It’s a matter of Trust: changing the lives of local students
Champion of many an upliftment project in Plettenberg Bay over the years, Rosemary Murray penned this overview of Bitou Community Educational Trust success stories
Our Plett, our education, our future. These are the words of Bongeka Ntlanga, a third-year student at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University studying for a degree in Media, Communications and Culture.
They epitomise the aspirations of the youth of Bitou for opportunities to study further post matriculation.
And so in 2008, aware of this growing need for financial assistance for further study, a small group of residents established Bitou Community Educational Trust.
The Board of Trustees pres-ently consists of two teach-ers, two social workers, a lay preacher, a former mayor and an administrator. All members give of their services freely and act as mentors to the students.
Students are required to send mid-year and final exam results, and furnish proof of registration at the start of each year of study. The Trust is registered with the Master of the Supreme Court and submits reports to them and the Receiver annually. Its finances are audited by Mazars.
With limited funding the Trustees awarded three scholarships, one to each of the top students from each of Bitou’s public high schools.
Today, Nokubonga Ncera is a qualified lawyer. “My life would have been very different had I not received the fi-nancial assistance from you.” Well done, Nokubonga, we are all proud of you.
The Trust has entered into a relationship with Trustees of the John Bell Educational Trust (JBET) and R250,000 is made available for further study at a registered Public Institute of Higher Learning.
Today, the Trust has 25 students at universities and universities of technology from Durban to Cape Town, on bursaries of R10,000 each. However, it is unable to cope with the growing need of the Bitou youth.
Once a bursary is awarded, students are automatically assisted until they graduate. So each year only a limited number of new bursaries are available, despite receiving over 50 applications. Sourcing funds is not easy.
We are aware that there are many residents in Plett who would like to assist but perhaps do not know what they could do. A group or organisation might wish to sponsor a student by raising Rl0,000 annually.
Rotary and Bitou Municipality also award bursaries but this is still not enough, and it is necessary for more students to be assisted.
At the end of 2014, nine of our students obtained distinctions in their final exams. Three students gradu¬ated: Likhoha Bauhti with a BCom in Finance, Petro Andrews obtained a BCom Accounting, and Sive Nombombo qualified as the first African female Quantity Surveyor in Bitou.
Both Likhona and Petro are continuing with post graduate studies. Sive is working part- time at Chauke. The Trust is proud of their achievements against remarkable odds.
Appreciation for the assis¬tance was received from Petro. And in a letter to the Trust, Sive wrote: “In a community where many find it difficult to attain financial support to further their studies, it meant more than the thousands you contributed.
“Thank you for recognising our hunger for education and simply being part of our support system through the journey. We can never forget you. You’ve been a great example of help.
“Today I personally feel responsible in continuing to be who I believe I was meant to be and help others realise their dreams – and that responsibility is not a burden but a privilege.”
For further information contact
Chairperson Andrew Smith on 071 265 3819 or at andrew@plettcommunitychurch.co.za or
Rosemary Murray on 072 202 7273 or at rosemarym@telkomsa.net