Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust

The Industrial Development Corporation is inviting students to apply for the IDC External Bursary Program, for the 2025 academic year from the 1st of June 2024 and the closing date for the applications is the 30th of September 2024.

A Bursaries Programme for Selected Learners | IDC A programme that assists selected learners who are academically talented but lack financial resources to pursue higher education.

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET), in partnership with the Nkangala In-Patient Treatment Centre, hosted a Life After Matric session at Phaphamani Secondary School in Delmas in April.

The session was attended by over 300 grades 11 and 12 learners and touched on the importance of understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses and interests; calculating APS scores for university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college entry; varied options to explore beyond matric, including university and college studies, artisan training, entering the job market and volunteering.

The session also touched on substance abuse and alerted all learners on the dangers of substances and how it hinders them from pursuing their dreams successfully.

Temoso Luvhengo joined the CRET Bursary family in 2017 after matriculating from Sekano-Ntoane Secondary School.

Temoso heard about CRET from his high school principal and a learner from his school.

“Luckily for me, I was surrounded by caring people who were willing to share information,’’ Temoso says.

‘’Mrs Mokoena, my high school principal, and Thabang Vilakazi, who was a grade ahead of me at the time, told me about the CRET bursary”, he said.

Temoso’s journey with CRET has been interesting, if not challenging.

With CRET’s support, Temoso secured his Bachelor of Accounting Science degree and then attempted his Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification. With a first attempt failure Temoso was devastated, but with the support of his CRET family, he refused to give up.

‘’I knew what I wanted, and I was determined to succeed.

CRET assisted me through my tertiary studies by visiting me on campus, providing access to the likes of Independent Counselling and Advisory Services (ICAS), and, when I was still stressed, I could easily grab a phone and call any CRET member to vent.”

Temoso currently serves on the CRET Alumni Advisory Board as Deputy Head of Social and Events.

Being part of the Alumni Advisory Board has also enabled him to give back to CRET students, as he understands the complexities associated with tertiary studies.

“I want to continue to motivate and mentor other youth because of the support I was given,” he says.

“When great minds combine, great ideas will develop on how to grow and improve the CRET programme and assist in meeting its mission, vision and objectives,” he adds.

Temosa’s advice to those struggling with their tertiary journey is to never give up.

“No matter if you fail, get up and continue,” he urges.

‘’Eventually with hard work and dedication you will succeed.”

Temosa currently works as a trainee accountant at the Auditor General of South Africa.

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) has enhanced its holistic offering for students with the introduction of a visual support project that was launched at its bi-annual holiday programme.

CRET hosted a spectacles handover in March for students who were identified to have eyesight problems. Dr Dire Thomas was in attendance to provide further information on how youth can protect their eyes and care for their new spectacles.

CRET recently hosted its students, alumni and Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation interns at a dialogue where views were shared on South Africa’s upcoming general election on 29 May 2024.

In addition to advocating for voting and putting forward facts about the benefits of voting and the type of change this may bring, the group also explored why youth may not be voting.

Th session provided a platform for the sharing of diverse perspectives, allowed participants to hear opposing viewpoints, promoted freedom of expression, and facilitated a better understanding of the Constitution and democracy.

The Innovation Hub is inviting graduates to participate in their Graduation Trainee Development Programme.

Please see this advert for more details.

Nthabiseng Moralo was born in Krugersdorp in 1998.

“My family and I were staying in a very rural area called Hartebeeshoek in the houses owned by the company my parents worked for. This place was divided into two, one section of it is named Skotiphola, and the other section named Makekeng. These sections were 5km apart and each section had 10 houses. It was a small-knitted community where everybody knew each other.”

Nthabiseng attended primary and secondary education in a small township called Munsieville. She then pursued BTech in Industrial Engineering at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Nthabiseng heard about CRET from a friend who had applied for funding. Being a go-getter and desperate for funding, Nthabiseng also applied and was overwhelmed to learn that she was selected in 2019.

Her desperation turned to elation, and she has never looked back. Nthabiseng further committed to serving CRET as best as she can, and she can proudly say she has delivered on that commitment.

