SQDC Social Resposibility

Nelson Mandela impacts young project managers

In South Africa, Nelson Mandela’s birthday is honored every year by ordinary South Africans across the world giving just 67 minutes of their time to impoverished communities.

For the past three years, Sandro Quattrocchi (PMP) from SQ Data & Consulting (Pty) Ltd t/a SQDC Business School and Sue Hall (PMP) from African Bank’s CSI division have put their time and resources into training and developing no less than 16 budding project managers – all of whom work on social impact interventions – as their contribution to the ’67 minutes for Mandela’ day.

“We know it’s more than 67 minutes in the year but it’s something we believe in and it’s a great way to honor a great man” said Quattrocchi.

Nelson Mandela, a global icon for peace, served as the first black president of a democratic South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Born in a rural area of South Africa, he attended farm schools and later studied his first degree by correspondence. In later years, he attended universities in both South Africa and London but again completed his second degree by correspondence. His academic career was never easy.

“We recognize the difficulties relating to development and growth in those days, so it is fitting that we apply ourselves to providing this opportunity to those youngsters who, due to their circumstances, cannot afford to attend formal project management training” said Hall.

Throughout the year, all 16 project management interns deliver social impact projects at the front line, where it matters most, improving the quality of lives in impoverished communities and contributing positively to the developmental priorities in South Africa. They are sponsored by African Bank and mentored by Sue Hall.

Once a year, the project management interns attend a formal “Project Management Foundations and PMP exam prep” course presented by Sandro Quattrocchi, Managing Director of SQDC Business School, a PMI® (Project Management Institute USA) Global Registered Education Provider, which is based in Durban.

The course costs are sponsored by SQDC Business School and African Bank jointly.

Some comments from the project management interns:

“Mazvita is the Shona word for thank you. It means a lot more than just a simple thank you. It is a solemn expression of gratitude. I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity afforded to me to attend the Project Management training provided by SQDC. It was extremely useful, and will add tremendous value to the projects that I do and my life in general. It was a week well spent and I am already putting into practice the practical tools I learnt while I was in Durban.” Kennedy Dembetembe, project coordinator for the Tembisa Entrepreneurial project.

“It was top of the shelf training material and I would like to say we couldn’t have had a better presenter than Sandro Quattrocchi. I really learnt a lot and it has really invigorated my desire and wishes to continue in this professional line. I hope to take the knowledge gained and skills acquired to add value to the work that I am doing within the African Bank TRAC Mobile (Physical Science) Laboratory Project.” Joseph Dube, Manager, Mobile Physical Science Laboratory.

Class of 2012	Class of 2013

(Standing from left to right) Mildred Bopoto, Njabz Zondi, Neil Hart (SQDC), Reneliwe Rasodi, Moloko Mokame and Sandro Quattrocchi (SQDC) (in front) Nathan Wit, Ntobeko Peni, Mqungebe Ngobese, Kyle Crichton	(Standing from left to right) Neil Hart (SQDC), Cikizwa Mnyamana. Sarel Jansen van Rensburg, Joseph Dube, Yanga Reme, Sindisiwe Ngubane, Kennedy Dembetembe, Linda Odolo, Thumeka Dlanjwa and Sandro Quattrocchi (SQDC)