About The Darling Trust

The Darling Trust was established in August 2003 by founding member and now trustee, Pieter-Dirk Uys.

Pieter-Dirk Uys is a South African satirist best known for the character who has become his alter ego, Evita Bezuidenhout. Through Evita, using the medium of humour and stand up comedy, Pieter-Dirk Uys is able to comment on government policies, racism, AIDS and other contentious issues. Evita Bezuidenhout has been part of the South African political and social scene since the late 1970s.

Pieter-Dirk Uys is involved in many HIV/ AIDS projects and has been taking  takes his AIDS-awareness presentation [called ‘For Facts Sake’] to schools throughout South Africa since 2000. This presentation is free to all schools and  is self-funded by Uys with no sponsorship or subsidy from private or public sectors, including The Darling Trust.*

The Darling Trust was established to assist the  disadvantaged communities of the Swartland region. We aim to empower individuals to help themselves, mainly through programmes that focus on the sectors of education, skills development and health.

Our philosophy is strongly opposed to the handout culture that some organisations inadvertently create. Aid that is purely reactionary and does not involve the active participation of the individuals being assisted  results in the recipients them becoming reliant on the organisation, and therefore inhibits self-sufficiency in the community. We aim to genuinely create projects that help people to help themselves, to truly empower people by being proactive - motivating, educating, and providing people with the skills to survive despite the most challenging of circumstances.

The Darling Trust takes its accountability very seriously. We recognise there is a need for organisations to illustrate that they are fully accountable for the funding they receive. We invite individuals, organisations and governments to use the opportunity to partner with The Darling Trust should they wish to fund charitable causes and projects.

The Darling Trust implements projects that are meticulously planned, effective and fully accountable. Additionally we act as a channel for funding for our communities, by identifying areas of need and assisting those who endeavour to address those needs. Funding to these individuals and organisations are carefully considered and continuously managed to promote sustainability and accountability.

* Pieter-Dirk Uys’s private, political activities are wholly separate from The Darling Trust and likewise, the beliefs and stance taken by The Darling Trust is not necessarily representative of that of Pieter-Dirk-Uys.

The Darling Trust Vision

THE DARLING TRUST assists the town of Darling and other Swartland communities by empowering individuals to help themselves. Through its grassrootsprogrammes, The Darling Trust aims

• to act as a vehicle for funding for the community of Darling, as well as for its neighbouring communities, through informed, researched and managed distribution of funds, and by being transparent and accountable for those funds
• to establish need and to address that need by creating feasible projects or by assisting existing projects through funding or managerial and logistical assistance
• to empower people through developing talents and skills
• to assist our communities with the challenges of HIV/AIDS
• to keep our people healthy and strong through education and care
• to create a blueprint of grassroots action for other small communities

The essential to remember here is URGENCY.

The issues are desperate: poverty, crime, drugs and HIV/AIDS are gaining a foothold in  this small community. Alcohol is a staple dependence.

The facilities for the community are minimal. Sport fields are under-par. There is no gym  accessible to all. Art and culture play a small part here and the activities at Evita se Perron have enriched the lives of a few hundred children. Thousands are still untouched and uninterested.

THE DARLING TRUST has to be practical and simple, and deliver as soon as possible.

The Trust establishes grassroots programmes aimed at to direct, personal interaction with the community of Darling. and the Swartland region. This interaction iseeks to move away from a culture of ‘handouts’ and to empower individuals with the skills that will enable them to help themselves