The Hantam Community Education Trust is situated on Grootfontein Farm in the Northern Cape Province. The beneficiaries of the Trust are mainly farm workers and their children who, prior to the establishment of the Trust, had no access to schooling, training, small business development, primary health care and study bursaries. Six vehicles and a bus transport children and adults to the Centre every day. The Project was started in 1989 with a Nursery School. A vacant farm-house was used initially to house 22 children in Educare. Today there is a purpose-built Educare building accommodating 60 children. The community went on to request a school. Another farm-house was used to house 60 children and two teachers in 1991.

Today there is a fully established school with 6 classrooms, 8 teachers, over 179 pupils and a campus comprising an Educare and Foundation Phase Centre, a School, Library and Computer Centre, Skills Training workshops, a Resource Administration/ Teacher Development Centre and a Primary Health Clinic and Pharmacy. More than 6000 children and adults benefit from the project as a whole, directly or indirectly. The Project is run by a Management Committee and controlled by a Board of Trustees elected by the community. Endorsed in 2003, the MEC for Education in the Northern Cape stated: “I have no hesitation in stating that, in my view, the Hantam Community Education Trust is one of the best Non Governmental Organisation’s in the country. The scope of the organisation has increased through the years and functions as an integrated, holistic, rural education and development project. It is a very well run organisation, submitting reports, annual reviews and financial statements at all times. I endorse all their programmes and have confidence in their courage, commitment and capacity to contribute towards the social and education upliftment of the community of Colesberg.” In order to ensure the financial sustainability of the Hantam Community Education Trust in perpetuity, an Endowment Trust has been established. The 5-year plan is to raise sufficient funds to cover the future core costs of the project, while training younger members of the community to take over the co-ordination and financial management. The Trust management has raised 15% of the target to date.