Lit Fest spins off scholarships for local primary school learners

KNYSNA NEWS - Organisers of the Knysna Literary Festival announced recently that during the festival earlier this year, support was pledged for four school scholarships for previously disadvantaged learners at Knysna Primary School, and one for their Creative Writing workshops for the youth.

Festival founder and sponsor Ling Dobson of Pam Golding Properties Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, said they could not have wished for a better outcome. "Our dream and quest has been to stimulate and create a proud legacy of learners, who are the future leaders of our proud nation. The importance of education comes up time after time in the panel discussions we facilitate and it is clear that this is a key focus area if we want to change the future of South Africa for the better."

Sanlam Private Wealth, who has been keen supporters of the literary festival for the last three years, announced on the last day of the festival that they will sponsor two bursaries. Two more bursaries were pledged by private individuals, and another sponsorship was received after the festival towards the Creative Writing workshops that will take place later this year.

Dobson said that to date more than

3 000 learners took part in workshops and competitions. "Our aim with these is to encourage a love for reading and writing, and ultimately improve literacy."

She thanked the public of Knysna and elsewhere for their support. "Without them attending the events during the festival, but also during the year with our Literary Liaison events, we will not be able to achieve what we do.

"The comments we received on this year's festival were that the events were uplifting. Attendees said they were reminded that we can make a difference, each in our own way. I am looking forward to the year ahead, and to us making a difference. Where it matters," said Dobson.

"Having just met these four well mannered, brave, clearly hard working students, I was totally blown away and felt so strongly that I should do my bit too," said Sasha Campbell. "So among my family and three sets of friends (Knysna families) we have just covered one more student at KPS to a full scholarship."

Ethan Law, Sasha Campbell, Chloë Stander, Ling Dobson, Luchen Booysen, Rob Stoker (KPS principal) and Axolile Nqulequ.