The Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) recently announced the launch of the FPI Education and Training Trust, a landmark initiative dedicated to making professional financial planning accessible to all South Africans.
The Trust is designed to fund bursaries, scholarships, work-integrated learning, and development programmes that remove barriers to entry and strengthen the pipeline of competent, ethical financial planning professionals. Donations to the Trust qualify for a Section 18A tax certificate, enabling individuals and corporates to claim tax deductions.
The idea of a fund was first seeded under the leadership of Prem Govender, and later formalised through the commitment of Sankie Morata, Navin Ramparsad, and Kirsty Scully during their terms as FPI Chairpersons. Their vision, persistence, and governance laid the foundation for what has now become a reality.
Lelané Bezuidenhout, CFP®, CEO of FPI and Trustee of the Trust, said:
This Trust is not about us. It is about the young student in Limpopo or the Eastern Cape who dreams of a career in financial planning but cannot afford the fees. It is about the mid-career professional who has the experience, but not the resources, to formalise their learning and become a CFP® professional. The Trust ensures that financial planning does not become a privilege for the few, but a profession accessible to all who are committed to excellence, ethics, and service.
Olwethu Masanabo, CFP®, Chair of the FPI Board, added:
Today is a proud day for our profession. The Trust is more than a milestone — it is a promise to the next generation of financial planners and to the communities they will one day serve. We are inviting our members, our corporate partners, and the public to walk with us and invest in this pipeline. The future of financial planning in South Africa begins here.
How to Donate
The process is simple:
- Visit www.fpi.co.za and click on the Education & Training Trust tab.
- Choose to donate once-off, or sign up as a monthly donor via debit order.
- Receive your 18A tax certificate for qualifying donations.
Every rand makes a difference. Every contribution becomes a bursary, a textbook, a professional designation — a chance to change a life.
About the Trust
The FPI Education and Training Trust is a separate legal entity, established with strong governance and oversight. Funds are ring-fenced exclusively for education and training initiatives, ensuring transparency, accountability, and impact.
With the support of members, corporate partners, and friends of the profession, the Trust will grow the financial planning pipeline, advance transformation, and ensure that all South Africans — regardless of background — have access to trusted, competent financial planning professionals.
