Support Programs

The Balule Outreach Trust

Inspire, Encourage, Empower

Current activities
supporting five programs

SAME After School Child Care Centre

Currently funding the purchase of basic nutritious food for providing carefully selected destitute families with food parcels on a weekly basis.

Educational books for supplementary daily afternoon after school lessons in English, Maths and Environmental Studies. Wonderful donations of clothing, blankets, toys donated by members of the Olifants reserves.

We have previously funded the construction of three classrooms, the clinic and an eco-friendly ablution block at the Centre.

Maseke Drop-in Centre

The Trust finances the purchase of the daily meal for the orphaned and disadvantaged children who attend the Centre five days a week after school.

The Borehole pumping system broke down and for over a year the Centre had no water, and could afford only to purchase the absolute minimum which was carefully given to each child daily.

Lizvic Cleaning Services

Last year the plight of Lizzie Mohlala, who had suffered vicious physical abuse, was brought to our attention by Ian Nowak, warden of Grietjie and chief warden of Balule. She had an extremely good reputation amongst landowners in Grietjie for the excellent cleaning and gardening services she offers. However she had purchased an unreliable vehicle from an unscrupulous individual and through her recovery and the repair downtime on her vehicle, her business was suffering.

The Trust financed the vehicle, shown above, together with Lizzie (on the right) and her staff. Her business is now thriving and on top of this she is getting sound financial planning advice from Trustee Al Pearce.This is a wonderful example of the Trust empowering our local communities as we do through many chanels.

Enviro Training Africa

Having funded the construction of the lecture room for Enviro Training Africa we now provide bursaries  for young men and women who wish to persue a career in Field Guiding.

We funded three bursary students last year for the Site Guiding course which qualifies them all to become site guides in all National Parks. One of our students subsequently was accepted for further studies at the More Community Foundation in the Sabi Sand.

We will again be sponsoring a further three bursary students this year. These students will all be selected on merit from the Acornhoek area. 

Bursary Students at Southern Cross School

For some years now the Trust has been sponsoring deseving young people at Southern Cross School in Hoedspruit in partnership with Klaserie Eco Schools.

Presently we have five bursary students who are all progressing well and two of whom, Appreciate Mugabe and Vusi Chiloane were awarded Scholarships last year which will be in effect until they have matriculated.

Southern Cross School writes the IEB matric and our bursary students have the rare privilege of receiving an outstanding education which we believe prepares them well to be future leaders in whatever field that they choose after leaving school.

We are in touch with several of our past bursary students. Only last month Trustee John Anderson received a letter from past bursary student Leonie Wiltshire in which she advised that “I am currently still studying BEng Civil Engineering at the University of Pretotria and I am going into my 4th year this year (only one more left after this one). The degree is quite challenging, but I knew this when I began, and I am enjoying the challenge”

With regard to education the Trust supports the late Nelson Mandela’s belief that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”