FOUNDATION OVERVIEW
The Dainfern College Foundation was established in 2012 with the primary objective of providing a constant flow of funding for the school by raising capital and investing the funds as an endowment to generate interest with which to build the Dainfern College of the future.
In its short history, the Foundation has embraced the necessity to become a more dynamic entity that focuses strongly on relevant, basic needs that affect the education of our children, both at Dainfern College and our partner schools in previously disadvantaged communities, in order to increase the impact of our educational facility on the world around us.
Governance
The Dainfern College Foundation is a separate registered trust managed by a Board of Trustees. The Foundation has Public Benefit Organisation status and can therefore issue tax exemption certificates to all its donors. It operates a separate bank account to that of the school, and is audited on an annual basis. The Foundation is a level 4 contributor to BEE.
The Foundation Board of Trustees, working under the authority of the Board of Governors of the College, drives the strategic funding plan and ensures fiduciary governance of the Foundation. The Board is Chaired by Miss Busiswa Mlandu.
Our pillars
The Foundation focuses on three pillars:
(1) Community: Striving at all times to be a trusted and committed member of our wider community, demonstrating good citizenry to ensure the College is not regarded as remote, uncaring or elitist. Our Outreach programme activities are examples of these actions.
(2) Campus: Augmenting facilities at the College so that the College infrastructure can support its education mandate without sole reliance on parents’ fees, thus enabling us to excel in every facet of education: academic, sport and culture. Fundraising for capital projects is an example.
(3) Continuity: Ensuring that there is a replenishing of ‘best of breed’ leaders and teachers to continue our reputation for excellence, and that there is steady long-term income to support the College through the establishment of a College Endowment Fund. Internships and teacher in-service bursaries are examples.
How you can help
There are many ways to become involved with and support the work of the Foundation:
(1) Volunteering: We have many community-focused initiatives that rely on time and assistance from volunteers. Please contact our Head of Foundation, Ms Lindokuhle Sithole, to find out how you can get involved with one of our projects.
(2) Donations in kind: In-kind donations and services are greatly appreciated as they enable us to control costs. Contributing non-perishable food and reusable shopping bags to our nutrition support programme, or books, clothing and shoes for children in our partner schools, are ways in which our community can assist.
(3) Monetary donations: The longevity and quality of any great school can only be guaranteed if it has satisfactory financial resources. School fees are an important part of funding at Dainfern College but are not enough to support projects that will have a lasting impact. Funding for the Dainfern College Foundation is sought through once-off, monthly or annual donations as well as bequests.
Funds and donations in kind can be contributed for dedicated projects within a specific area or for general investment and use, at the discretion of the trustees. Donations are tax deductible in terms of Section 18 A of the Income Tax Act and as a Public Benefit Organisation, we can offer a tax certificate for your donation.
Please click here to complete a Pledge Form: each contribution reinforces Dainfern College’s position as a world-class centre of educational excellence that is impacting the world around us.
COMMUNITY
We believe that it is our calling and privilege to enrich and engage with our broader community. The strategic pillar of COMMUNITY embraces the following:
High School Bursary Fund: The College promotes the social diversity of its student body by allocating full bursary awards each year to Grade 8 High School students from disadvantaged backgrounds who display competitive academic, sporting, cultural or all-round talent.
Nutrition Support Programme: Currently feeding 80 of the most vulnerable children at LEAP4 School in Diepsloot each month. The Dainfern College Nutrition Support Programme is funded solely by donors and 100% of the funds are used to finance the food parcels that each child receives.
The Outreach Programme: Community relations and outreach are an integral part of a Dainfern College education. In this vital area of Social Responsibility, we proudly partner with Leap 4 School in Diepsloot and support two Cosmo City crèches. There is also ongoing involvement in structured outreach activities and projects that support specific needs in our broader community.
CAMPUS
A critical component of the strategic plan at Dainfern College is to provide facilities that will enable us to excel in every facet of education: academic, sport and culture:
Campus development: Whilst the campus facilities at Dainfern College are superb, additional facilities will further benefit our current students and attract talented learners from a wider footprint. The Foundation endeavours to fundraise for capital projects identified by the College. One of the recent projects that the Foundation contributed towards is the new rain shelter.
Environmental sustainability: We were also delighted to contribute one of the JoJo water tanks to the College in 2015, ensuring a constant supply of water to the College during times of water outages. ReShomile Primary School in Diepsloot were also the recipient of two water tanks and the necessary pumps to assist them with growing a vegetable garden on their property.
CONTINUITY
The Foundation aims to assist with replenishing the supply of ‘best of breed’ leaders and teachers to lead the College at every level and continue our reputation for excellence. through the following:
The Tertiary Education Bursary Fund: Dainfern College has established a Tertiary Education Bursary Fund for deserving Dainfern College students or alumni to obtain their teaching qualification. These candidates participate in our Mentorship programme throughout their training.
The Teacher Internship Programme: Dainfern College has an established Teacher Internship Programme in place that has seen several interns successfully qualify as teachers.
