 |
In 2003, The Wilson Foundation helped establish and build an independent (private) school in the Vaalwater area of South Africa. The Waterberg Academy is the first independent school of its kind in the area. Previously, families with financial means had to use the government schools or send their children to boarding schools in larger cities. What began as a modest initiative led by Trisha Wilson and others has now expanded into a full-fledged school community. Other funders have become involved, helping to expand the primary school buildings and construct a new Assembly Hall and Cafeteria. The new high school and a boarding facility opened in January 2007.
Visit the Waterberg Academy's website: www.waterbergacademy.co.za
The Wilson Foundation is committed to providing quality education to the most needy in the Vaalwater community, and currently provides bursaries (scholarships) to a number of Waterberg Academy students annually. This financial support covers expenses for tuition, uniforms, supplies and field trips.
These scholarship students come from the nearby Leserding township, where there are few with continuous access to electricity and virtually no computers. These students have no one at home who can assist with homework or otherwise support and reinforce the education they receive at Waterberg Academy. In addition to providing scholarship assistance, we also now provide funding for an after-school tutoring program at the school, to help these students with homework and provide academic support.
The primary language of the native Africans in the region is Northern Sotho, and when the youngest students come to the Waterberg Academy, most do not know English. To address this need we employ a teacher-facilitator bilingual in Northern Sotho and English, who assists the youngest students as they learn to speak English.
Our scholarship recipients for the current year are as follows:
Klaas — Grade 000
|
Karabo — Grade 00
|
Lizzy — Grade 00
|
Aly — Grade 1
|
Albert — Grade 1
|
Moses — Grade 2
|
Xolisa — Grade 3
|
Kiewiet — Grade 5
|
Sindi — Grade 10
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The Wilson Foundation currently provides four-year college scholarships to several deserving high school students. In South Africa, the Foundation supports the efforts of The Waterberg Academy, Dibaphofu School, and Meetsetshehla High School. Click here to view more images. |
|
|
 |
|
|
Dibaphofu is a small rural primary school, situated on the Bakkers Pas road just outside the town of Vaalwater. The school currently serves approximately 30 students, down from over 100 students only a few years ago. The school has no electricity and no running water. The children's single meal of the day is prepared by the 'Helping Mother' over an open fire on the cement floor of a small cooking pavilion. Half of Dibaphofu's students are AIDS orphans who live at the school full-time because they have nowhere else to go.
Trisha Wilson and The Wilson Foundation first began working with Dibaphofu School over eight years ago, and since that time the Foundation has made numerous enhancements to the school to improve conditions for teachers and students. The Foundation has been responsible for plastering and repainting the school buildings, building two new sleeping rooms for the teachers, and installing two water tanks and a generator to pump water from the river to the tanks. We have also created a vegetable garden and have taught the children to garden and grow their food. This spring, The Wilson Foundation delivered donations of school and art supplies to the children of Dibaphofu, donated by U.S. schoolchildren. The Wilson Foundation remains dedicated to improving conditions for the students at Dibaphofu, and acts as their advocate with the Education Authorities in South Africa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meetsetshehla High School was founded by local civic leaders and business owners Peter and Janet Farrant, who responded to the need for quality public education by donating land on which to build a local high school. Meetsetshehla High School is committed to providing an excellent standard of education, and to integrate academic, cultural and sporting programs, spiritual and emotional development, and social awareness. The Wilson Foundation supports the mission of this local high school and its ongoing success in educating students to become productive, contributing members of the community.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
