Our Mission & Values

At Rudder4Life, we believe in treating the cause and propose to assist in eradicating most societal ills by socialising a new generation of young people and preparing them to work synergistically to achieve their purpose. A new generation of value-based and purpose-driven new leaders, entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs – all are working towards a shared vision – to build a society with a mindset as “we” and not “I” – collectively creating this wave of autonomous communities “one school at a time”.

Education is the critical foundation for cultivating, promoting, and accelerating equity and inclusivity in society. Every individual deserves to live in a caring and just society, where dignity, respect, and love prevail for all. We believe that the impact of our youth development programme, Purpose4Life, will be visible as we create a cadre of social entrepreneurs/intrapreneurs who will understand “the meaning of who they are”. We all want to make a difference in most reflective moments – a contribution. Call it a cause or a mission; we want to be part of something meaningful.

Rudder4Life proposes that each individual enrolled on our programme strive for clarity on what they will stand for and what purposes they will pursue. Therefore, the measurable outcomes of our Purpose4Life programme are more confident, inspiring leaders of tomorrow in the spirit of:

“…we all have something to give. So if you know how to read, find someone who can’t. If you’ve got a hammer, find a nail. If you’re not hungry, not lonely, not in trouble – seek out someone who is.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I love. So I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a splendid torch which I’ve got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations.”

– George W. Bush

As the founding partners of Rudder4Life, we have the same sentiment at the top of our minds – striving to make a difference by creating purpose-driven individuals. We will use the school as a focal point, to be the anchor and rudder to galvanise community structures in and around the school, building learner agency and inclusivity through voice and choice. We will involve the youth, parents, siblings, community leaders, business owners, and religious leaders to make community-based projects viable for the direct benefit of the surrounding community members.

It is anticipated that Rudder4Life’s system thinking approach applied one school at a time will create a nucleus of champions in a community and ultimately a cadre of new leaders in society, developing ongoing financially sustainable business opportunities. This momentum of entrepreneurship will remove the shackles of the apartheid mindset and reduce the dependency on drugs and gangsterism, giving meaning to the youth, their families and ultimately their communities.

“…the introduction of Social and Emotional Learning can in fact provide a double dividend to learners and the society in the form of improving academic achievements and also nurturing empathic and compassionate individuals dedicated to building peaceful and sustainable societies across the world.”

– Unesco MGIEP Rethinking Learning.

Therefore, our mission is to increase the number of intrinsically motivated, value-based and inclusive thinking youth participating in social activities within their communities.