“Being part of the CRET Alumni Board is overwhelming, yet amazing. I hope to add value to CRET and the alumni society. I am honoured to serve those that served me. CRET gave me a home I never knew I needed and for that I am eternally grateful”, Nthabiseng adds.

Nthabiseng currently works as an Industrial Engineer in the supply chain department at Hydac Technology.

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) implements holistic student support which is vital to ensure the successful completion of studies and the social and economic return on investment by bursary providers.

Students with potential from disadvantaged backgrounds are supported for higher education study and vocational training, and benefit from:

• mentorship and psychosocial support;
• career guidance, work-readiness development, including driver training, and work experience opportunities;
• soft skills and micro-credentials training; and
• development as skilled, committed, civic-minded leaders in society.

Support the CRET Bursary programme and be part of a transformative journey:
https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/donate/

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) enhanced its offering for its students with the introduction of a visual support project that was launched at the bi-annual holiday programme between 22 and 24 January 2024.

With the support of Dr Dire Thomas, 41 students were examined. Twenty-eight were found to have eyesight problems, leading to the distribution of spectacles for those in need.

FAKE CALL FOR BURSARY APPLICATIONS

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust has been notified of a fake post that it is looking to support 3 500 students who are struggling to pay their fees.

This is a fake post.

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust bursary applications closed on 10 December 2023. No applications are being considered at this time.

Ntsako Mathebula heads up the Education and Training portfolio of the CRET Alumni Advisory Board and has been part of the CRET family since 2010. The purpose of the Board is to act in an advisory capacityon strategic and operational matters for the effective functioning of CRET. The elected members are CRET alumni graduates who have all been supported through the programme and are in a position to provide practical and relevant advice.

Ntsako attained her BCom degree, majoring in Economics, Business Management and Human Resources, at the University of Johannesburg. She has an NQF Level 5 certification in Fundamentals of Banking and Risk Management from the University of South Africa, as well as a short course certificate in Business Systems Analysis from the University of Cape Town.

Ntsako currently works at Efficacy Payments (Pty) Ltd as a Business Analyst.

She was excited to join the alumni board as it is an opportunity to impact positively. Ntsako is passionate about seeing individuals fulfilled in their personal development and turning their goals into reality. She believes that everyone should be granted the right to access education as CRET has been ensuring over the years.

“It has been a wonderful journey with the Trust and an honour to be considered as part of the CRET family. It’s great to be part of life changing initiatives,” Ntsako said.

The Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) hosted its first 2024 biannual holiday programme from 22 – 24 January in Randburg, Johannesburg. Of the 55 students in attendance, the CRET team was pleased to induct 17 new students to the programme.

The Holiday Programme established expectations and through alumni interactions, provided valuable insights into crucial topics such as gender-based violence, mental health, mentorship, and academic success.

The Science Behind Teen Su***de Webinar- Tonight, 15 February @ 6:30pm

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An engineer by training, a banker by profession, a speaker by passion, an author by calling, and an entrepreneur by FORCE.

Ntsundeni Ndou is a village boy who matriculated from Tshivhase Secondary School in Limpopo in 2013 and is currently the Deputy Chairperson of the CRET Alumni Advisory Board. He matriculated as a top student with an average of 97%, obtaining 100% in physical sciences and geography. In January 2014, the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, invited him to the national awards as a top student in Quintile 2 schools in the whole of South Africa.

In 2017, he obtained his BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, appearing on the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment’s Dean’s list in 2014 and 2015, obtaining merit awards in all academic years. His chemical engineering research project was awarded second best in his final undergraduate year. He went further to complete an MSc in Chemical Engineering under the theme: Clean Coal Technology.

Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation awarded him the 2019 Nelson Mandela Student of the Year Award for his excellence in academics, leadership and social development.

Ntsundeni currently works in banking as an analyst.

Ntsundeni pays it forward in a rich variety of ways. He is a co-founder and director of Bono Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to improve the academic performance and career planning of young people in rural areas. He is a co-founder of Tutling, an educational app that links tutors to “tutlings”. He is the COO of Ink Matter publishers, a company that publishes emerging African authors’ books, and is himself the author of two books, “Today is to Do” and “Today is to Excel”.

