How do we operate?

The Mamelodi Trust is a UK Registered Charity.

The principal aim of the Trust is to support the advancement of education in schools in Mamelodi and the Mamelodi Teachers' Centre. We want to make a real difference for children in an area of significant deprivation.

The Trust raises funds in the UK to support education in Mamelodi. It normally makes grants direct to schools so that they can make their own decisions about spending priorities.

Every penny donated to the Trust goes to Mamelodi. The small costs of administering the Trust are met from separate sources. We do not employ staff and all work to support the operation of the Trust is carried out by volunteers.

The Trust’s bankers are CAF Bank Ltd (Charities Aid Foundation Bank) and Lloyds TSB. Schools in Mamelodi have bank accounts with ABSA Bank. Funds from the Trust are transferred to South Africa either via the British Council, who ensure that the correct amounts are transferred to individual schools, or by direct transfer of funds into school bank accounts. Schools are subject to independent financial audit by the Tshwane South District in Pretoria and schools make detailed returns to the Trust accounting for the money they receive.

To date, we have focused our work in four schools, including a special school. All funding support is dependent upon schools specifying in advance how they will spend the money and being subject to strict accounting and audit procedures.