Every story teaches us something.
The tortoise taught us that patience is a virtue.
The boy who cried wolf taught us that trust, once lost, is difficult to regain.
And Little Red Riding Hood, well, she taught us that a little girl with access to an axe can still be dangerous.
Stories stay with us because of the lessons they teach us. Some teach us patience, some teach us courage, and some remind us that life doesn’t always go according to plan.
These are some of those stories.
Rose almost wasn’t part of the iTeke Learnership Programme. All the slots were filled. The decision had been made… and then the phone rang. Another learner had dropped out. Could she be there tomorrow?
She said yes.
One phone call changed the course of her life.
Gift’s opportunity began years earlier, with a brother who made plans for a future he might never get to see.
Selinah’s began with a father who believed planning for tomorrow mattered just as much as living for today.
Melita’s started with a young woman who thought she knew exactly who she wanted to become, only to discover she was even better suited to something she had never considered.
Olwethu’s came with a goal that was bigger than himself.
Kgaogelo’s arrived at a time when he freely admits he had no idea what came next.
Different stories. Different beginnings. One opportunity.
Watch this video where these iTeke Learnership Programme graduates share their experiences.
Ask a room full of matriculants what comes next and you'll probably get two kinds of answers. Some will tell you exactly what they have planned. Others will sheepishly admit they have no idea what to do now.
Kgaogelo was one of the latter.
'I actually had no plans. I didn't know what I was going to do.'
There is enormous pressure on young people to have their lives mapped out before they’ve had the chance to discover themselves. Yet discovery isn’t always possible for everyone.
That is why Fedgroup Beneficiary Care developed the iTeke Learnership Programme, a place to begin that discovery. Beneficiary Care supports children who have lost a parent, caregiver or breadwinner throughout their schooling years. Designed to take care of the beneficiaries whose funds are entrusted to us, it exists to ensure that their financial needs are met, that their school fees are paid, and that they have food and clothing. But it exists to help beneficiaries with more than that. From emotional and psychological support, our aim is to guide our beneficiaries as they navigate all the twists and turns of life. The iTeke Learnership Programme extends that support to a small group of eligible beneficiaries, helping bridge the gap between education and employment through mentorship, practical workplace experience and a SETA-accredited qualification.
The programme doesn't tell beneficiaries who they should become. It gives them the opportunity to discover it for themselves.
Watch this video for a glimpse into Kgaogelo's journey.
When Gift speaks about the programme, he doesn't start with work. He talks about his brother.
'I think about my brother. I think about how he always thought of me. He ensured that I had something to look forward to.'
Planning for someone's future isn't really about money. It's about making sure that even if you're no longer there, the people you love still have opportunities waiting for them.
That is the philosophy behind Fedgroup Beneficiary Care. It exists because life doesn't always unfold according to plan, ensuring that children are supported long after a breadwinner is gone. For some beneficiaries, that support continues through the iTeke Learnership Programme.
Gift's brother left him more than financial security, he left him something to look forward to.
Hear what Gift had to say about the iTeke Learnership Programme in this video.
Growing up in a township, there were simply certain things Selinah wasn't exposed to. Then she started travelling to work each day. She saw office buildings, beautiful homes, well-dressed people.
'It changed my whole perspective.'
It wasn't about the cars or the houses. It was about possibility.
Years before Selinah walked through Fedgroup's doors, her father made plans for her future. His foresight became her opportunity. Today she has built a career across multiple companies within the broader Fedgroup group.
Watch this video to find out how the iTeke Learnership Programme changed Selinah's perspective.
Melita thought she wanted to become a nurse. Then she realised she cared so deeply about her patients that she became emotionally invested in every one of their journeys. Instead of seeing that as failure, she discovered a different strength.
When she joined iTeke she was nervous and uncertain but today she leads projects, commands rooms and describes herself very differently.
'I have become a very independent woman who is strong and resilient'.
Sometimes growth isn't becoming the person you planned to be. It's becoming the person you were always capable of being.
Share in Melita's journey by watching this video.
Rose's story reminds us that opportunity doesn't always materialise the first time. But when it came around a second time, she grabbed it with both hands and that moment changed her life.
Olwethu reminds us that what happened afterwards mattered just as much. Determined to help his family move out of a small apartment in Hillbrow, he committed himself fully to the opportunity. Today he proudly speaks about buying a home with his mother and building a better life for his brothers. Hear more about his growth through the iTeke Learnership Programme in this video.
Opportunity opens the door.
Character walks through it.
The iTeke Learnership Programme isn’t just a tick-box exercise to us. It isn’t just another CSI initiative designed to satisfy the philanthropic fantasies of shareholders.
iTeke is about Rose. It’s about Gift, Selinah, Melita, Olwethu, and Kgaogelo.
It’s about every beneficiary who came before them, and all the beneficiaries who are still to come.
It’s about answering the phone when opportunity calls.
And it’s about the stories they get to tell.
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