Jacob Lief is an internationally recognized social entrepreneur, author, and Founder and CEO o
Ubuntu Pathways
a nonprofit organization based in

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha ( , ), formerly named Port Elizabeth, and colloquially referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipal ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

that breaks the

cycle of poverty In economics, a cycle of poverty, poverty trap or generational poverty is when poverty seems to be inherited, preventing subsequent generations from escaping it. It is caused by self-reinforcing mechanisms that cause poverty, once it exists, to ...

by providing vulnerable children with a holistic support system of education, healthcare, and social services.

Early years

In 1989, Lief's family moved to London where he studied at the American School in London. He went on to attend the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

, where he first became interested in South Africa and international development. In 1994, Lief visited South Africa to observe the country's transition to democracy. The experience had a profound impact on him, and when he returned to the US, he knew he wanted to become part of “the new South Africa.” In 1997, Lief returned to South Africa. He met Malizole “Banks” Gwaxula, a South African school teacher in a local

shebeen A shebeen (, "home-made whiskey") was originally an illicit bar or club where accessible alcoholic beverages were sold without a license. The term has spread far from its origins in Ireland, to Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Zimb ...

. Bonding over their shared passion for education, they founded Ubuntu Education Fund (renamed Ubuntu Pathways in 2017) to create equal educational opportunities for township children in Port Elizabeth.

Career

Soon after they began working in Port Elizabeth, Lief and Gwaxula realized they needed to pivot the mission to focus on the deeper issues affecting poverty. Today, Ubuntu's mission has significantly expanded into a holistic approach, aimed at providing South Africa's most vulnerable children with comprehensive education, health, and social support from birth/infancy to adulthood. This change spurred the organization's growth, pushing Ubuntu from its broom-closet origins to its position as an internationally recognized organization with offices on three continents. The organization recently launched th
Ubuntu Advisory
a global consultancy practice that leverages the Ubuntu Model to help others achieve social impact. Lief's autobiography, ''I Am Because You Are,'' chronicles his journey as a young founder and his struggles to establish a quality nonprofit in post-

apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

South Africa. His vision has set forth what has been heralded as “a new, bold vision for breaking the cycle of poverty” (Rodale Inc, 2015).

Recognition/Awards

In 2016, Lief appeared in

Fortune Magazine ''Fortune'' (stylized in all caps) is an American global business magazine headquartered in New York City. It is published by Fortune Media Group Holdings, a global business media company. The publication was founded by Henry Luce in 1929. T ...

’s ‘40 Under 40’ list of the most influential young people in business. Lief was a lecturer at the

’s School of Social Policy and a visiting fellow at the University's new global policy research center, Perry World House. He was also the host of Philanthropy Unfiltered, a collaboration with the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania. Lief serves as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative Advisory Committee, was named one of the world's 101 Most Innovative Visionaries at the Decide Now Act Summit, has been recognized by the

World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental organization, international advocacy non-governmental organization and think tank, based in Cologny, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German ...

as a Young Global Leader, and was selected as an

Aspen Institute The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1949 as the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., but also has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, its original home. Its stated miss ...

Global Fellow. Jacob Lief has published in The Guardian, The Huffington Post, Fast Company, Devex, Mic, and Forbes.

Personal

Jacob is married to Lindsay Lief, a physician at Weill-Cornell, and together they have two sons. He divides his time between Port Elizabeth, South Africa and New York City, United States.

References

External links
Ubuntu PathwaysI Am Because You Are
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lief, Jacob Living people Year of birth missing (living people)