Among his many accomplishments, Ntsundeni is n award-winning motivational speaker, holding the title of Southern African Champion in Humorous Speaking under Toastmasters International. He is also a recipient of the Advanced Communicator Bronze and Advanced Leader Bronze from the same organization. He served as a president of the Wits Business School Toastmasters Club on two occasions.

Read Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) end-of-year newsletter to learn more about the work of CRET:https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Cyril-Ramaphosa-Education-Trust-Newsletter-2023.pdf

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) hosted an Alumni Fundraising event and thanks its partners for contributing to the success of the evening:

• Geldhof Chocolatier for delicious chocolate hampers
• Val Aqua Alkaline Water for keeping us hydrated
• Shoprite South Africa for vouchers
• Woolworths for adding a sparkle to our guests’ gift bags
• Ginnoir Gin for exposing us to a new drinks’ sensation
• Toasted Barrels Toasted Barrels for the wonderful hamper and auction items. (Use Promo Code CRF10 when ordering online!)
• Financial Literacy with Nicolette Mashile for the books’ donation
• Cyril Madiba Empowerment Foundation for making our raffle winners believe that “Impossible is Nothing”
• The JSE Group for hosting us so graciously and professionally
• All who donated on the evening and continue to donate to our work.

To support CRET further, please scan the QR code below to donate.

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust’s (CRET) Alumni Advisory Board hosted an Alumni Fundraising and Networking cocktail event on Saturday, 2 December 2023.

The purpose of the evening was to celebrate the accomplishments of previous CRET bursary recipients, experience their development in the professional space, and to encourage alumni to share CRET’s ethos of “paying it forward”. Donations by CRET Alumni have already supported the studies of three students.

Read CRET’s end-of-year newsletter to learn more about the work of CRET:https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Cyril-Ramaphosa-Education-Trust-Newsletter-2023.pdf

# AdvisoryBoard

“Our theme for the year – as conceptualised by our beneficiary students – is “Leave No One Behind”, which speaks to our commitment to youth skills development projects and programmes for as many young people as possible.” – Chantelle Oosthuizen, CRET’s Executive Director.

Read Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust’s (CRET) end-of-year newsletter now.
https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Cyril-Ramaphosa-Education-Trust-Newsletter-2023.pdf

On Saturday 11 November, CRET and its students assisted Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation partner entity, Adopt-a-School, at its annual fundraising dinner. The students assisted on the registration desk and with the auction, which was a very successful event.

We thank Adopt-a-School for giving our students the opportunity to extend their skill set and gain invaluable organisational and interpersonal communications experience.

Doctor Sazi Nzama is the chairperson of the CRET Alumni Advisory Board and has been part of the CRET family since 2014 when he was supported to study medicine. Today he is a Surgical Medical Officer at Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

Born in Amanzimtoti, KwaZulu Natal, to a family of six siblings, Sazi was diagnosed with childhood asthma while in primary school.

“This is one of the worst conditions to grow up with,’’ he says.

After several encounters in and out of hospital, he was motivated, at a young age, to become a medical doctor and assist those that suffered as he did.

Growing up with a teacher for a mother, Sazi believed education zto be the most crucial tool to possess in life.

“With time, I understood that the knowledge acquired through education and reading is the most invaluable resource that I can possess”, he says.

Sazi’s advice to young people is that they should remember that we all come from different walks of life.

“It is safe to say we are all unique individuals. Remember that this is not a race or a competition. Start well and finish strong!”

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) in partnership with Adopt-a-School Foundation, recently hosted a career day at Diepsloot Combined School to share information on options available to youth upon matriculating.

Speakers on the day motivated learners on options they can explore should they be accepted or not for university study.

Learners were keen to explore other options besides university, with some saying they would like to look for employment.

Other themes that emerged from the session included the following:
• leaners who wish to go to university but have not applied for funding;
• misinformation on career paths; and
• the role of technology on the future of work.

The major contributor to intergenerational poverty, inequality and unemployment among young people is low levels of education and skills development. CRET is passionate about skills development and believes that youth must be provided with adequate information to make informed decisions about future careers and livelihoods.

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), through the Directorate: International Scholarships, is facilitating several international scholarships that are available to all eligible South Africans.

The scholarships are for all levels of study, including diplomas, undergraduate degrees, masters, PhDs, Postdocs and short mobility programmes. The purpose of this is to increase higher education access and participation, create a pool of academics who will continue to teach, and get scholarships for technical and vocational studies.

