Despite all the training, the first day volunteering in one of Johannesburg’s township schools is a daunting experience. For Winston Singo, there was extra pressure: he was returning to his old school Madibane High School, one of Soweto’s most challenged. Now a high flyer at Ernst & Young, he was one of the few leavers to have made it to university.

“It was a weird feeling. I was very excited but very anxious. The excitement came from feeling that I might be able to make a difference and help some learners break free. I was anxious because I was well out of my comfort zone in terms of experience.

My life is so different now. I was lucky because Ernst & Young believed in me and provided a bursary for me to go to the University of Johannesberg. I hadn’t been back to the school since leaving but saw the opportunity with Warwick in Africa to join in a structured programme and thought wow, what a chance.

It’s been a great experience and I have learnt a lot, especially about how to be calm and to communicate on a different level. More importantly I have been able to pass on to some of the learners that they can change their lives if they work hard and get the right support. It has been great to see them realise that.