Tuesday,  9 September 2025

Every year, deserving Ekurhuleni youngsters are given the opportunity to follow their dreams of obtaining a tertiary education by receiving all-expense paid scholarships from the Peermont Community Benefit Trust (PCBT) or Peermont Education Trust (PET), two CSI initiatives supported by Emperors Palace.

Of the current bursary recipients, five have been given the opportunity to do internships abroad. Michaella De Klerk, Kateline Visser, Sisipho Duku, Neo Mojapelo and Faith Hartman are all doing their Bachelor of Hospitality Management degrees at the Swiss Hotel School in Johannesburg through the PCBT.

Michaella De Klerk will travel to Switzerland to do a four-month internship, leaving OR Tambo International Airport on 30 November and returning home on 1 April 2026.

Sisipho Duku Duku will embark on a six-month-long internship at The Charles Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, where she will be training in the Food and beverage department in a once-in-a-lifetime chance to grow, learn, and shine.

Kateline Visser is jetting off to New Orleans, where she will be working at Brennan’s Restaurant in the French Quarter for six months, starting in October 2025 and ending in April 2026. This big adventure will not only provide her with valuable work experience in a renowned restaurant, but also the chance to explore a new city, culture, and way of life.

Neo Mojapelo has been selected for a Food and Beverage position at the Pendry Sagamore Hotel in Baltimore, United States, and starts this unbelievable experience on 27 October. There she will be able to hone her skills and explore a new culture.

Faith Hartman has been offered a long internship on a Princess Cruise liner as a Junior Assistant Purser. This opportunity will empower her to learn and grow in a unique environment, meet new people and develop new skills that will benefit her future career.

With their overseas trips on the horizon, these talented youngsters have already demonstrated that the Trustees’ decision to award them bursaries was well-founded. Their commitment and achievements reflect the true purpose of the Peermont Trusts, which strives to change futures and provide meaningful opportunities to promising young people. They are not only well on their way to completing their degrees but also to building bright, impactful futures.

ENDS/