Rechelle Jacobs (Founder & Director)
Rechelle got her Masters of Statistical Science from the University of the Western Cape in March 2014. In September 2022, she obtained her PhD in Statistics from UWC, with a research focus on survival analysis in the financial services sector.
She has 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, having worked for several of South Africa's largest financial institutions, as well as substantial experience in business management and quantitative analytics. Her research interests include statistics, finance, and education in the context of South Africa. She has 8 years of experience as an educator at UWC in the Department of Statistics and Population Studies, teaching credit risk, distribution theory, and business statistics. Her background in the financial services sector, corporate management, quantitative analytics, and educational experience reinforces her passion and vision to make a difference and empower the vulnerable and marginalized.
Necia Koopman (Director)
Necia has over 16 years of experience working in the financial services sector for one of South Africa's largest banks. She has substantial experience in management, analytics, and reporting in the banking industry. Her skill set is broad and diverse, and she has held many leadership positions in credit operations before becoming a Specialist(Analytics & MI). Necia has strong communication skills and collaborates to get outcomes through analytical thinking.
Necia received her B.Com in Information Systems degree from the University of the Western Cape in 2006, as well as various management and data analytics short courses. She is now enrolled in a Data Science Learnership, which focuses on data modeling and the application of various technologies. Necia is passionate about supporting people in need, and she takes delight in feeding, clothing, and empowering the marginalized. Her compassion makes her a strong team member who cares about others and making a difference.
Yushly Collop (Director)
Yushly earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical and Statistical Science from the University of the Western Cape(UWC) in 2018. At UWC, he also got a BSc Honours in Statistical Science in 2019 and an MSc Masters in Statistical Science (Specialization in Data Science) in 2020.
He is currently employed as a Data Scientist at one of South Africa's largest banks, where he uses statistical approaches and machine learning algorithms to address challenging business problems in the financial services sector. He also obtained experience in creating a CRM system for Statistics South Africa's Informatics division. Yushly is also a certified AWS Cloud Practitioner who is self-motivated, creative, and a multi-tasker with a passion for statistical research and data analytics. Yushly is highly intelligent and has the ability to impart knowledge and assist governments and enterprises with solving complex problems . He has a good eye for detail and a strong desire to help the vulnerable and marginalized get access to opportunities to discover their full potential.