AAF's Road to G20
Starting the Week Where Youth Economies Thrive
The Foundation convened key partners at 44 Main 
for a focused discussion on youth self-employment in the informal economy. Young people across South Africa are already creating work for themselves, building small enterprises with resilience and creativity.
As Shingi Bimha put it:
“South Africa’s informal economy is alive with energy, innovation and grit. The young people driving this economy are not on the sidelines. They are the beating heart of it.”
The workshop drew on momentum from the Youth Entrepreneurship Funders Initiative convened by IPASA, which includes DG Murray Trust, Sanlam, SAB Foundation, the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, EMpower, African Youth Philanthropy Network, Yellowwoods, Harambee, the SA Entrepreneurship Fund, the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative and the SA Future Trust.
44 Main Comes Alive
On Sunday, the focus moved to Johannesburg’s creative heartbeat as 44 Main opened its doors to the voices and visions shaping Johannesburg’s cultural pulse.
The building, once the headquarters of Anglo American, is being reimagined as a place where youth, creativity and technology meet. 44 Main Presents brought together exhibitions by Creative Nestlings, RLabs, the Moleskine Foundation and Windybrow Arts Centre, along with discussions on youth-driven technology, storytelling and cultural belonging. Performances from Vuyani Dance Theatre, Joburg Ballet and the Altazor Project brought the building to life.
Michael Mapstone, CEO, Anglo American Foundation. set the tone for the evening by reflecting on the building’s history and its new purpose. His message was clear. The next chapter of 44 Main belongs to young people, and philanthropy can help create the conditions for their creativity and leadership to flourish.
Actor and cultural icon Dr John Kani captured the moment perfectly when he looked out across the gathering and said:
“All these roads are leading to 44 Main. I will be proud to say I was here when the miracle happened.”
His words reflected the excitement in the room and the sense that 44 Main is becoming more than a building. It is emerging as a meeting point for young creators, a space where ideas take shape and where Johannesburg’s next chapter is already being written.
Let us all find ways to create the greatest meeting place of minds and passion. To the young people in the room, this is another chance, we can't miss this one.Dr John Kani
Philanthropy’s Role in B20
The Foundation co-hosted a high-level roundtable with WINGS, bringing together leading voices from philanthropy, business and investment to focus on catalytic capital and cross-sector collaboration. Michael Mapstone opened the discussion by highlighting the urgency already felt in communities and the need for funders to respond with greater speed, flexibility and alignment. What followed was a focused, grounded conversation where participants named barriers, surfaced promising models and signalled a shared appetite to move from talk to coordinated action. The roundtable set a clear direction for how philanthropy and business can work together with more purpose throughout the G20 cycle.
Throughout the week, Michael represented the Foundation in B20 meetings and networks. He brought the Foundation’s perspective into leadership conversations, emphasising the role of philanthropy as a connector between business ambitions and community solutions. He also participated in multi-stakeholder gatherings convened by organisations such as the BMW Foundation, F20 and Democracy Works, contributing to discussions on social innovation, civic participation and inclusive sustainability.
A Major Milestone: The B20 Legacy Initiative
Our B20/G20 campaign strengthened the Anglo American Foundation’s position as a leading voice in philanthropy. Throughout the year, we made a clear and consistent case for closer collaboration between business and philanthropy. That message resonated. The Business and Philanthropy Legacy Partnership was selected as an official B20 South Africa Legacy Initiative, a milestone that recognises AAF’s leadership and sets a new standard for how the two sectors can work together.
The Initiative, developed with Standard Bank, WINGS, IPASA, Krutham and Savant, will support the launch of Aseli Impact Capital and build a long-term platform for collaboration that continues beyond a single G20 presidency. What began in South Africa now moves into the United States and beyond, carried by a shared commitment to lasting, locally led impact.
This B20 legacy initiative is designed to shift how business and philanthropy collaborate, creating the alignment and staying power needed to unlock local capital where it can drive change. I am proud to work with Standard Bank, WINGS and our partners on an effort that began here in South Africa and now moves to the United States and beyond. Together we have the momentum and the ambition to build something that endures across regions and G20 presidencies.Michael Mapstone, CEO, Anglo American Foundation
Unlocking Opportunity at the Africa Forward Summit
Also on Thursday, Shingi Bimha represented the Foundation at the Africa Forward Summit. She joined a panel on inclusive growth and jobs, speaking alongside Benjamin Bellegy (CEO, WINGS), Nontando Mthethwa (Allan Gray Orbis Foundation), and Louise Driver (Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa). Drawing on the Foundation’s work in economic opportunities for young people, she highlighted the need for patient support, risk-taking philanthropy and models that connect early experimentation with long-term sustainable change. Her message aligned with the Foundation’s broader campaign: young people are already shaping the future, and funders must create the right conditions for them to thrive.
Joburg Revival With the Moleskine Foundation
The week closed with Joburg Revival at 44 Main, a creative programme led by the Moleskine Foundation and supported by the Anglo American Foundation. The event brought together young artists, writers, cultural practitioners and community partners to explore imagination, repair and the future of Johannesburg. Through workshops, conversations and artistic activations, the day highlighted how creativity strengthens civic voice, builds confidence and helps people make sense of their place in the city.
Michael joined the closing plenary in conversation with Adama Sanneh, CEO of the Moleskine Foundation. Together, they reflected on the connection between philanthropy and creativity, and how both can open space for young people to shape new possibilities for their communities. Their discussion emphasised that places like 44 Main can serve as platforms where imagination becomes a tool for civic participation and collective change.
What This Week Proved About Philanthropy
Across the entire week, the Foundation showed how philanthropy can unlock new ways of collaboration, new flows of capital and new pathways for young people to lead.
Under Michael’s leadership, the Foundation made a strong case for catalytic philanthropy that is locally led, globally connected and bold enough to push systems forward.
G20 week was not the conclusion of this work. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Foundation’s influence and visibility campaign as the G20 cycle moves into its next phase. The work ahead will deepen the partnerships forged during this week, streghten youth agency and keep pushing for systems that recognise and invest in the potential of young people across South Africa and beyond.