The global pandemic has had an enormous impact on all of us. As you would expect in this environment it has been unsettling for our beneficiaries due to the impact of the lockdowns on the actual amount of school time available to get through the required curricula – made more difficult by a lack of their own and the schools access to online infrastructure and resources, and the isolation they have experienced. Despite this, I think they have adapted and coped remarkably well.
Mambesi Matiwana
Mambesi continues to perform extremely well academically and is in her final Matric year. She applied to the University of Cape Town as well as Stellenbosch University for next year to study accounting and look to qualify as a Chartered Accountant. This week she received conditional acceptance from UCT, so her dream gets a little closer. Whilst she has enjoyed learning to play golf she has not mastered the craft (sounds like most of us!) so she has naturally focussed on her academic work as well as continuing to help in her community and attending drama classes in Hermanus. Anton van Wyk from PwC is assisting Mambesi to apply for a bursary from PWC to attend University and to go on to do her articles at PwC, and she has reached the interview stage.
Damien Bantom
Damien, who is keen to study architecture / draughting, is in Grade 11 (year before Matric) and has been really focussed on improving his academic marks now that he has a chosen route he would like to follow as a career. He has excelled on the golfing front, currently playing off an index of 4.4. He has a quiet determination about him and is developing into a mature and assured youngster. He is in desperate need of a proper set of clubs, having reached his current handicap using hand me downs which have been kindly donated by members, to which end we have had him fitted and ordered a full set of irons which we have put on our needs list for funding. Thereafter we intend to enter him into Boland tournaments as he has the ability and talent to hold his own.
Marlon Blaauw
Marlon unfortunately has had many challenges, not only on the personal / family front, but has also struggled academically. He enjoyed the golf and performed well, getting to a 9.2 index. It has been a rollercoaster ride with him, with many issues of honesty, integrity, commitment and application having been a problem. I have spent the past 18 months providing additional one-on-one guidance, mentoring and help with tuition. After much deliberation the Trustees have made the very difficult decision to rescind his membership of the Trust based on the seriousness of many of the transgressions.
Costs for the year ahead
Looking to the future, our estimated costs for the year ahead are expected to be in the region of R200 000 made up of the following categories of expenses:
| R10 000 | School Tuition / clothing |
| R24 000 | Data for online tuition |
| R120 000 | Transport to school, golf and drama classes (driver, fuel, maintenance and insurance) |
| R18 000 | Golf Coaching and tournament entry fees and travel costs |
| R6 000 | Books and stationery |
| R22 000 | Set of clubs and putter for Damien |
Should you be willing to contribute, we are able to provide a SARS tax certificate for tax exemption purposes. You will be sent one on request.
Donations can be made by EFT to
Arabella Education Scholarship Foundation Trust
Nedbank
Cheque account 1129145379 (use your name + “/Donation” as reference)
Alternatively, secure card donations can be made on this website using the Donate / Subscribe buttons in the column on the right.
With thanks for your past support, and my sincerest hope you remain safe, healthy and COVID free.
Kevin Sutcliffe
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees