South Africa (Spring 2019)

A broader perspective

By Kara

More than anything, though, this trip has made me think about the value of perspective. The companies we visited are choosing to address the challenges people in South Africa face regarding factors such as access to electricity, health, and education.

The Social Impact Field Seminar has been a lot of fun, and a great way to learn more about careers that I could actually see myself in that would allow me to make a tangible difference. It is invaluable to get the chance to connect and converse with these many different professionals in and around Johannesburg. Discussing the context of the issues they are targeting helped us gain greater insight into how they approach finding solutions. It gave me a lot of confidence in knowing that my MBA would afford me the skills to find answers to real problems that people are facing. Additionally, I loved getting to meet and learn about the country from locals, try new foods, and get to see the city’s sites. Those I found most impactful were visiting The Union Buildings, The Apartheid Museum, Soweto and the Mandela House, and the trip to Pilanesberg. Aside from all of the educational aspects of the program, I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity to see African wildlife in their natural habitats, something I have dreamed about doing since I was a little kid.

More than anything, though, this trip has made me think about the value of perspective. The companies we visited are choosing to address the challenges people in South Africa face regarding factors such as access to electricity, health, and education. These companies are doing incredible work to minimize inequality, creating less of a divide for those who the country refers to as PDIs (previously disadvantaged individuals). However, what was most glaring about the city in present day was the discussion regarding crime. My impression of Johannesburg was that the people we interacted with worked there, but many of them would never dare spend too much time downtown. I feel, though, that despite these comments about avoiding the area, I didn’t learn much about what was actually happening downtown, or what people were doing to address these issues revolving around crime. Without this context, I couldn’t help but wonder if this hyper-focus on the dangerous aspects of the city was mostly a result of the country’s history of social exclusion. There is an obvious need for greater education and intervention in order to continue to move forward.

Though this concept was not discussed in depth, I do feel that many of the companies we visited are working to address the underlying issues to this evident problem. Whether it be the extraordinarily high unemployment rate, the stigmatization of individuals with TB or HIV, the lack of reading resources and learning support for marginalized communities, or the need for diversification in the workplace to minimize social exclusion amongst many South Africans. I definitely went into this experience expecting to see the scars of apartheid, potentially in the form of blatant racism or discrimination. However, what I saw instead was a very segmented city, in terms of race and class. I believe that if progress is to continue to be made, there is a need for deeper discussion and difficult problem-solving. I acknowledge that this is easier said than done, given the immense pain in the country’s history. However, I hope to see opportunity in this space continue to grow, with these Social Impact organizations leading the way towards greater progress.

An exciting, humbling, and eye-opening learning experience

By Krisha

[It] had me rethink what I want to do with my career.

The Social Impact trip has been very exciting thus far and I am excited to complete the last leg of the trip. The team of students and staff have been very helpful, making this such an even more memorable experience. I would like to break this reflection down in the three areas: company visits, immersion activities, and personal time.

Company Visits:

I found that the Mandate Molefi visit has been my favorite thus far. Although I did my executive summary on this organization, I enjoyed it much more than I originally thought I would. I found the presentation to be similar to what is discussed in OB courses and had me rethink what I want to do with my career. While I enjoy marketing, I do find myself being interested in Human Resources specifically around inclusion and employee growth. I found that this organization reflects the path that many organizations are or should be going. The presenter was eloquent and has created an organization that directly addresses the institutionalized biases of the apartheid.  I also found the Eaton Electric visit to be eye-opening in a way I didn’t expect. The need for electricity is not a common conversation in the US because we have access to such luxuries. I find it fascinating that in 2019, countries need to turn off electricity at certain times just to accommodate the population.

Immersion Activities:

I am excited for the safari. This is something that I have always wanted to do and I am excited to actually visit the Pilanesberg and see the animals. I enjoyed the visit to Soweto and being able to walk around, interact with the locals, eat the food and see Nelson Mandela’s home was very humbling. I would have loved to also have mini team discussions or a round table on our suggestions for maybe a semester long project to improve one major issue that is faced in this area. This would be a great opportunity to mix with other universities to actually make a social impact.

I found the apartheid museum to be very educational and allowed me to learn more about how horrible and unjust this systematic oppression was and how it still strains aspects of the culture today. The divides in the culture and the comments by some of the white South Africans showed that the realities differ greatly and more education is needed in that world to understand why the black communities are still decades behind.

Personal time:

I loved the opportunity to travel the city by visiting local shops, restaurants and bars with members of the program. All of the food has been wonderful and the city is vibrant with endless possibilities. This has been a great opportunity to network with individuals outside of my program and industry but who still have a passion for positive impact in communities. The MBA to me is all about mixing and matching strengths for a creative, brighter future and thus far my conversations show that this can happen.

Social Impact Field Seminar — Some Impressions

Understanding and adding value to the system

By Vadika

Applications in the real world example are great teachers and I am hoping that this experience will add value to me as I try to add value to the system.

I have always had a knack of being able to volunteer for a better cause. Being in a healthcare driven family of scientists and doctors, I have been a part of healthcare industry since my childhood. So when the opportunity called, I did sign up for the Social Impact Field Seminar in South Africa.

I have seen that no matter where, healthcare is not perfect anywhere. I have an experience of healthcare in India, US and Canada and can sort of relate to the best practices being carried out in all the places. It is always about being creative with the resources you have. And you can only get a good idea of the system in place when you get to the area and experience the system yourself. When I sit in North America or any other country to think about a topic or a problem in Africa, I can only relate to what I have seen and experienced. I am excited to be on the spot and help the company I am assigned. It is good to be thinking that I am creating value for a company and hopefully the people attached to the company and its services. And it is as difficult to realize how different the world could be on that side. I don’t think I know what to expect but I know that I am ready to take what comes my way and do my best. I have done my research and seen the issues in South Africa superficially. The real knowledge about the system will come out only when I get into the process myself.

Applications in the real world example are great teachers and I am hoping that this experience will add value to me as I try to add value to the system. I hope to learn more on a professional and personal forefront and be a universal human being than be confined to my own culture. I want to be able to experience South Africa as much as I can. I want to share my culture and know more about their culture. I want to explore their local food, lifestyle, measures of happiness, geography, creativity and more that I don’t know about.