The feel-good of helping others
By Kim Browne
Earlier this week we were privileged to attend the annual Atterbury Trust bursary student event. Held at Die Klubhuis, Atterbury’s impressive HQ, the get-together allows the many studying students and alumni, who all received study bursaries from the trust, to meet and mingle with each other, Atterbury staff and donors.
Atterbury Trust specifically assists students whose family circumstances are of such a nature that they will not be able to study without the financial assistance of a bursary.
But it’s not all about financial assistance. Through a mentorship and coaching programme Atterbury Trust assists the promotion of students’ emotional wellness in many other ways too. Once students have graduated and have entered the labour market, the trust’s network often assists with finding employment.
Students don’t get their bursaries for free. Once they start working, they pay off the bursary as a student loan. In this way the next wave of bursaries can again help many others who cannot afford studying on their own.
Two students spoke with complete gratitude about how much they value the opportunity provided by the trust. These stories made us feel so grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to educate ourselves.
Managing trustee Zahn Hulme explained in a heartfelt way how important it is for Atterbury to give back. She also provided amazing statistics that underscore the success of the trust. One telling number is that students on the bursary scheme have maintained an average successful completion rate of no less than 97% over the 20 years of the trust’s existence.
That’s really impressive and attests to the fact that given the opportunity, people usually step up to whatever challenges await. The importance of realizing what a fantastic opportunity these bursary students have received and that they should embrace it and not waste it was eloquently emphasized by Atterbury co-founder and CEO Louis van der Watt.
If you’d like to share the love and support the further education of students with potential who do not have the financial means to pay for their studies, please consider donating to Atterbury Trust and Atterbury Foundation, the two charitable trusts in the Atterbury stable: https://atterburytrust.org/atterbury-foundation/
But for now it’s time for March Madness! On 1 April The Toast turns eight and we can’t wait to see what the universe has in store for us…
See you soon.
