The River Club resident assumed the position of chairperson last year and explained the decision to make the KPMG foundation far more effective in carrying out its mandate of empowering young people and improving literacy in the country.
“We wanted to make it more effective because the primary objective of the foundation is to give back to the local community, which we really wanted to do,” he said.
He added that the foundation was especially focused on addressing the issue of education because of the great need in that area in South Africa.
To this end, Suleman explained the foundation had established the Family for Literacy project.
“The project was initiated in the United States, but has now gone global and brings the spouses of KPMG employees together in order to support literacy,” he said.
Suleman added that the foundation also worked with other established organisations aimed at improving the state of education, and provided support for their programmes and initiatives. Some of these organisations include the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Afrika Tikkun and Enactus.
“Together with the Mandela Foundation, we launched a library and sponsored a classroom in collaboration with Afrika Tikkun, so we’re very involved with fulfilling educational needs in the country,” he said.
Suleman explained that through Enactus, the company was encouraging university students to develop their entrepreneurial skills.
“We’re involved in all levels of education, primary, secondary and tertiary, because we believe in uplifting young people and contributing to the development of their skills,” he explained.
Suleman concluded that with empowering young people, the company would also be contributing to the National Development Plan and ensuring that “young people become marketable and unemployment is reduced”.
