When the chief executive of Coronation Fund Managers read about matric pupils camping out at their village school so they could study around the clock, he saw an opportunity to help.

According to a story published in the Sunday Times (October 1 2017), 14 pupils had been living on the premises of Mpumalanga’s Moses Mnisi High School for more than a month, burning the midnight oil to ensure they maintained the school’s impressive 12-year 100% pass rate. The group were later joined by 136 fellow classmates; all vowing not to leave until exams are completed at the end of November.

The pupils were so determined to get distinctions in their exams, the newspaper reported, that they’d been cramming for 22 hours a day, “squatting” in two dingy rooms near their school hall and bathing in the toilet cubicles.

In line with Coronation’s corporate social investment (CSI) strategy focused on education, CEO Anton Pillay has since stepped in to provide pupils with hot meals until the end of the exam period, as well as supply mattresses, blankets, toiletries and cleaning supplies.

The company also plans to offer bursaries and educational support to the school’s top-performing students through its CSI partners.

Said Pillay: “These pupils inspire us. They are determined to achieve the best possible grades, no matter the sacrifices required. We want to support them in any way we can and we’re in it for the long run.

“Education can break the cycle of poverty, and the children of Moses Mnisi High School are true heroes in their commitment to change their futures through hard work,” he said.