Makers.
- Strengthen convening platforms like Motse to align government, business, and civil society behind actionable strategies.
Our goal is simple: to make it possible for more South Africans to start and grow responsible businesses, creating dignified work and meaningful livelihoods.
Read the full report and become a catalyst for change
We’ve captured all of this and more in our 2024 Annual Report, now available in the Research & Resources.
👉 Click here to download the full report.
We invite you to read it, share it, and join us in shaping an entrepreneurial ecosystem that works for everyone in South Africa. Together, we can catalyse the kind of change that transforms lives and communities.
