Musician, actor, philanthropist and community builder Bonginkosi Dlamini, also known as Zola 7, continues to empower the youth, this time with his recent bursary programme partnership.
Dlamini, who has dedicated most of his life helping the needy, said he couldn't say no when he was asked to be part of the Afribiz Academy technical training institution's initiative.
“I was connected through my manager. I think they contacted me because of the work I have been doing throughout the years trying to help with the bursaries wherever I can. They asked me to assist in their project and I jumped into it. We pushed it, and it became an overwhelming success,” said Dlamini.
The Afribiz Academy, to-
gether with Dlamini, asked prospective students to submit a one-page motivational letter on why they deserve the bursary.
Dlamini said they received many requests. Three students were selected, and were to be announced on Friday.
“I enjoyed working with them on this great initiative. We are going to give away three bursaries, but I am hoping that they will give me more because what happened was that when we were running the campaign, we got so many requests that the system crashed. So this is an indication that a lot of people desperately want to go to school,” said Dlamini.
One bursary will be given away in each faculty, according to Tameez Chothia, marketing manager at Afribiz Academy.
“We try to give back to the community in whichever sector where we find a deficit, hence we found it important to invest in education and the future of the youth,” Chothia said.
The institution, through its partnership with M2 Engineering Academy, has been offering various courses such as electrical, plumbing, building and other construction-related services.
The institution has become a beacon of hope for young unemployed people in South Africa seeking to acquire suitable skills.
HAPPY: Kent van Eden, 24, one of the bursary winners.
Kent van Eden, 24, one of the students who was to be awarded a bursary, said he was thrilled.
“Yes, I am so excited. I believe this will give me an opportunity to learn and know more about health and safety,” he said.
Van Eden, who is disabled and has cerebral palsy (a condition marked by impaired muscle co-ordination an (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth), said his main aim was to help other people after completing his studies. He will be studying towards a health and safety course.
“When I was growing up I wanted to study sound engineering, but I am glad that I got a chance to study something that will help me to be able to assist communities.
"Helping people is one of the things that I have a passion for,” said Van Eden.
He said more people with disabilities should get more bursaries.
“It's very important to have such bursaries because disabled people don't get jobs. There is a lot that still needs to be done to address our needs. There are a lot of students who struggle to get job placements after studying,” he added.
Commenting on free education, Dlamini said the announcement by former president Jacob Zuma for the government to provide free education at institutions of higher learning was overdue.
“That thing (free education) is on the Freedom Charter; democracy was based on that. It is one of the promises of democracy.
“More than anything else, that is the most important thing. If you get a lot of young people who are educated, they become the contributors to economic growth.
“This means in future there will be less need to build RDP houses; people will be able to pay for their medication; they will be able to take their kids to the schools that they want. That is the promise of creating a black middle class, tax contributors,” said Dlamini.
@SthembisoMedia