Greg Dardagan
Interviewing 23-year-old University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) honours student Qhelile Nyathi does wonders to restore faith in the quality of our youth and the future of our country.
And when I hear she grew up in the same town I did – Bulawayo in Zimbabwe – and went to the same junior school – Hillside Primary – we are immediately on the same wavelength.
Nyathi is an achiever of note and, as far as her potential is concerned, let’s confidently say: “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
She is studying for her honours degree in financial mathematics on a Mandela Rhodes scholarship she won and has her eyes firmly set on going to Oxford University in England next year to read for her master’s degree in financial economics.
Quite a bright spark, but perhaps what really identifies her as someone extra special is the role she is playing as president of the UKZN branch of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), an organisation which reaches out to less privileged communities implementing projects that improve the lives and living standards of people.
The projects are structured to ensure they are sustainable and are transferring skills, knowledge or resources to communities in a way that the people are empowered and take ownership of the ventures.
SIFE-UKZN – ranked in the top 15 out of more than 1 500 teams worldwide – won the organisation’s national championships in Joburg earlier this year and will now represent South Africa at the World Cup competition in Malaysia in September.
It is represented by 63 students from UKZN campuses in Durban, Westville, Pinetown and Pietermaritzburg. At competitions the teams give presentations on projects they have undertaken during the year.
Nyathi will lead her eight-strong World Cup team in Malaysia where they will highlight several of the ventures successfully launched over the past 12 months.
One of the most successful is the Faranani project at a centre for the elderly at Hammarsdale that provides refuge and support for 130 people.
“The centre was running short of funds, so we went there and identified two businesses they had established but were in urgent need of assistance,” said Nyathi.
“They were manufacturing crafts, but didn’t have a market, so we negotiated with UKZN’s teaching and learning office managing to secure a contract for them to produce 1 400 items for an upcoming conference the office is holding. The deal is worth R42 000.
“They were also making soup, but raising less than R1 000 a month. So we helped them design a brand for the soup as well as sourcing packaging, and business has improved substantially.”
Greenhouses
Nyathi’s team also discovered the centre had land available, but was not using it productively. “We managed to raise about R23 000 thanks to Tongaat Hulett and bought them greenhouses, so they now have an agriculture business on the side. We also negotiated with Boxer Stores in Hammarsdale who have agreed to buy produce from the old folk on a regular basis.”
Other projects Nyathi and her team will present at the World Cup involve food security and environmental sustainability programmes and a financial literacy project. On the environment front, SIFE-UKZN is driving a community project to plant 700 trees in the Durban south region… 390 are already in the ground.
“Our activities teach students practical skills such as how to implement projects, form networks and pitch ideas to big corporates and academics. You also learn about time management, problem-solving and teamwork.
“Involvement can also indirectly earn students scholarships and bursaries as well as employment opportunities,” added Nyathi.
The sky appears to be the limit for Nyathi who is a good bet to lead her team to victory at next month’s world championships.