Testimonials

Some valuable feedback from our students

Hayden Pitcher

I was introduced to the program by a friend who was already in the program. The program helped us to understand my mathematics a lot better. I did very well after I engaged in the program. I wish to learn more and acquire more information and I would also like to recommend every student to participate in the BEF program. I would also like to be part of every event and be helped by BEF to choose career path and acquire a bursary and further my studies. The program is the best in helping us as school kids in doing our school work. My wish is for the best to help all children in poor communities. Keep up the good work. I LOVE BEF.

Sammy-Leigh Orgill

Miss Alida is a very good mentor for me and the other students. The maths classes has helped me a lot with my maths and other subjects. Miss Alida helps me when I struggle with my school work and is a very kind person. She gives us great advice about how to remember your school work. I really want to study acting because it is my passion. I am not yet sure what else I want to study, but at the moment acting is my passion. Maths classes are very important to me because it can help me to achieve a lot in the future. I really appreciate everything that Miss Alida has done for me because she really cares a lot for me and the other students.

Terence Lottering

When I started with the program everything was new working with computers. Helping ourselves with question papers from the internet. It benefited me very much changing my experience with computers. At school the entire schooling program changed. The time we received doing activities changed. Doing research was the only thing that helped me with doing activities; so I thank the program for helping me with everything. I learned so much. I understood most of my assessment during this exam though I struggled with preparation

Mambesi Matiwane

The BEF mentoring helped me a lot especially with question papers when I needed them. I am doing well with my studies and working towards the end of the year results which I will be sending to various institutions when the time comes. I am not 100% certain as to what I am going to study but I think it will be something in research may be medical research. I am still deciding about which institution I would want to go to but the top two are Stellenbosch University and University of Cape Town.”

Botriver Education Foundation

Serving the community by empowering our young people.

The Botriver Education Foundation is a non-profit organisation and exists to serve the community by empowering the young people of Botriver and surrounding towns with a means to tertiary education.

The Botriver Challenge is an annual multi-disciplinary sporting event and cultural festival and was founded by ordinary community members seeking the extraordinary for the next generation and those to come thereafter.

Botriver Overberg South Africa

Education

Facilitating & Mentoring

Quality education is the most reliable pathway out of poverty for many children whose lives are blighted by poverty. In 2019 a shocking IMF Report showed how badly South Africa was performing at making the grade in providing quality education for our children. The BEF Education support programme aims to have a professional in every household in Botrivier, as the impetus to establish excellence in education as the pathway out of poverty and despair in this community. It has already graduated 44 professionals and has 40 more children and young people on their way to similar successes through individual mentoring, nurturing and access to research through the internet

The Botriver Challenge

MTB & Running

This is mountain biking, running and trail running at its best and serves as the main fundraising event for BEF. Through the race BEF has managed to unite the community of Botrivier around the central theme of education. Research by our local municipal sports department has shown that the event is highly regarded by professionals such as Gerald de Kock. The model of the Botrivier Challenge is currently used by the Department of Culture Arts and Sports (DCAS) to encourage other developing communities.

University Graduates

Current Students

Current Scholars

Our History

And What We're All About

Our organization is called the Botrivier Education Foundation (BEF). We work in and amongst a community of about 8000 people in Botrivier – a rural town in the Western Cape and surrounding farms. This is a deprived and poor community. Our aim is to assist promising students in primary and high school so that are able to achieve entry into university. This is done through mentoring, contact tutoring and online facilitation. This endeavour was founded in 2005 by ordinary members of the community seeking the extraordinary for their children.

Our Graduates

And Their Success Stories

The Botrivier Education Foundation’s program is run by dedicated volunteers from the community. So every cent donated goes towards educating young minds from the community. Since 2005, 44 of our students have graduated from their respective tertiary education institutes. Another 5 are currently attending tertiary institutions and a further 40 are still in school. Thank you to all the new donors and gratitude towards our existing sponsors. Without your help it would not be possible for us to achieve these results. It is due to your generosity that we are able to instil our motto, “You can” in the minds and hearts of our students. All our graduates are gainfully employed and making a positive contribution to society.

Donate & Volunteer

We invite you to be our partner in helping our children reach for the stars

The Botrivier Education Foundation acknowledges with heartfelt gratitude, the support of the many donors who contributed to our work in 2023. We invite you to continue to partner with us in 2024 as we strive to support our learners and inspire them to achieve beyond their wildest dreams! If you have donated to BEF in previous years, we appeal to you to partner with us once more. New donors are especially welcome to fulfil their strategic philanthropic objectives in partnership with BEF.