Link-SA Trust was set up in 1999 by two young South Africans, Jasper Lewitton and Nick Raphaely, who studied at Wits the University of Cape Town respectively and later at Cambridge in England. Appreciating that they had received educational opportunities denied to many of their fellow South Africans, they started a trust fund to collect money to assist financially disadvantaged university students in South Africa.

Loyal donors continue to send financial assistance and many new donors have joined the ranks to add their support. In 2015, Link-SA Trust supported 121 students at eight major universities. Since commencing to provide scholarships in 1999, over 1000 of Link-SA’s recipients have graduated, adding their professional skills to South Africa’s health sector, commerce, the sciences, engineering and to the legal profession.

The main body of students receiving scholarships correlates to the demographics of South Africa in terms of race and gender. Link-SA Trust relies on donations from individuals and companies from all over the world. In any given year, the money donated will be spent on fee accounts of selected students in the year in which the money is received.