 Before we begin tonight's show, I would like to request a moment of silence to remember everyone who passed away on this day in 1976. You are our heroes and we thank you. Today, we unpack the work that has been done by Robby Property Group as well in putting together the Maggie Rowley Sinenjongo Assistance Fund. This is the Private Property Podcast. I'm Tumi, welcome. Today's guest is a writer, a real estate professional and an adventurer. She has spent 17 years in commercial and retail real estate. She serves as the communications manager for Robby Property Group and has been doing some work in the Maggie Rowley Sinenjongo Assistance Fund. Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome Natalie Dupria. Natalie, good evening and happy youth day to you. Hi, good evening to me. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you so much. Let's jump in and talk about the Maggie Rowley Sinenjongo Assistance Fund and popularly known as MRSAF. What is the mission for this foundation or for this fund and when was it established? I think it's important to first hear who was Maggie Rowley and why is it named after her? So Maggie Rowley was a journalist by trade. She worked for Century City, the Century City Precinct from August 97 and she also worked for Robby Property Group for over 20 years. And she had a robust energy, love and passion for Sinenjongo High School and its learners. She was instrumental in bringing Sinenjongo to the attention of Robby. The school was being held in containers. I mean, there were no facilities, no air flow and these learners were just getting by. The pass rate was a pathetic 27% and Maggie became the empathic driving force and mother of these young lives. Tragically, Maggie passed away one January 2019 which left quite a chasm for Robby and obviously for Sinenjongo High School and Robby in remembrance of Maggie founded this Maggie Rowley Sinenjongo Assistance Fund. Just to commemorate her tremendous impact and just to continue her legacy and the burning passion that she had for uplifting the youngsters of Sinenjongo High School. So what it is, it's not a bursary just to make that very clear. So the learners still apply for NISFAS. NISFAS will immediately cancel their funding if you accept another bursary. So it's actually very important to understand that it's not a bursary. It's actually to fill in the gap what NISFAS does not cover. And when we think, okay, fine, NISFAS pays for books and the pays for tuition what else is there? But I think that it's very important to understand that there is so many things that people take for granted. It will be bidding. If you're going register at the university you are expected to bring your own bidding, your own kettle, your own crockery. You get a list of clothing that you need to purchase. You don't have data. You don't have any time. You don't have a computer. These learners come from Joe Slavo informal settlement and it's not possible most of the time for the parents to take care of the children what that is concerned. It's there's quite a high number. I would say easily 70 to 80% of these learners where the mother is most definitely not employed and in a lot of cases both parents. So what we do is we take care of those everyday needs. We assist the students that get a monthly allowance. We take care, we take them to the door. We make sure that they are registered with the correct university or Technicon. We ensure that they've got accommodation. And then what we do from there is we support them throughout their journey, which I think is also important. It's not just about supplying the needs in terms of a physical requirements but there's a bit of mentorship required. There's a bit of advice that they need and so on. The best part about it is really just identifying a need and ensuring that we meet it. And that sounds like what the Sydney and Jungle Assistant Fund really does. So let's talk about its future plans in terms of assisting other schools. You're speaking about how it's assisting Sydney and Jungle high school students currently. Is there plans for adopting more schools and adding that to the portfolio? There are no plans what that is concerned. Robbie has taken Sydney and Jungle on as its main CSI initiative as we've previously mentioned. And the Maggy Rowley Assistant Fund is only a portion of that. Robbie also employs additional teachers. We are in constant communication with the principal Mrs. Naporte about what the school needs. So Robbie looks holistically at the school. It is not only through these students who go to university that we look after. So I think from a resource and a financial point of view, it becomes quite restrictive. We are already, if you calculate how many students we'll have in the next five years, it will be five students at university. So yes, it gets a bit financially straining. So we will not be opening it up to other schools at this stage. Sure. And what are the obstacles that you have encountered since beginning to fund these students because with so many things that have been happening, COVID happening, so many changes that have even happened even in the education spaces, what are some of those challenges that you have encountered and how have you guys solved for them? Yeah, I think as I just mentioned, one of the challenges or growing challenges is obviously financing all of this. Pre-COVID, we had very generous sponsors. But I think as companies become constrained, as the economy becomes constrained, those donors become a little bit fewer. We are obviously very grateful for anybody who are donating or have donated towards Sena Nyong'o High School. So I would think that is one. And then secondly, I think just also understanding what these learners need in their tertiary journey. I mean, we are celebrating youth day where the children in 1976 stood up against being taught in a language that's not their home language. And the learners in Sena Nyong'o was very fortunate they are being taught in their home language, obviously, Posa, which is absolutely fantastic. And what we are finding, however, is that when they do go to universities where the teaching language is in English, that there are additional resources that we have to assist them with. Because you can think that the quality and the, not the quality, but how can I say, it's a lot more difficult, it's a lot more advanced from grade 12. Yeah, and then obviously also, they have to stand at the same level of children all over the country. I mean, if you think our student goes to Selenbosch and so does so many thousands of privileged and non-privileged children and they all just stand on the same basis. So I think it's so important from their own self-esteem to also get to grips with that, that yes, I can compete with anybody. I have deserved it to be here. So we try from that point of view to also assist them. COVID was a bit difficult, especially for our first year, our first recipient of the Maggi Raleigh Assistance Fund which was Sipelo-Dube. He did struggle a bit. I mean, you're used to a vibey community in any formal settlement. You're used to having your friends around you and your family. And now you are stuck in a dorm room and you can't go out and there are certain regulations. So I think you found that quite difficult but we tried our best to assist him when we could. Thank you so much for that and really inspiring and encouraging work that you do. And in the spirit of celebrating youth day, hopefully other property groups, property home associations and different groups of people in the property space pick up the need like you have and really meet it. Thank you so much for joining us, Natalie and have a great one. Thank you. Thank you so much. A great man, Martin Luther King said, we are not the makers of history but we are made by history. Let's jump in to today's edition of South African History. Youth Day was initially known as Soweto Day. The new government chose to call it Youth Day to commemorate the role the young people played in overcoming the apartheid regime. South Africa is truly a young nation. South Africa's population is largely made out of youth. Those who are below the age of 35 constitute 65% of the overall South African population. Youth Day was officially made a public holiday after Nelson Mandela became president in 1994. The National Youth Development Agency is a South African based established primarily to address the challenges faced by the nation's youth. Peaceful protest. June 16 was supposed to be a three day event starting on the date and ending on the 18th of June. This is the final day the march was meant to end in Orlando Stadium. That's it folks, learning never stops because life never stops teaching. So it is important for us to always remember our South African history. The winner of the 500 grand cash prize today for the most interaction is that is going to be announced in the comment section. So ensure that you catch that winner there. Join us again tomorrow for another Inside Packed episode. And of course, don't forget to like, share as well as follow us on all social media platforms. And remember, a healthy dose of property information might just be what you need to get you back on your A game. This is the Private Property Podcast. My name is Timmy. Have a beautiful youth day.