Johannesburg - Despite a third lockdown and the country reeling from the rapid rise in Covid infections, there is still some good news for some young people across the country.
Young South Africans are seizing opportunities presented to them, with the support of the Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa’s (CCBSA) Bursary Programme which has been extended for another year in 2021. Earlier this year, CCBSA announced a R4.2 million investment to be spent on 50 students at tertiary institutions across the country.
Eldorado Park resident, Lorenzo Hontense (18), matriculated in 2020 and is confident that the bursary will help him reach his dreams as he prepares to start his National Diploma in Civil Engineering at Central Johannesburg Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College.
“My ultimate goal is to build bridges, great buildings and skyscrapers. I want to work for one of the big South African construction companies or the National Roads Agency, but I eventually want to go abroad and acquire skills in countries like Dubai, New Zealand or Australia.”
Another beneficiary, Luthando Ntantisa, from Freedom Park, is also starting his studies at Central Johannesburg TVET College, studying a National Diploma in Human Resources.
Ntantisa, who is now 24 years old, matriculated in 2017 from Freedom Park Secondary, and has spent the last five years volunteering at Phakamani Young Minds Academy in Freedom Park, as a tutor and doing various administrative tasks. He also participates in social activism, and recently joined the Menstruation Is Not a Choice (Minac) campaign as a volunteer, helping to educate young girls in townships about healthcare and also distributing sanitary towels to those in need.
“My goal is to work in one of the large South African corporates in manufacturing or information technology. Through my work, I hope to make a difference in people’s lives, especially young people in disadvantaged communities.”
Star pupil, Melissa Moodaley (24) from Gqeberha, is a 24-year-old final-year medical student at Stellenbosch University and has been a part of the Bursary Programme since 2016.
As she completes her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees (MBChB) this year, she plans to move to KwaZulu-Natal, where she wants to work in the public health sector for her two-year internship.
“The doctors we work with always encourage us to work outside the provinces we grew up in or studied in. I like the idea of working in a small town where you can do a bit of everything,” she said.
“The bursary programme really enabled me to pursue my education dream. I recently learned that my parents could finance my studies for two years only, and my aunt managed to help me get into the programme, so I could complete my studies. I would like to get an opportunity to work overseas for a little bit to gain international experience, but I will definitely come back and make an impact back home, especially in the area of teenage pregnancy, which is a huge challenge in our country,” she said.
Moodaley said it costs between R60 000 to R80 000 a year to study medicine and for many students, studying is almost impossible without some kind of financial assistance.
Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability Director at CBSA, Nozicelo Ngcobo, said as new students enter the programme, they are supported with tuition fees, accommodation, books, meals, laptops, or transport, depending on the most pressing individual needs. Each student must maintain a prescribed minimum level of academic performance to continue in the programme.
“We at CCBSA, working in close partnership with institutions of higher learning and civil society organisations, are committed to ensuring that young people not only receive the financial backing they need to acquire education and pursue their dreams. We help them become productive members of our society, but they also get access to comprehensive psycho-social support to ensure they succeed in their studies, as well as in their chosen careers over the long-term,” she said.
Moodaley said even though she’s been living in Cape Town for the past 6 years and misses her family, she has to spread her doctor wings.