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2021 04 22 Media Release: Garden Route DM helps Non-Profit Organisations and students with funding support

Garden Route DM helps Non-Profit Organisations and students with funding support

For Immediate Release
22 April 2021

An annual highlight for the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is when the institution is able to finalise and officially hand over its committed funding support to students and Non-Profit Organisations (NPO). This year, the GRDM supported fourteen (14) NPOs, as well as twenty-two (22) students who are studying towards accredited NQF qualifications; some are studying degrees such as Chemical Engineering, Tourism, Computer Science or LLB Law.

During his keynote address, Alderman Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor for GRDM, said: “We supported NPOs with R210 000.00, even though we all face tough budget cuts because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also provided funding support to the tone of R510 000.00 to students, which was partly funded by the Western Cape Provincial Treasury.”

He also alluded to the fact that “we are the poorest of all eight (8) municipalities in the Garden Route, and we have been told that we often punch about our weight”. However, he stated that the GRDM would continue to try its best to help communities as far as possible.”

Ald. Booysen pleaded for external bursary recipients to never forget where they are coming from, particularly for what their parents fought for. “Do not forget your grannies, fathers, uncles and aunts, amongst others; some of them had to drop out from school to make money and support their family members who had dreams of studying further.

Ald. Booysen asked: “What does the future hold for South Africans?” He then answered: “I do not have answers to where our country will be in the near future, but the GRDM is trying its best to play a small part in the solution.” 

When referring to students, he said: “I am optimistic about your futures and that you will not drop out – that you will shine and make a success of this opportunity”.

The Human Resources Manager at GRDM, Ms Nontobeko Klaas, highlighted that the municipality places an advertisement in newspapers, social media (Facebook and Twitter) around the beginning of October annually. This call-to-action is intended to invite students and families who require assistance with funding their studies to apply for such support. Cllr Rowan Spies, who was the programme director of the handover ceremony, also boasted about the GRDM Education, Training and Development Committee he serves on. He said: “Mayor, without undermining the efforts of other committees I serve on; this specific committee gives us the most gratification because of the impact it has on communities”.

During the address by Mr Siphiwe Dladla, GRDM Chief of Staff, he provided a brief background of the Grant-in-Aid support offered by the Mayor’s office. He said: “We advertise during November or December, but the COVID-19 pandemic shifted our deadlines to January 2021”. He further added: “We received forty (40) applications and had to utilise internal policy directives to guide our selection process. Currently, we focus on NPOs who work with causes such as HIV/AIDS, Senior Citizens, Disabled, Youth and Substance Abuse.” 

WORDS OF APPRECIATION 

One of the recipients of an external bursary for BCom Accounting through the University of the Western Cape, Mr Lizalise Gamane, said: “This financial contribution towards me and others is a gesture of confidence in us as the youth of the Garden Route – it provides a great deal of hope for families who are here. Children from marginalised families now also have the opportunity to study and eventually support their families when landing jobs in their respective career fields”. 

Ms Elmarie Maxim delivered a word of appreciation on behalf of the NPOs by saying that beneficiaries are honoured and happy for the gesture by the GRDM to support them.

“We are all trying to recover from the adverse financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. NPOs need to constantly look for funding, at the same time, it remains difficult for us to find such support, especially after the public offered so much support since 2020 ,” she said.

NPO Recipients (in no particular order).

List of NPOs who received funding support:

  1. Golden Movement Service Centre – Knysna/ Karatara 
  2. Epic Sports Project – Kleinbrak River 
  3. The Plett Aid Foundation – Plett 
  4. Outeniqua Dawn – George 
  5. Paul M.Draay soup drive – Mossel Bay 
  6. The Living cornerstone alzeimers res – Sedgefield 
  7. Smiling ducks Educare – Albertinia 
  8. J-Square empowerment – Riversdale 
  9. Knysna Association for Persons with Disabilities – Knysna 
  10. Vermont Old Age Home – Knysna 
  11. Hephziba Solutions – Sedgefield 
  12. Youth for Change – Plett 
  13. Linos – Calitzzdorp
  14. Tinkerland Nursery School – Knysna 

External Bursary Recipients (in no particular order):

Please note that some of the recipients were represented at the handover ceremony by their parents.

  1. Jose Rossouw
  2. Zukhanye Marikeni
  3. Lizalise Gamana
  4. Zanda Ncedani
  5. Leighton Cherry
  6. Teddy Thomo
  7. Johannes Van Wyngaard
  8. Lynne Erasmus
  9. Jaylin Opperman
  10. Luciano Cobrim Trantraal
  11. Sanelisiwe MgQobhozi
  12. Sandre Adams
  13. Anjahlay Julene
  14. Cajtlin Samatha
  15. Robert Swart
  16. Alutha Althea
  17. Shurenay Magan Jacobs
  18. Heimne Giselle Elizabeth Esau
  19. Ngamela Matiwane
  20. Ernest Lamprecht
  21. Wayiene Windwaai
  22. Annie Muller
    List of Grant In Aid Applications for year 2021:

    1 Golden Movement Service Centre Sandalina Afrika
    6 Hospice Plett Cecily van Heerden
    10 Epic Sports Project Nicolaas Bezuidenhot
    12 Outeniqua Dawn Xoliswa Bomvana
    13 Paul M.Draay Soup Drive William Sam
    14 The Living Cornestone Alzeimers Res Gilda Scammell
    15 Smiling Ducks Educare Arita Terblanche
    16 J-Square Empowerment Justin van Rensburg
    17 Knysna Association for Persons with disabilities Veronique Fortune
    19 Vermont Old Age Home Magdallena Hillary Brouwers
    29 Hephziba Solutions Cleone Vanstone
    37 Youth For Change Sithenkosi Innocent Bobani
    38 Linos Coffee Christolino Pêrel
    39 Tinkerland Nursery School Elmarie Maxim

View the video recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PceyEOjKE1E 

ENDS