With this fund we assist students from the greater Coffee Bay area to enter into, or complete, their tertiary education. The alumni are well-positioned to make a career for themselves and provide much needed role models in the Coffee Bay area.
What we do
Our partnership with the South African College of Tourism and Tracker Academy offers bursaries to local youths to pursue qualifications in both fields. The bursaries are worth R80 000 – R120 000 per student per year.
We also support ambitious high school graduates with their applications to university and the related grants or scholarships.
The South African College of Tourism (SACT) is based in Graaff Reinet and is funded by the Anton Rupert Foundation and many other donors. It is a college that teaches hospitality management mostly to ladies (18 – 35 years). Students gain a broad understanding of hospitality work, including front office, food and beverage services, culinary skills and housekeeping.
The Tracker Academy is situated at Samara Game Reserve, outside Graaff Reinet in the Karoo semi-desert biome. It is the first school of its kind in Southern Africa. Young males receive an intense 1 year course on conservation ethics, life skills and a guiding qualification. We secured our first bursary for 2012 and have received 1-2 bursaries per year so far. Half the year is spent at Samara and the other half at Londolozi Game Reserve.
What we’ve achieved so far
In the years that we have run this fund:
- 24 ladies have graduated from the South African College of Tourism;
- 6 men have graduated from the Tracker Academy;
- Over 200 community members have been supported with applications to jobs, university, bursaries and other access issues such as sending emails, conducting online research and more.
We received the first 3 bursaries for the SACT in 2011 and since then have secured two per year with 100% pass rate. Our hope is that as well as employment experience within hospitality, some of these ladies will one day open their own business (restaurant or B&B).
Overall, 98% of our graduates are in meaningful employment within the hospitality industry and across the country in game reserves.
After matric I was just staying at home doing nothing. My mother did not have money to send me to school. I came to Sustainable Coffee Bay to apply for South African College of Tourism scholarship. We did all the interviews and assessments. Then I got a call in November that I was selected. I was so excited I wanted to go as soon as possible! I learnt a lot in the year I was attending SACT and then I was accepted for a job at Coffee Shack when I graduated. I really like my job especially in the bar because I get to meet with different people and make new friends. Working with people is nice.
Vuya: South African College of Tourism Graduate and Bartender at Coffee Shack
We still want to…
We would like to be able to offer more support to the wider community for those applying for tertiary education or employment and in doing so we need your support. Please ask us how you can help.
Why we do what we do
Tourism in Coffee Bay comes a close second to government grants in terms of income in the area; highlighting unemployment levels sitting steadily at a horrifying 75%.
By offering opportunities in skills development and by extension employment, we are helping to break the cycle of poverty facing many families in the area.
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