FABs Fund (filling in the gaps)
What is the FABs Fund?
Financially Assisted Boys, or FABs, is an initiative which has evolved over the past five years to assist boys attending Michaelhouse with those extra bits and pieces that they would otherwise not be able to afford. Things which allow them to maximize their potential and take full advantage of their years at the school.
In essence, the FABS Fund ‘fills in the gaps’.
All donations towards the fund have historically come from Old Boys, and in most cases they have been reactive one-off asks from the school. Our hope is that we can
- grow a larger fund to do more for these boys - and faster; and
- that the benefactors of the fund expand to include current parents, past parents and friends of Michaelhouse.
How does FABs change lives?
There are boys at Michaelhouse who despite being on significant financial aid and/or scholarships are still not able to afford basic things like a tennis racket, rugby boots, uniforms, tours, or a visit to the tuck shop.
Some live in difficult circumstances which have necessitated the school preparing food parcels to take home for the holidays so they return to us well-nourished. Benefits of the fund, which are practically implemented by incredibly dedicated Michaelhouse staff members, even saw to the provision of very granular necessities like data and airtime for boys in need to be in a position to engage effectively with remote learning during hard lockdown in 2020.
There are also those boys in between who may not necessarily live in difficult circumstances, but whose parents do not have the funds to give their son opportunities such as going on a once in a lifetime cultural tour. Where they are deserving, we feel that boys in these categories of need should not be forgotten.
With the Rector being able to draw on the FABs Fund as he sees fit, he can solve these problems quickly and with discretion so the boys in need can get on with making the most of the wonderful opportunities afforded to them.
How can you help a FABs boy?
The best way is to donate to the fund.
To give you an idea of the sorts of things we provide and their costs:
- Tuck money for a term costs R500
- A pair of Rugby boots cost R1,000 - R1,500
- A food parcel for the holidays costs R1,000 - R2,000- A sports tour in South Africa can cost up to R10,000
- Startup uniform costs R12 000 - R18 000 (and anything from R1,500 - R5,000 a year to maintain a uniform in good order)
- Laptops R20 000
One off donations are well received and you can be assured that your generosity will reach the boys that need it the most. However, this is an ongoing need and so if you are able to, we would be so grateful if you could make a recurring donation. By doing this you will be enabling enduring support for our boys whose time at Michaelhouse is fundamentally improved by these small acts of kindness.
The Michaelhouse Admissions Team goes to tremendous lengths to ensure the enrollment of very high caliber boys into the FABs programme; and were you to meet any of them, we know you’d be impressed (and humbled) by the force of their exceptional characters and their potential to become wonderful role models to future Michaelhouse boys, ambassadors of our school and worthy contributors to society.
How do I donate?
How to Give in SA, below:
How to Give in the US below:
If you wish to give from any other country or jurisdiction, please follow the ‘how to give in SA’ instructions.
