Raphael Wolf
UWC’s Student Representative Council launched a fund to assist academically deserving but financially struggling students.
Called the UWC Ikamva Lethu (Our Future) Campaign, the fund was launched by SRC president Akhona Landu, her deputy, Lukhanyiso Matebese, and UWC rector and vice-chancellor Tyrone Pretorius.
They aim to raise R15 million by August to assist poor students who are struggling to get money to register or to continue with their studies.
Landu said the SRC allocated R350 000 to the campaign. The R350 000 was from the SRC’s R1m allocated budget for 2016.
The fund received R2m from the university’s management.
Landu said the campaign’s three main objectives were to ensure academic access and provide them with food, security and academic materials.
Landu said the campaign was the current SRC’s legacy. “Our aim is to raise R15m up to August (2016) for the fund,” Landu said.
Pretorius highlighted the university’s excellent reputation of being among the top five in the country, but that it was still disadvantaged in suffering from a lack of funding. “There are many funding initiatives under way.”
He said of the 20 000 students at the university, 12 000 required financial assistance and that UWC had committed R2m to this SRC’s campaign, and hoped for similar responses from the commercial sector and the public.
Landu said: “As the SRC our appeal to South Africans across the board is that in looking at the challenges we faced in 2015 around higher education, we need as a country to seriously commit ourselves to ensuring the success of students.
“And that is why the campaign is called ‘Our Future – Inkamva Lethu’. The only way you can ensure the successful growth of this country is through assisting our youth to get access to higher education.”
Matebese said the criteria for assistance included students who have challenges in registering and who are struggling with obtaining food security and study materials.
The campaign was aimed at assisting poor students in their various years of study.
Banking Details:
Name of Bank: ABSA Bank
Branch Code: 631609
Account No: 4068739851
Reference: SRC – Name of Donor Branch: Public Sector, Western Cape Swift Code: ABSAZAJJ