Robert SIMPSON, a British citizen, fell in love with Kenya and became a travel agent and worked all his life to enhance the level of formation of the young travel and tourism agents. He wanted to help young Kenyans studying tourism and travel. In a broader way, he wanted to help African students to get good training to become very good travel and tourism agents. Hence, the creation of the SIMPSON Fund, managed by UFTAA. The Fund is oriented to tourism students and allocates scholarships to deserving African students to help them in the last year of their studies or start their active life. Scholarships are usually given to students in their finishing year – some exceptions have been done when a student in the pre-finishing year shows exceptional capacities.

-       The African UFTAA Members - in collaboration with tourism schools of their region - select one or two students per country. 

-       A file, constituted for each selected student, is sent to UFTAA. The recipients are requested to send a letter explaining how they intend to spend their scholarship. 

The Trustees of the Fund study each file and decide on the allocation of scholarships.

The Trustees of the Fund are:

-       Past President Udaya NANAYAKKARA (Sri Lanka)

-       Prince Emmanuel NGASSA HAPPI (Cameroon) 

-       Director Richard LOHENTO (Benin)

-       Mrs. Sharon PILLAY (South Africa) 

For obvious reasons the UFTAA vice–President Finance (Patrick MWALE - Zambia) is also part of this committee. 

-       To either make a financial contribution - and considering the worldwide situation and the possibilities of the donators - the contributions can be any sum between €ur. 200 and €ur. 1,500. 

-       Or to grant a benefit linked to their activity. So, an insurance company could insure one or two students for one year… an airline could fly one or two students to allow them to attend a tourist event… 

For more information, please contact uftaa@uftaa.org