Leading education finance specialist Fundi has been announced as a finalist in three categories at the prestigious 2025 Standard Bank Top Women Awards: a significant milestone that acknowledges the organisation’s leadership in transformation and social impact.
The Standard Bank Top Women Awards have become an annual event of note in South Africa’s corporate calendar. Celebrating organisations and leaders who are driving gender empowerment, transformation and sustainable progress across South Africa, the timing of this year’s awards is even more meaningful given the recent G20 close-out commitments to the empowerment of women.
Fundi Capital has been shortlisted in two categories, notably the Top Women Business in Skills and Youth Development (sponsored by merSETA) and the Top Women Business in Corporate Citizenship and Community Impact. CEO Mala Suriah has additionally been nominated for the Haley Fletcher Top Women Business Leader of the Year Award.
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For Fundi, the triple finalist recognition affirms the company’s unwavering commitment to empowering young people across South Africa through meaningful skills development, education support and long-term career pathways, while driving sustainable community impact and operational excellence.
“We are incredibly proud to be recognised on a platform that celebrates leadership, inclusion and gender empowerment,” notes Suriah. “At Fundi, our purpose has always been to enable the educational dreams of our nation. These nominations reinforce the impact of the work our teams deliver every day – work that opens doors for young South Africans and creates pathways to sustainable futures.”
Since first opening its doors almost 30 doors ago, Fundi has unlocked education funding to the collective value of R9bn across South Africa – with over 50% of this funding taken up by women. “Our Fundi Foundation has additionally amplified our ground-up impact; providing over R2m in assistance to missing middle students; established NPOs and needy causes aligned with our purpose and values.”
She adds that awards like these serve as powerful reminders of what is possible when women lead with purpose: “They bring much-needed hope during a time when celebrating women’s achievements is more critical than ever. We congratulate all the finalists and remain committed to building a future where women and youth have the opportunities they deserve.”