Adama Wines Bursary programme is gaining momentum
The HER Wine Collection team is excitedly following the paths of their first two bursary candidates as they prepare for their first set of exams. The year started in a flurry of administrative activity as deposits were paid, stationary was acquired and laptops were formatted to set up these aspirant young women for success. Great was the anticipation for the start of something new, as for both of them, no-one in their families had ever had the chance to study further.
“While producing female winemakers in South Africa is important,” says HER Wines winemaker Praisy Dlamini, “empowering women to impact all facets of society is paramount. Obtaining a tertiary qualification is so much more than getting the chance to get a higher paying job, it is a chance to learn soft skills like confidence and self-discipline, to network amongst peers on the same journey, to explore the world and find a place in it. This bursary prepares these young women for the world of work in a way that they get to make an impact on it, rather than the other way around.”
“We are committed to walking a path with these two young people,” continues Praisy. “Providing the funding is just part of our contribution, we want to share with them what we have learnt on our journeys thus far, in the hope that they will one day realise their own dreams.”
LeeGail Wagner is studying Marketing at Boland College in Paarl and approaching her exams with an impressive term mark. Her family is really proud of her. Shineen October, her cousin and a farm security guard says: “She did alright at school, but now she is flying. We are all so proud of her!”
Caylin Samuels is studying Educare at Huguenot College in Wellington. Her lecturer describes her as “a hard-working, diligent student who always hands in her tasks on time and is so far topping an average of 80%”. Caylin is currently completing the practical part of her course at a farm crèche near Wellington. She is acting as a teaching assistant to the age 4-5 group and the teacher reports Caylin is bringing in new material from college curriculum which has inspired and motivated her in turn.
* The HER Wine Collection bursary is funded by 2% of the profits from all bottled wine sales.
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The HER team is currently in contact with several matriculants to prepare them for their applications for bursaries for next year. This includes one-on-one discussions with each of them to help them articulate their own hopes and dreams and then taking them to visit educational institutions nearby to find out more about what courses and careers are open to them. Says Praisy: “It’s so exciting to see their eyes light up as they begin to consider their futures. I am thrilled we can help even just a few young people achieve their dreams.”