Bonang treats her bursary kids to brunch

Bonang Matheba, queen of the airwaves and face of Revlon Africa, held a brunch with 10 of her new bursary recipients last Sunday at the Morrell Manor House in Johannesburg.

Matheba, who has been a dominant force in the entertainment industry since 2002 with a list of accolades and awards from South Africa and abroad, is undoubtedly among the best entertainers on the continent.

Last year the Metro FM Front Row show host made news when she donated a sum of money to two young girls who reached out to her via social media for financial assistance to cover their tertiary education fees.

This saw the birth of her media studies bursary programme in partnership with Boston Media House.

The programme awarded 10 deserving girls full bursaries to cover study fees and books for the duration of their qualification.

“I was looking for girls who did well in high school and these girls were exceptional,”  commented Matheba at the brunch.

“It wouldn’t make sense to take someone who got 40% for maths and pay R120 000 only for them to fail.”

The morning was filled with excitement as the lucky girls finally got the chance to meet their role model and favourite personality.

Expressing their gratitude for receiving the bursaries, the girls presented themselves with class and sophistication – and occasionally a hint of being star-struck – which Matheba received with a cheerful giggle and comforting compliment.

Event planner Precious Thamaga pulled out all the stops with a decadent menu for the brunch which included three courses.

It began with a starter of smoked salmon served on a light golden blini topped with crème fraiche and sea pearls dressed with a moreish lemon and honey sauce.

This was followed by a delicious main of two soft poached eggs served on Parma ham-wrapped grilled asparagus spears, smothered in a creamy Hollandaise sauce. Then came a dessert of chocolate dipped strawberries and truffles.

Among the young recipients are Dimpho Koahela and Karen Mthethwa. Koahela from Evaton in the Vaal, the mother of a five-year-old girl, is dedicated to becoming a lawyer, majoring in entertainment.

Through the bursary fund, Koahela will be able not only to empower herself but secure a future for her daughter.

Life of the party, Mthethwa shared how the news of the bursary came to her at a time when hope of following her idol Matheba was dimming.

Working at a local radio station to make ends meet, Mthethwa was faced with the decision of leaving home in Meadowlands in Soweto and relocating to Pretoria were she can now fully concentrate on becoming an educated TV and radio personality through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Q AND A WITH MATHEBA ABOUT THE BURSARY FUND:

1.How did the idea to establish a bursary come about?
I’ve always been passionate about giving back and empowering young women. It’s important for me to see women throughout the country making strides and reaching their potential. So, what better way to do that than through education? The Bonang Matheba Bursary Fund aims to provide women with a chance to flourish.

2.What was the criterion for the candidates?
The girls were asked to submit a copy of their matric results as well as a motivational letter explaining how the bursary would change their lives. We were specifically looking for young girls who are eager to study and who realise the importance of education. This was reflected in the content of the letters we received. And, of course, the matric results were to see if they would be eligible to apply to Boston.

3.Was this the first time you met the girls and what was your expectations?
Yes, it was, and I could not be happier with our selection of girls. They are all smart, motivated, determined and I know they all have a great potential to change not only their lives, but those of their families as well.

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