When we reached out to the South African Post Office, we expected to speak with them about the improvements they are making to their mail delivery system. The Post Office was a failing entity, but is now back on the rise, improving its efficiency and working back towards profitability after a long period of operating poorly and at a financial loss. What we didn’t expect was to hear about was a new kind of banking that could open up the future for South Africa’s less affluent population, but this is what the Post Office’s new CEO is working towards with all of the changes he is making to save the state system. We were truly inspired and impressed by the plans that are in place, and imagine you may be too if you read our interview.
The Post Office isn’t the only body seeking to do good in its country that we spoke with this month. The Botswana Chamber of Mines told us about how they have overseen coal and, in particular, diamond mining in their country to raise them from one of the world’s poorest economies to one that is flourishing. Through well-run mining practices and good governance, Botswana has been able to make the most of its natural resources, and with the encouragement of the Chamber, has applied these profits to help diversify the country’s revenue streams to stabilise and spread its economic strength. The Chamber also encourages all of the mines in the country to take care of the land and communities around them, further spreading the good.
We spoke with many fascinating companies, but as always, one of the real pleasures was reconnecting with Nomad Tours. If you’ve read Endeavour in the past, you probably know Nomad Tours by now, and you’ll know that this African tour company are always improving their services to make them even safer, more responsible and more enjoyable. This month, however, the big change they discuss doesn’t just expand their tour options, but could be a major industry-changing first.
We hope you enjoy hearing about all of these as much as we did. Lastly, as it draws to an end, Ramadan Mubarak to those who have been celebrating!
