Gestalt was founded in 1998 as a strategy-consulting organization. Our core business focus was – and still remains -- designing and implementing the building blocks that change the way money flows in an economy to effect sustainable growth. Marrying the right partners; integrating the right technology; packaging the right financial support. It fulfils the needs of South Africa’s rapidly changing business environment by anticipating and identifying those key areas critical to the growth of sustainable business profit. Since its inception, though, the group has grown with the deeper understanding of the necessity of defining and fulfilling the needs of the poor not only as a moral priority nor only as a social issue but as a long-term business imperative. Our shareholders and directors had always been passionate about broad based transformation. The research we developed, the poverty studies it had access to and the pilots it put in place, made them realize the full potential impact of a dynamic, new business model that would grow business, create sustainable community income streams and exert an immediate and long term positive economic growth that would meet the expectations of all stakeholders. 2008 saw the establishment of an investment holding company, Phambili Gestalt Empowerment Investments (Pty) Ltd which is 51% owned by a group of remarkable, dedicated, bright, articulate business women. In addition, the new Gestalt Group has invested substantial resources in establishing new business units in line with the unique new growth model it has developed concentrating initially on structuring rural economies and integrating them into the mainstream economic corridors. To this end the group sets up new community businesses, supports them operationally, transfers, management, human and technical skills. The model has found enthusiastic support in other African countries as well.