On Saturday 13th August 2022, Maru-a-Pula (MAP) School hosted their 50 Years Anniversary Gala Dinner.

The 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner was a fundraiser for the establishment of the Maru-a-Pula Endowment Fund. The Fund will be used to provide more sustainable funding for the school’s scholarships and bursaries, such as the Orphan & Vulnerable Children (OVC) Scholarship, MAP’s service activities, as well as other programmes at the school.

The Maru-a-Pula Orphan and Vulnerable Children’s (OVC) Programme was officially launched in 2005. The objective of the programme is to provide full scholarships to orphans and vulnerable children who demonstrate the academic ability to thrive at a world-class learning institution such as MAP, but who cannot afford the costs. The scholarship covers tuition, boarding, all meals, uniform and clothing, medical expenses, stationery and other living expenses.

Education is one of the key focus areas of Old Mutual’s Responsible Business Framework, and as part of this, in 2014 Old Mutual Botswana became a sponsor under the Maru-a-Pula School OVC Scholarship Programme. Over a period of 5-years, Old Mutual Botswana has donated P743,131.84. towards the scholarship programme and additional stationery to the school.

The Old Mutual scholarship recipient, over the period of his schooling performed exceptionally during the 5 years and participated in a range of extracurricular activities including being a member of the U17 Boys’ Rugby Team adding to a well-rounded and enriching educational experience. In addition to his schooling activities, he contributes towards the community, along with other students he participates in the ‘Gabane Feeding project’ where students, not only work towards raising funds to purchase food to distribute to families in Gabane, but also, help maintain a local vegetable garden to feed the community, while encouraging self-sufficiency. A big emphasis of the scholarship programme is to develop students into difference makers in the community. Old Mutual strives to continue making an impact in the communities it operates in by continuing to pay it forward and creating a sustained difference in the community.

The Old Mutual scholarship recipient is currently studying Mining Engineering at BIUST. We are proud to be part of this journey and wish him the best in his tertiary schooling.

As Old Mutual we continue to pride ourselves in making a difference in the communities we operate in. By empowering the disadvantaged through Education, it allows them to have increased self -esteem and find purpose in society. Stealing from the words of the Former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”