A bursary received from POST, the Chatsworth Centre and Phoenix Plaza Bursary, 10 years ago launched Fathima Madaar’s career in bio technology.
Fathima, 29, of Buffelsdale in Tongaat, is now a laboratory manager at the Medical Research Council of South Africa.
After matriculating from Buffelsdale Secondary in 2001 with four distinctions, her hopes of studying further were put on hold due to the lack of finances.
She said she did not lose hope, but worked for a year and saved money.
Said Fathima: “I did not know destiny had other plans for me. I received a call from a person from the bursary fund informing me I was a bursary recipient. I was given R10 000 to further my studies.”
Fathima enrolled at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2002 and studied towards a degree in bio-medical sciences.
The bursary covered a portion of her fees, textbooks and travelling costs.
“A year later I changed my direction of study towards a Bachelor of Sciences degree in microbial biotechnology. I graduated in 2005. During my years at campus I was awarded the Golden Key Award for my sacademic performance and I have travelled to many countries and interacted with scientists from across the world,” said Fathima.
She added she would not have been able to achieve all of this without the assistance of the fund and believed the fund was an excellent way of helping underprivileged youth pursue their dreams.
The bursary fund is a major social responsibility project of POST, Chatsworth Centre and Phoenix Plaza and this year it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
The target for this year’s milestone is R200 000 which is almost double the R105 000 which was distributed to deserving and outstanding matriculants in 2011.
This year’s presentation will take place at Jaipur Palace, Durban North, on March 2, 2012.
r Businesses and previous bursary winners wanting to contribute to the fund can deposit their contributions into the fund’s First National Bank account number 62034119934, branch code 220529. The account name is POST, Chatsworth Centre, Phoenix Plaza Bursary Fund
Entry forms for the bursary are available from the POST marketing department at Independent Newspapers and the marketing offices of Chatsworth Centre and Phoenix Plaza. Entries close on January 31, 2012.
The selection process is set from February 6 to 8 and the interviews will take place on February 18. For more information phone Eshana Harichand, marketing manager at Phoenix Plaza at 083 501 2043 or 031 505 6737 or Nishtha Sanichur, marketing manager at Chatsworth Centre at 084 471 9595 or at 031 403 2344