Deserving youngsters get scholarships

Four deserving youngsters from Vosloorus and Katlehong have been given all-expenses-paid scholarships to follow their dreams of obtaining tertiary education.

February 11, 2020

Zaid Khumalo 2 minutes read

Four lucky Vosloorus and Katlehong residents Mbali Senzani, Zekhu Kheswa, Boikgantsho Lebogo and Appiah Mosebo have each received an all-expenses paid scholarship, valued at over R170 000 each from the Peermont Education Trust (PET), a CSI initiative of Emperors Palace. They are pictured here with Peermont trustee Thembekile Makhoba (middle) after receiving their scholarship letters at an induction function at Emperors Palace on January 24. (Photograph by Yolanda van der Stoep).

The bursaries, valued at R170 000 each, were issued by the Peermont Education Trust (PET), a community social investment initiative of Emperors Palace.

After a stringent selection and interview process, the lucky candidates received their official scholarship letters at an induction function at Emperors Palace on the morning of January 24.

The top performer among the group, Appiah Mosebo of Kwa-Dukathole Comprehensive School in Katlehong matriculated with six distinctions last year and will follow his dream of studying a BSc in actuarial sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Meanwhile, Vosloorus’ Boikgantsho Lebogo, who matriculated with two distinctions from Masithwalisane Secondary School, will be heading to the University of Johannesburg to study a BCom in accounting.

ALSO READ:

Scholarships for studies in nuclear for African students, announced by Rosatom

For another Vosloorus resident, Mbali Senzani, who has always been interested in nature, this scholarship is an answer to all her prayers.

The former Lethulwazi Comprehensive School learner, who obtained two distinctions last year, says, “Cats would come into my room and a rabbit sneaked its way into our yard and lived there, and because of these experiences I developed a strong bond with nature and I decided to follow a career in ecology.”

With her mother working as a domestic worker and her father unemployed, Senzani described her family’s only means of a solid income as her brother who works at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Senzani told Kathorus MAIL that her dream seemed out of reach. But, thanks to the PET scholarship, she can now start her BSc in ecology at the University of Pretoria without any financial worries.

Another Vosloorus resident and a Lethulwazi matriculant Zekhu Kheswa, who dreams of making music, is happy to be heading to the University of the Witwatersrand to start his bachelor of music degree.

After his parents divorced, the aspiring muso moved to Vosloorus to stay with his uncle, who unfortunately died before Khwesa matriculated. Determined to have a chance to change his life and bring value to others, Kheswa worked hard and obtained one distinction, which helped him in his quest to get a PET scholarship.

Apart from having their tuition and accommodation expenses covered, getting books and a laptop each, the trust is also providing a comprehensive mentorship programme for scholarship recipients to enable them to cope and develop new skills during their time at university.

The programme covers study skills, emotional intelligence, and employability. Monthly mentorship meetings are also held with the students to ensure that they receive the much-needed socio-psychological support required.

ALSO READ:

Katlehong youngster gets Peermont Education Trust scholarship

“Over the years, we have found that we are able to increase our graduation rate by offering learners additional support throughout the year. To this end, the trust has an impressive 85 per cent graduation rate compared to the national graduation rate of 22 per cent. This is exceptional considering that the learners hail from township schools,” commented trust manager Jenny Findlay.