About the Trust
Preparing for the future
The Trust has been providing quality secondary schooling for talented children in South Africa since 1997.
Our scholars, boys and girls, have received a quality education at 4 schools in Grahamstown in South Africa (St Andrew’s college, Diocesan School for Girls, Victoria School for Girls and Graeme college).
We are grateful to local educational experts (current and retired teachers) in Grahamstown who identify children whose lives would really benefit from our support. Financial need and suitable aptitude are the criteria used for awarding Harry Birrell Scholarship.
The goal is to provide a quality educational start in life for children who would not get this opportunity without our support. We hope that the children on leaving secondary school will be suitably prepared to go on to make a success of their lives.
Photographs of the children and schools.
Future Plans
Our immediate goal is to pay for the secondary education of 2 children leaving the Good Shepherd School each year. We want to support the education of 10 children a year ( a girl and boy in each secondary school year group).
The Good Shepherd is the oldest Anglican school building in South Africa, founded in 1844. It is now a state primary school with 245 pupils, all Xhosa speaking, who are taught in English.
Fees for good secondary education in Grahamstown start from R8,400 (approximately £700/year), compared to the R3,500 (approximately £35/year) a parent would pay annually for a child to get a good primary education at the Good Shepherd.
Photos of the good Shepherd School
We will also continue to sponsor a President Award Scheme “Outdoor event”. This comprises of a trek to a farm about 20km outside Grahamstown where the children set up a campsite and play adventure games and participate in night time observations. Boys from St Andrew’s college lead the trip and over 30 “last year” learners from the Good Shepherd school make up the party. For the majority of the Good Shepherd children this is their first experience of the African bush.
Photos of the Outdoor weekend event