Educational excellence in the Bot River community

The community of Bot River is actively involved in investing in the future of their children. BEF  (Bot River Education Foundation)is a voluntary association established in 2005 with the aim to motivate and encourage students in the Bot River community to study in the fields of engineering, accounting and medicine by a carefully constructed mentoring programme.

The wine producers of Bot River want to assist the promotion of educational excellence in Bot River and have created the annual Barrel Race to raise funds to support  catering  to the needs of the BEF.

High school students from Bot River who excel in mathematics, accounting and physical science are placed in a mentoring programme. The programme consists of motivational mentoring and tutoring contact sessions. The role of the mentors is to visit students at home and to gather important positive or negative influences affecting their academic or psychological development. The aim is to inculcate ownership of their future and to give guidance where necessary.

Consensus was reached that although BEF is not a bursary fund, the organization will attempt where needed to financially support the students at secondary as well as tertiary level. Financial assistance however will only be given after mentoring of the chosen students by individuals within BEF in order to safe guard the investment.

Twenty two (22) students are currently enrolled in the 2010 BEF mentoring programme. Eighteen (18) are at school grade 10-12 and four (4) students are at university studying accounting, nursing and radiography. The most important achievement is the support given by the entire community. The community has embraced the programme as a vehicle for the resurgence of university graduates from their beloved Bot River, which will not only benefit the Western Cape, but although minute also contribute towards the development of our country.