Stellenbosch Wine Festival foundation invests in local community

Friday, 30 January, 2015
Stellenbosch Wine Festival
This week the Stellenbosch Wine Festival Foundation once again confirmed its ongoing commitment to community empowerment by presenting bursaries to the value of R150 000 to deserving students. The ceremony coincided with the annual harvest parade and the official opening of the 2015 Stellenbosch Wine Festival presented by Pick n Pay.

The donation forms part of the foundation’s annual community upliftment and development initiatives, and in conjuction with Words Open Worlds (WOW) of the University of Stellenbosch, it annually identitify promising disadvantaged students whose parents are employed in the wine industry as beneficiaries of tertiary bursaries.

WOW also assists in establishing mentorship programmes and identifying internships for the students. They seek to actively empower the next generation of Stellenbosch youth in an attempt to establish them as examples for the local community in the hope that they will inspire social change.

The 2015 recipients are: Felicia Solomons of Saxenburg, a third-year student in humanities; Asriq Pietersen of Lynedoch, who is currently studying for his honours degree in social dynamics and fourth-year medical student Yvonne Dyum of Muratie. All three students passed their courses in 2014 and impressed the foundation committee with their dedication and hard work. Due to the positive growth of the initiative, the foundation was in a position to grant a fourth bursary this year, which means Bradley Kriel of Eikendal farm can study for a BA degree in language and culture.

According to Annareth Bolton, CEO of the Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes, awarding these bursaries serves as an inspiration to a new generation of young people in similar situations:

It’s immensely important for us to be able to give back to our local communities as there wouldn’t be a wine festival without the contribution of our farm workers and farming communities. It’s incredible to be able to give these youngsters the opportunity to study, not only at the best university in the country, but at one of the best in the world. It is an immense privilege to help them achieve their dreams, while also sending a message to their peers that hard work pays off and that they should never stop dreaming.”

The 2015 Stellenbosch Wine Festival presented by Pick n Pay culminates in a not-to-be-missed wine and lifestyle experience at Coetzenburg from Friday 30 January to Sunday 1 February. Visitors can look forward to enjoying the best of Stellenbosch – delicious award-winning wines, gourmet dishes, great entertainment by well-known SA artists and fun activities for the whole family.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.webtickets.co.za for R170 per adult, which includes a R20 voucher redeemable at the Pick n Pay wine shop onsite. Entrance for children between the ages of three to 17 is R60, while children under three enter for free. Visit the festival website at www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za for the full programme. Follow the festival on Twitter @StellWineFest or like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StellenboschWineFestival for regular festival updates.