About us
The Budiriro Trust is a charity which has been giving scholarships for education since 1967. We will be celebrating 60 years of service to education in Zimbabwe in 2027! We are proud to have supported more than 3,000 young people in our history. The impact of our work is seen today in families that have had their lives transformed by the high-achieving students, numerous Budiriro Scholars who have reached the pinnacle of society in either the public sector or private sector both in Zimbabwe and the abroad.
The aim of the trust is to support young Zimbabweans of promising academic ability whose families do not have the financial means to support their education.
Many families, despite heroic financial sacrifice, cannot pay for their children to complete secondary schooling. Gifted children often have to drop out of school just as their earlier education is becoming fruitful. Cases of hardship have increased recently due to the economic situation in Zimbabwe where dollarisation in particular has made the basics unaffordable for a significant part of the population. There is an even greater need to support education right now as a result.
Poverty and the ever-rising cost of living means more and more people face an uphill struggle to meet even their basic needs. The Budiriro Trust aims to help by offering scholarships to selected students to enable them to proceed beyond O-Level (GCSEs to the international audience), in cases where economic hardship would otherwise preclude them from doing so.
The Budiriro Trust is run by a board of trustees in the UK. Two co-ordinators, one in Northern and one in Southern Zimbabwe act on behalf of the trust.
The Budiriro Trust has no religious, political or other affiliation. It is funded by donations and gifts from individuals and occasional grants from trusts and organisations. The Budiriro Trust is proud of its record of low administrative costs.
We aim to equip our scholars to play their part in the professional, administrative, cultural, social, economic and technical life of Zimbabwe; through doing so we seek to contribute to international education for development and individual human enrichment.
Additional details
Scholarships are offered to prevent gifted young people dropping out of education before ‘A’ Level when they can’t afford to pay the school fees for Sixth Form. Scholarships are offered at selected low-fee non-government boarding schools, throughout Zimbabwe. These schools have a long history with Budiriro and their quality of education is monitored by the Trust to ensure that the students get good education that will lead to good outcomes. They have traditionally been mission (church) schools that have their own deep roots in being the first schools that were set up in Zimbabwean history.
The Regional Co-ordinators build relationships with the schools and with students. Through getting to know students and teachers personally, trustees can be confident in the Budiriro Trust being caring and effective on the ground.
The academic year in Zimbabwe runs from January to December. Before the 31st March each year, Headteachers, at the nominated schools, submit applications for lower sixth scholarships, having selected nominees of higher education potential on the basis of merit and need.
The co-ordinators build relationships with the schools and with students. Through getting to know students and teachers personally, trustees can be confident in the Budiriro Trust being caring and effective on the ground.
The academic year in Zimbabwe runs from January to December. Before the 31st March each year, head teachers, at the nominated schools, submit applications for lower sixth scholarships, having selected nominees of higher education potential on the basis of merit and need.
The selection criteria are as follows:
- Students must have obtained outstanding O-level results,
with a C or better in English and Maths. - They must have demonstrated academic ability and interest, independence of mind, perseverance, hard work and a balanced personality.
- There should be evidence that home and family circumstances would preclude further study without financial assistance
- They must have submitted a short essay about themselves, home and family, interests and hopes for the future.
Lower Sixth (Year 12) students are always allocated an Upper Sixth (Year 13) scholarship assuming they have passed their exams, made satisfactory progress and returned to school.
Northern region schools
- Waddilove High School, Marondera
- St Paul’s High School, Musami
Southern region schools
- Nyathi High School, Nyathi
- Thekwane High School, Plumtree