The Jacob G Zuma RDP Education Trust, which was established in 1995 by its Patron, His Excellency President Jacob G Zuma, has touched the lives of over 20 000 young people.

On an annual basis, the Trust provides bursaries to students and learners to enable them to access educational opportunities. It also strives to inculcate these young people with marketable skills by assisting them in identifying employment support services, mentorship and in-service opportunities in collaboration with employers in South Africa.

For the current academic year, the Trust is supporting 1200 young people and the majority of them are studying at institutions of higher learning in various parts of the country.

While the majority of Trusts beneficiaries are from Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, its strategic objective is to extend its reach to all the Provinces within the next three to five years. This growth is supported by many former beneficiaries, who believe that their own life-altering experiences with the Trust should also be extended to other. In this regard, Thabisile Mpofana (24) a beneficiary of the Trust since 2006, when she was studying towards a Bachelor of Medical Science (Anatomy) at the University of Kwazulu-Natal said it is my wish that more people could dedicate themselves to helping young people achieve their goals. In order to have a better South Africa that is free from drugs, we must invest more money in education. Mpofana has just completed her Honours Degree in Medical Physiology and is working at the University of Kwazulu-Natal as a Research Assistant in the Physiology Department.

For more...www.jacobzumatrust.org.za