The Mitchell’s Plain Bursary and Role Model Trust (MPBRMT) held its fifth bursary awards ceremony at Beacon Hill High School hall on Saturday May 6.
The aim of the trust is to give Mitchell’s Plain students the opportunity to access tertiary education so that they will in turn become active role models.
The trust has assisted 107 students over the past six years.
According to co-founder of the MPBRMT, Jeremy Michaels, the trust has spent about R3 million thus far.
On Saturday the MPBRMT awarded bursaries to the value of R1.35 million, to 50 students.
Mr Michaels said in addition to those students who had been studying at tertiary institutions last year, this were 17 new recipients had been drawn from each of the 16 high schools in Mitchell’s Plain.
Trevor Manuel, founder of the MPBRMT, who previously served as Minister of Finance and also Minister in the Presidency responsible for planning, said the trust was working hard to assist young, talented pupils to realise their dreams.
At the event, Mr Manuel announced that the trust now had a special bursary award in memory of Anthony George, a disabled community activist from Tafelsig who passed away early this year.
“In January, this amazing man passed on, a passionate community worker.
“He was moved by the ceremony last year and wanted to make a contribution. Bearing in mind that he doesn’t earn much money, within a few days we received a R1 000 in the trust bank account,” he said.
Mr Manuel said the Anthony George award would go to any person with special needs, in honour of his community service and activism.
Mr Manuel said the trust assisted students with registration and/or tuition fees for studies at higher education institutions and Further Education and Training colleges.
He added that all funds were raised from individuals, corporations and companies and thanked those who had made contributions to the trust. “Without community mobilisation in support of education, there will be little prospect of placing education at the centre of our collective efforts to confront the scourges of poverty, inequality and the hold which drugs and gangsterism have over the lives of so many,” he said.
Email them on admin@mpbursarytrust.org.za or log on to the website http://mpbursarytrust.org.za for more information.
