“Schools in Fiji came across our resources online and are now using them to support rural development. Things happen that we could not have predicted.”

“Because of the open licence, this project will continue forever. If Fiji wants to use our intellectual property, well, we are delighted.”

“Megan Beckett, in charge of learning research and analytics at Siyavula, an NGO that compiled science workbooks for the foundation.”

The far-flung Pacific Ocean islands weren’t the only ones to find and use the workbooks we have developed since 2013; two states in the United States also picked up on our ground-breaking materials.

To date we have produced some 180 workbooks. They’re open source, free to all (even Pacific islanders) and extremely useful.

“We are using the Sasol workbooks for Natural Science and Technology (Gr 4-6) for the third year now. Although we have received new textbooks for 2015, these are not nearly as good as the Sasol books. Learners even enjoy working from these colourful books at home, doing their homework. The new textbooks do not cover half the set work according to CAPS whereas the Sasol books are so packed with useful experiments and videos about them that learners cannot wait to come to Science class.”

“I have had many years of teaching experience, of which 13 years are in natural sciences and technology and these are the best textbooks I have ever had.”

“This is a different kind of initiative. We are absolutely delighted that Sasol has come to the party so generously and that it is profoundly interested in building the capacity of our kids and encouraging them to follow careers in the sciences and engineering. We are wildly excited about this initiative but not nearly as wildly excited as the kids will be when they experience [the mobile science labs] first hand.”

Derek Hanekom, former Minister of Science and Technology, at the launch of the first mobile science laboratory.

We have deployed 11 fully equipped mobile science labs serving more than 300 underprivileged, often deeply rural schools.

“I came here because of the career path I want to follow, which is automotive engineering, and they provide those subjects. When I arrived, the school was using old tools and equipment but that has all improved.”

Andy Mguni, Grade 12 learner at John Orr:

The foundation piloted TechSENet at John Orr in 2011. The success achieved there spurred us to extend the programme.

“The NRF’s partnership with the Sasol Foundation has grown significantly since 2014 and has presented the NRF with a unique opportunity to deliver on its key mandate to produce knowledge that is both globally competitive and able to transform the socio-economic landscape of the country.”

Dr Phethiwe Matutu, National Research Foundation

We co-fund postgraduate science scholarships at previously disadvantaged universities.

“I could not have done my PhD without Sasol Inzalo. I owe them my gratitude. [My fellowship] opened up opportunities for me such as the work I am doing for the CSIR.”

Dr Masindi Vhahangwele – beneficiary of the programme

Dr Vhahangwele has filed patents in the United States, Australia and Canada for a zero-effluent discharge process to treat acid mine drainage. The process is currently being demonstrated at several mines.