First Thing is First | All Afrika Tikkun Foundation CEO Alef Meulenberg wanted to do was assist about 50 businesses which were destroyed in the unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in July last year. Instead, the foundation ended up raising R140 million to support 1,400 businesses and save about 4,000 jobs.

Alef Meulenberg  , CEO, All Afrika Tikkun Foundation 

• Alef Meulenberg set out to assist about 50 businesses which were destroyed in last year's unrest.
• He ended up raising R140 million to support 1,400 businesses and save about 4,000 jobs.
• Once it got funding for the RTE, NGO Afrika Tikkun screened applicants.
• The money was paid directly to the suppliers of these applicants.
• Meulenberg thinks this model can now be used to support other township businesses.