Amandla Omoya Trust

About the Amandla Omoya Trust

The Amandla Omoya Trust is a community trust in the Eastern Cape. It was formed in 2012 as part of the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm, which operates under South Africa's renewable energy independent power producer programme. The Trust owns a 6% share in the wind farm. Its income comes from the dividends that share earns.

The Trust serves communities within about 50 kilometres of the wind farm. These include Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, Hankey, Patensie and Thornhill. Its goal is to build resilience and social cohesion in these towns. The head office is in Claremont, Cape Town.

How the Trust supports students

Education is one of the Trust's main focus areas. It also backs enterprise development in farming, fisheries and tourism, as well as food security and youth life skills. The Amandla Omoya Trust bursary sits inside this wider plan to uplift local families.

Because the money comes from community ownership and not a company marketing budget, the bursary is broad. It does not limit applicants to energy or engineering studies. Students may study any field, including technical and vocational programmes. As a result, a learner heading to a TVET college has the same chance as one heading to a university.

Funding is decided case by case, based on need. Support may cover tuition, registration, exam fees and residence costs, although the exact package can differ from year to year. There is no work-back requirement, so recipients are free to build their careers anywhere after they qualify.

The Trust's model is worth understanding. Community trusts like this one were set up so that local people share in the value of nearby renewable energy projects. Education spending is one way the profits return to the area. For a student, this means the bursary reflects local ownership, and the wider community benefits when graduates build skills and then give back through work in the region.

What to know before applying

Applicants must be South African citizens and must live within 50 kilometres of the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm. They must also be accepted at a recognised South African university, university of technology or TVET college. A student who lives outside the area is unlikely to qualify, so check your address first.

In recent years, applications ran from 1 June to 31 October. The Trust states that late submissions are not accepted. Applications go through the StudyTrust online platform, which administers the process on the Trust's behalf. Dates can change, however, so confirm them on the official website before you start.

Prepare your documents early, because incomplete applications slow everything down. The Trust shares promotional material in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. For questions, contact the Trust at info@amandlaomoyatrust.co.za or on 021 001 3693.