The Aurum Institute, an innovative African non-profit organisation focused on health research and systems, has partnered with leading hybrid IT systems integrator and managed services provider, Datacentrix, for over a decade to ensure robust, scalable and secure ICT infrastructure. 

From enabling a rapid cloud transformation during the Covid-19 pandemic to remaining flexible and supportive in the face of recent US funding policy changes, this long-standing relationship has proven invaluable to Aurum’s operational resilience and digital agility.

According to Charmaine Kotze, Datacentrix Account Manager, the partnership between Aurum and Datacentrix began in 2015 following a competitive tender process. “Since then, the relationship between the two organisations has matured into a strategic alliance that supports Aurum’s dynamic, project-driven environment,” she explains.

Scalable support for a fast-moving NGO

As a health-focused NGO with a head count that frequently scales up and down in response to new project grants, Aurum needed a technology partner that could offer flexibility and rapid response. Datacentrix has fulfilled this need through a fully managed ICT environment that includes end-user hardware procurement, immutable backups, networking, remote support and cloud services.

Arshad Hassim, Group CFO at Aurum, clarifies that the organisation’s projects and programmes cover a wide range of activities, including programmatic implementation and technical assistance for HIV/AIDS and TB prevention, care and treatment services throughout the health system in South Africa, HIV prevention clinical research studies, TB and HIV vaccine studies and large-scale TB prevention programmes. 

“Essentially, Aurum partners with governments, the private sector and civil society to design and deliver high-quality care and treatment to people in developing communities. Trusted by major global funders, we receive grants to implement programmes that reflect our core philosophy, to take research into policy, and then take the same policy into practice.

“One of our biggest challenges therefore is to remain agile enough to be able to scale up very quickly for certain projects and then, once those projects are concluded, scale back down again.”

“We operate in a very fluid environment; at certain points our headcount will swell by hundreds of people and then, once projects are completed, it can shrink again by 30 percent,” continues Cristian Pieterse, HOD: ICT Operations & Infrastructure at Aurum. “Datacentrix’s clear understanding of Aurum’s business and its specific requirements in this sense allows us to achieve this.

“Datacentrix has supported us with everything from large-scale hardware rollouts to agile remote support for staff across South Africa. Their support model has also helped us to increase our support SLA metrics,” Pieterse states.

“Today, over 90 percent of our ICT support is handled remotely. This has been a real game changer for Aurum, as previously there was a requirement for engineers across our offices throughout South Africa, or our users might have had to drive hundreds of kilometres potentially to have a laptop repaired. Not only has this allowed us to save costs, but we’re able to support more people, with a better level of service.”

As both Group CFO and executive IT sponsor, Hassim sees the partnership’s value beyond technology.

“Datacentrix has supported Aurum with cost optimisation, risk mitigation and compliance, while also aligning with our NGO-specific needs, like maximising Microsoft’s Tech for Social Impact programme.

“What sets Datacentrix apart is their partnership approach. We have a direct line to senior management, right up to the Group CEO, Ahmed Mahomed, and when challenges arise, we come together quickly to find practical solutions. It goes beyond a supplier-client relationship; it’s truly a partnership based on trust, responsiveness and shared goals.”

A pandemic-prompted cloud leap

While the partnership pre-dated the pandemic, Covid-19 was a defining moment in Aurum’s digital journey and Datacentrix played a key role in guiding the organisation through its cloud transformation.

“Before Covid, we had no cloud roadmap and, with the national lockdowns, we really had to think on our feet,” says Pieterse. “Datacentrix helped us rapidly migrate more than 2,000 users to the cloud, as we adopted Microsoft’s cloud approach, including the use of Teams for instance. Datacentrix also assisted with moving our data across to SharePoint, in a project spanning a few years. 

“Our Microsoft cloud adoption now sits above 80 percent, well above average for organisations our size.”

Preparing for the future

Looking ahead, Aurum and Datacentrix are exploring new frontiers, including AI and improved end-user cybersecurity training, with support from Datacentrix’s socio-economic development initiatives.

“We're working with Datacentrix on cybersecurity awareness campaigns aimed at end users, including training and certification. Keeping staff aware and vigilant is critical,” says Pieterse.

Through shared purpose, agility and a deep understanding of Aurum’s operating environment, Datacentrix has become more than an IT supplier, it’s a long-term strategic partner.

“Our partnership with Datacentrix has spanned a decade, and one factor that has made for an excellent journey together is the fact that they are always willing to listen to what we’d like to achieve, and collaborating with us, instead of just telling us what they think we should do,” Pieterse adds.

“We wouldn't still be working together if we didn’t believe in the value Datacentrix brings to the table,” says Hassim. “In tough times, like during the Covid crisis or the recent US government funding cuts, Datacentrix has stood by us. That’s when ‘fair-weather friends’ reveal themselves, as do – such as in this case – true partnerships.”

“Datacentrix is a strategic partner committed to enabling client success, especially in mission-driven environments like that of The Aurum Institute,” comments Natasha Oosthuizen, Commercial Business Unit Sales Manager at Datacentrix. 

“Supporting an agile, high-impact organisation such as Aurum over the past decade has meant deeply understanding their operational realities and adapting our services to meet their evolving needs. We're proud to contribute to the vital work Aurum does in advancing healthcare across Africa, and look forward to continuing this impactful partnership,” she concludes.