The Africa Protectorates Trust was set up to assist with the education, training and health of the people of South West Africa, Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland. In practice, the Trust made small grants or loans to African students pursuing education abroad.

The idea for the Trust arose in 1951 when Michael Scott decided to set up such a fund using the royalties payable to him from his book, In Face of Fear, which described his work in South West Africa; the Trust Deed was finally drawn up in September 1952. The original Trustees were Michael Scott, Canon Robert Stopford, Lord Noel-Buxton and Margery Perham (who later made over to the Trust the royalties on her book Ten Africans ). From its inception the Trust was closely linked with the Africa Bureau and two related trust funds, the Africa Development Trust and the Africa Educational Trust.