DHET also provides financial support to augment what the international partner is already providing, as well as student support services throughout the course of study.

Basic eligibility criteria for scholarships
• must be a South African citizen;
• have at least 60-65% average for previous studies;
• must meet the entry requirements for a similar field of study at a South African university;
• meet deadlines for the submission of application, complete the application form correctly, and submit all required documents as identified in the call for applications.

NOTE: Comprehensive eligibility criteria are specified on each call.

Scholarships currently open for applications:
• United Kingdom: Chevening Scholarship, which is a one-year taught master’s degree.
• Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, which is a PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.
• Chile Government Scholarship for a master’s degree.
Upcoming scholarships that will be open for applications soon:
• Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, PhD, and short mobility programmes. An online session will be held on this scholarship on 02 Nov 2023. To join, register here: dc6dde82-573d-4b0c-9e8f-a03329232a49@089f80dc-4337-4cd3-a332-5e782b847570" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/dc6dde82-573d-4b0c-9e8f-a03329232a49@089f80dc-4337-4cd3-a332-5e782b847570
• Chinese Government Scholarship for language, bachelor’s, master’s, PhD and mobility programmes. An online information session will be held on 16 Nov 2023 on this scholarship. Register here: b953a534-26fc-409c-be8f-d8e65a1ffce8@089f80dc-4337-4cd3-a332-5e782b847570" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b953a534-26fc-409c-be8f-d8e65a1ffce8@089f80dc-4337-4cd3-a332-5e782b847570
• Russian Government Scholarship for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. An online information session will be held on 29 November 2023 on this scholarship. To register: ea0d1ed1-41f8-408a-bddc-c489f7444053@089f80dc-4337-4cd3-a332-5e782b847570" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ea0d1ed1-41f8-408a-bddc-c489f7444053@089f80dc-4337-4cd3-a332-5e782b847570
• World in Serbia Scholarship programme for diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s and PhD.
• Mauritius-Africa Scholarship for diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s and PhD.

More information is available on the website: www.Internationalscholarships.dhet.gov.za

For all enquiries email: [email protected]

Eleven Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) student beneficiaries recently registered for a Southern Labs Institute of Technology upskilling programme, where they took part in courses such as Applied Software Development and Low Code Mobile App Dev.

From the 11, five were selected based on their excellent performance to visit the Huawei HQ Exhibition centre and Innovation Lab in Shenzhen, China.

Besides further network training, students were privileged to experience several local tours, including to Window of the World and the China Folk Culture Village.

CRET congratulates the students on their selection for this wonderful educational experience.

The major contributor to intergenerational poverty, inequality and unemployment among young people is low levels of education and skills development.

There are available options to continue schooling or training if matric is failed, including the option to rewrite the exams.

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust encourages students who did not succeed in obtaining their matriculation qualification to not give up and to explore available options to continue their education and training. Read this article on the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation website about available options to continue schooling or training.

https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/further-education-and-training-options-besides-matric/

Further Education and Training Options Besides Matric - Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation 6 September 2023 In August this year the Department of Basic Education reported that over 279 000 students enrolled for the May/June matric examination rewrite. However, this represented only 60% of the candidates who were eligible to rewrite. This is concerning as it potentially disadvantages a lar...

“Time management is important for students, to balance their studies and other daily activities. It refers to the process of organising and planning how to arrange one’s time between different activities.”

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust compiled helpful tips for students to effectively manage time. Read the full article on the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation’s website: https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/ways-for-students-to-manage-their-time/

Signs of a great future - Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation 20 June 2023 Sharlotte Mkansi, Youth and Skills Development Administrator of Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET), a Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation partner entity, recently gained the thoughts of Vianka Gounden, a hearing-impaired student that CRET supports, about South Africa’s recognition of sign ...

Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET) hosted its mid-year holiday programme from 14 - 16 July.

CRET-supported students attended the programme where they interacted in talk sessions on various topics, including the importance of mentorship and psychosocial support. This was also a great opportunity for the students to get to know their fellow peers and form friend groups.

CRET implements a holistic bursary and youth development programme with wrap-around support.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela