In South Africa’s busiest public hospitals, paediatric surgeons are rewriting the future of children’s healthcare… and with the help of RMB, the journey is filled with hope.
Johannesburg, South Africa (01 October 2025) – This week on Good Things with Brent Lindeque, I sat down with Gareth Armstrong from RMB and Professor Jerome Loveland, the driving force behind Surgeons for Little Lives, a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving paediatric surgical care in South Africa’s public hospitals.
Who Are Surgeons for Little Lives?
Launched in May 2015, Surgeons for Little Lives was born out of a simple but powerful vision: to ensure that critically ill children and their families receive the kind of care that reflects the exceptional skill of their surgeons.
South African doctors are among the best in the world, but in large, over-burdened state hospitals, resources are painfully limited. This means care is often basic, recoveries are slower, and complications are more likely. Surgeons for Little Lives bridges that gap – uplifting the lives of less fortunate children who need life-changing surgery.
Run by a small group of paediatric surgeons and passionate volunteers, the organisation is focused on raising the level of care in paediatric surgery wards to world-class standards.
“We ensure that critically ill children and their families receive a level of care that reflects the exceptional skill of their surgeons,” explains Professor Loveland (or Jerome as he likes to be known).
RMB’s Role in the Story
RMB has played a pivotal role in making this vision a reality. Using funds from a successful BEE investment, the bank supported Surgeons for Little Lives in renovating the paediatric burns unit at Baragwanath Hospital, transforming it into a facility that now ranks among the best in the world.
For Gareth Armstrong and his team at RMB, this isn’t just corporate social investment; it’s a commitment to using resources, networks, and influence to uplift communities in meaningful ways.
“This is about making a lasting impact,” says Armstrong. “Our goal is to support initiatives that truly change lives — and Surgeons for Little Lives is doing exactly that.”
A Podcast of Hope and Healing
In our conversation, we explored the incredible work being done behind the scenes, the challenges of paediatric surgical care, and how partnerships like these prove what’s possible when business and compassion come together.
You can watch the full podcast below:
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🩺 Powered by Surgeons for Little Lives and RMB. Filmed at FLAME Studios.
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