Educational Trust

Waterberg Academy Educational Trust

Our learners are drawn from the local towns like Vaalwater, Modimolle, Lephalale, Polokwane as well as from Gauteng , Botswana and Zimbabwe.

The purpose of the Waterberg Academy Educational Trust is to provide financial assistance to selected young people from Vaalwater and its surroundings, that will enable them to attend the Waterberg Academy and benefit from the superior, rounded education it is able to offer.

The Trust has been established as an entity separate from the school, with its own Trustees, Principles and banking account. It has been registered as a Public Benefit Organisation in terms of the income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962.

Furthermore the Trust has been approved for the purposes of section 18A(1)(a) of the Act, in terms of which donations to the Trust from South African residents will be tax deductible in the hands of the donors according to the provision of this section.

We aspire to change the lives of those young people in The Waterberg region of South Africa who dare to dream of an education and a future.

A Bursary Fund was established, the purpose of which is to assist children, especially those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, to attend the Academy. Candidates are required to satisfy a range of criteria set by the Trustees. These include meeting minimum academic standards needed to be able to cope with the academic standard of the Academy; behavioural and cultural attitudes compatible with those of the Academy; and evidence to satisfy the Trustees that parents or guardians of the candidates are unable to afford the fees.

Bursaries can be awarded for any grade at the Academy. They cover all or part of the tuition fees of successful candidates, at the discretion of the Trustees, according to the needs of the child concerned and the funds available. Boarding fees are not included. Even in the case of a full bursary being awarded, parents or guardians of successful candidates will be obliged to contribute towards the fees an amount based on a percentage of their monthly income. Bursaries are awarded for a year at a time, but are renewable annually, provided that the recipient continues to satisfy the academic and behavioural criteria set; and that funds are available for disbursement.

A Scholarship Fund was established, the purpose of which is to attract and retain scholars in the high school (Grades 8 to 12) of exceptional academic ability and character. The objective of this programme is to create academic role models in the school and to offer outstanding scholars an opportunity to develop leadership skills in the school community related to their academic excellence. Scholarships are awarded only for tuition fees; they cover all or part of these fees of successful candidates, at the discretion of the Trustees; and are notionally awarded for the full five year period of high school, subject to the successful candidate continuing to achieve outstanding academic performance while continuing to comply with normal behavioural requirements of the Academy. Parents or guardians are required to cover all fees other than tuition fees, irrespective of the nature of the scholarship.

Please send confirmation of payment details using a ref­er­ence, to finance@waterbergacademy.co.za

Donations to Waterberg Educational Trust

As a donor, you can choose to support either or both of these two funds; or you can allow the Trustees to allocate your donations as they deem appropriate.

The trustees are appointed on a voluntary basis, and the financial accounts are administered by the Academy’s Financial Department at no cost to the Trust. Thus the only administrative costs incurred by the Trust are those relating to banking and auditing charges.

Benefactors who provide us with contact details (to finance@waterbergacademy.co.za) will receive regular reports on the performance of the Trust, including an annual audited financial statement and a report on the performance of the bursary and scholarship recipients.

 UK benefactors may make donations through Brighter Start.

Brighter Start assists charities in Sub-Saharan Africa whose aims include advancing education of under 25s by developing their mental, physical and moral capabilities to enable them to generate a sustainable income and become self-sufficient. The charity is registered for Gift Aid. If you are a UK tax-payer, the charity will claim an additional 25p tax rebate for every £1 you give, and the tax rebate is also donated in full to Waterberg Academy. A Gift Aid form can be sent on request.

Benefactors in the United States of America are advised that both the Waterberg Academy and the Waterberg Academy Educational Trust have been deemed to be the equivalent of a United States public charity as described in 26 U.S.C. 501(a) and/or 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Waterberg Academy and the Trust are able to accept tax-deductible donations from US donors in partnership with the grant funding agency, CAFAmerica. In order to take advantage of this arrangement, please visit the Give Now page at CAFAmerica’s website: www.cafamerica.org.

Please send confirmation of payment details using a ref­er­ence, to finance@waterbergacademy.co.za