Mr Manchidi, who came from humble beginnings as the son of a domestic worker, was able to realise his dream of a tertiary qualification with the assistance of a bursary. He is passionate about the important role that individuals and businesses can play in bringing about a sustainable change in people’s lives through corporate giving. He first gained experience in the development sector as a postgraduate student, and has been involved in CSI at Investec since 2003.

Investec supports the JuniorTukkie Programme of the University of Pretoria, which presents a variety of initiatives to enable learners to improve their academic performance in order to meet the admission requirements for university study. During the annual Preparation Conference sponsored by Investec, Mr Manchidi regularly features as a motivational speaker, and has given many youngsters hope for a better future.

In his address, Mr Manchidi reflected on how the reason behind a company’s CSI determines the success of the investment in terms of bringing about meaningful change in society. He emphasised the fact that corporate giving should be more than a marketing exercise or a compliance requirement. “We are a part of society, and not apart from society,” he said, “and therefore need to understand the development challenges that exist in society if our CSI is going to bring about sustainable change.”

Mr Manchidi encouraged the alumni and other friends of the University of Pretoria who came to learn from his experience to adopt a questioning approach to ensure that they do the right things for the right reasons. It is only when corporate giving is motivated by a desire to make an impact on the need that exists in society, that CSI can succeed in developing the skill and knowledge that is needed to benefit society as a whole.

Inspired by Mr Manchidi’s passion, delegates departed with the following thought: “What does it matter what we do, if what we do does not matter most?”