by Tebogo Tshwane | Aug 22, 2016 | News
The Wits SRC’s #Access campaign has so far fallen short of its intended R10 million target, raising R4.8 million over the last eight months.
The campaign, was launched to assist students who fall into the “missing middle”, a term used to describe students who do not qualify for NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme), funding but still cannot afford university fees.
SRC secretary general Fasiha Hassan believes the campaign has faltered due to political uncertainty in universities which has discouraged corporate donors.
“It is very heart-breaking because here we are trying to seek sustainable solutions to the issues in higher education only to have the door shut in our faces by the private sector,”.
Until now the money donated has gone towards assisting students with their accommodation and tuition. A portion of the fund has also been allocated to clearing the existing debt of some students. Hassan said that students belonging to the missing middle were prioritised first and then other students were included.
“Those who were rejected from NSFAS because they fell above the R120 000 cap were then included, we also had various other elements such as household income,” said Hassan.
She added that the SRC, through its Humanitarian Fund board, also looked at students’ academic performance to fund students who potentially could secure bursaries, as well as third-year and final-year students, “because they are going to finish their degree, in theory, and be able to pay back and donate”. Fields that were generally under-funded were also prioritised.
The SRC will be opening applications for 2016 in the next three months.
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by Litaletu Zidepa | Apr 10, 2015 | News, Sport
The Radio 702 Afternoon Drive team Xolani Gwala, Udo Carelse and Johnathan Fairbairn joined heads with the Old Mutual “More Than Yourself” campaign in a bid to raise funds for the Wits SRC Humanitarian Fund.
The three 2015 MTN Radio Award finalists ran for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra and half Marathon raising R34,750 from donations.
“The Afternoon Drive Team identified running as a way of getting closer to communities and off the back of this we were approached by Old Mutual to get involved with the charity angle of the Two Oceans Marathon. Via the portal morethanyourself.co.za there are a number of charities they have selected which fit in with their own brand values.” Said Gwala.
Following the student loan crisis in February, the Wits SRC has been able to raise money to help students faced with financial exclusion through campaigns like the #1Million1Month and the Nescafe Human Chain event.
702 TEAM RUNS FOR HUMANITARIAN FUND: (from left) Jonathan Fairbairn, Pheladi Gwangwa, Udo Carelse, Xolani Gwala and Mzo Jojwana. Photo: Provided
Udo Carlese stated that as a show, the Afternoon Drive team are passionate about education as they are often approached by students and parents asking for assistance in funding tertiary studies.
“In order to keep the momentum started by the students themselves going, we gave this campaign our support. ”
“Unfortunately, we can’t help everyone, but we were so inspired by what the Wits SRC were doing with the One Million 1 Month campaign, that we decided their proactive and mature approach to raising funds for students was one with which we could strongly associate. In order to keep the momentum started by the students themselves going, we gave this campaign our support. ” he said.
The Radio 702 team told Wits Vuvuzela that they are happy to report that they all finished with respectable times. They were delighted with the amount they raised.
“This is not the end, only the beginning, and we hope to contribute more as the year progresses.” said Xolani Gwala
Gwala is a seasoned runner while sports news reader Udo Carlese and Johnathan Fairbairn are newcomers to the running sport.
The primary aim of the Humanitarian Fund is to create a purse that will address and meet financial burdens when approached by those who come from an unprivileged background, unable to meet their basic necessities.
The fund was established in 2010 under the leadership of SRC President, Bafana Nhlapo, in response to students who were in urgent need of funding, assisting students whose needs have not been met by NSFAS funding.
The Old Mutual ‘More Than Yourself’ campaign gives an opportunity to join with others to do great things, by donating directly to a cause of your own choice and start fundraising to improve communities.
Go to http://morethanyourself.co.za and make your own contribution.