ONE HUNDRED RAND LEADER: SRC President Mcebo Dlamini holds R100 as pledge to support education for all. Photo: Palesa Tshandu
WITH R780 000 already pledge for the “One Million One Month” campaign, an official launch with the campaign’s ambassadors will be taking place this Monday.
Poet Lebo Mashile and Advocate George Bizos will be attending the launch as ambassadors. Tobecome an ambassador one has to pledge at least R1 000 to the cause.
Fighting NSFAS insufficiency
Around 2 788 students were left stranded when NSFAS (National Students Financial Aid Scheme), rejected their applications due to insufficient funds. To address the issue, the Wits SRC launched the “One Million, One Month” campaign during the Wits Welcome Day on February 9, in hopes of raising money for the remaining students who cannot afford registration.
So far R300 000 has been promised through pledges, commitments and contributions from NGO’s, alumni, and members of the Wits community. An additional R480 000 has already been raised through corporations and donors.
“We’ve got commitments and contributions for about R300 000 but there’s no money in the bank … The money hasn’t necessarily come in,” said Sheera Kalla, SRC deputy president.
The average Wits student contributes anything from R10 to R100 but the SRC is encouraging all students to contribute R100 to reach the goal.
The “One million One Month” campaign will not solve the NSFAS shortfall at Wits, which the SRC estimates to be R174-million, but the contributions will help in the registration of some students.
“So yes, we might not be able to raise R174-million but we will be able to actually change quite a few student’s [lives] just by allowing them to register because at the end of the day you have the rest of the year to save, but if you are not registered then you are not a Wits student,” Kalla said.
Real student leaders
Students have turned to social media to praise the campaign.
One student, Ernest Khathu Hasha tweeted out that Wits still has “real student leaders indeed”.
“Any problem does have a solution. #1Million1Month,” he said.
The official launch will be happening on Monday afternoon at the Great Hall from 12 pm to 3 pm.
The “One Million One Month” campaign was announced at Wits Welcome Day by SRC President Mcebo Dlamini.
