For the last ten years, The Waterberg Welfare Society Trust has been operating under its new and broader remit as The Waterberg Trust (TWT) supporting welfare initiatives across the Waterberg, uplifting the people.  

Quarterly reports from Sister Grace and Dr Peter Farrant detail the social welfare of the less privileged of The Waterberg. They give a measure of what TWT is seeking to address and are increasingly alarming. Major concerns include increasing substance abuse, vagrancy, absenteeism from school and general poor behaviour.

The academic performance of the local schools is deteriorating because they are underfunded and teacher vacancies are often either poorly filled or remain unfilled. However, there are encouraging factors with some teachers providing extra classes to help children catch up and prepare for their exams, along with some supporting after-school activities with sport being increasingly encouraged.

TWT initiatives include conserving the environment and helping the poorest and all the young people of the Waterberg to achieve their potential by encouraging them to stay in education.  This involves basic and simple initiatives.

By providing re-useable washable sanitary wear from the nonprofit Dignity Dreams, TWT has again met its priority this year by enabling all the adolescent girls of the Waterberg to attend school for all of every month for the five years of their secondary education.  As a result, fewer girls drop out of education because they no longer fall behind through missing school.

TWT raises funds to pay the school nurse’s salary. Sister Grace provides primary care for the medical, mental and general welfare needs of the school children of the Waterberg. She manages the distribution of the Dignity Dreams packs and instructing the girls in how to use them, when she explains accompanying leaflet on puberty and sex education.

Through dedicated Life Skills teaching sessions, Sister Grace instructs the pupils in human reproduction and sex education with the use and availability of contraception methods.  

As a direct consequence, the numbers of teenage pregnancies have reduced consistently each year.  Sister Grace supports any teenage mums with baby care instruction, guidance and provides essentials when they are not available.

In South Africa, you cannot attend school if you do not have a uniform, which is something that the poorest families in the community struggle to afford. TWT helps to provide school uniforms and shoes so that every child in the Waterberg can go to school. 

Sister Grace champions important initiatives such as four school vegetable gardens that the children cultivate. She helps the children to remain motivated and to choose subjects that will support their career choices.  

She also supports the health of the weakest in the community, distributing monthly food parcels to about seven needy households with volunteers from the “Acts of Mercy” initiative of the local St John’s Church.  

TWT provides scholarships for exceptional pupils to further education and not be held back by the poverty of their family circumstances.  For example, Elton Chitandra is a deserving and able student from the Waterberg who is an orphan living with his aunt. TWT awarded Elton a scholarship for his university tuition fees for three years. He is now in the third year of his Computer Software degree at university.

Importantly, TWT also contributes to wildlife conservation in the Waterberg by funding vehicle recognition cameras at strategic road junctions.  As a consequence, the Waterberg has lost very few rhinos to poachers in the last few years, which sadly contrasts to other areas of South Arica. 

This year, TWT has made another large donation to the Save the Waterberg Rhino initiative that has changed its name to the Waterberg Landscape Alliance (WLA). The name change was made to reflect a broader conservation remit.  

TWT sends school children on residential course at the Lapalala Wilderness School to learn about their precious environment and the diversity of species.  Educating the young in the importance of conserving the habitat results in parents becoming more aware.  

Fundraising: TWT pioneered a new circular cycle route from Cambridge across the counties of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire for its annual sponsored cycle ride that was much enjoyed by an ever increasing field of riders. Circa £13,794 was raised, beating the £10,000 target.

TWT has a number of ways you can make a donation and a Justgiving page

While there is still work to be done in enhancing the conspicuity of the Trust in the Waterberg, it has been the lead supporter of some important projects to do with health, welfare, education and the environment.

TTP have continued to provide massive support both administratively and in consultation, which is much appreciated.

Barry Burles

Chairman

June 2024