A graduation event meant to celebrate the hard work of a student will be used as a drive to raise funds for underprivileged students.
Twenty-two-year-old Thembalethu Seyisi, a Stellenbosch law student, is using his graduation to raise funds to pay fees for young people who want to further their studies, Feel Good reported.
In an interview with the publication, Seyisi said he hopes to raise funds that will be used to pay registration and tuition fees for students. These students show potential academically but they face exclusion as they can’t afford to pay for fees.
Fund will be raised through the #Action4Inclusion, after the funds have been collected, the team will find ways of disbursing the money to the students. The funds will pay for historic debts which prevent students from obtaining their academic records and those who wish to enroll in a course of their choice at an institution of higher learning.
The programme is set to be rolled out to other institutions of higher learning and not just Stellenbosch.
“So many students leave university with so much debt, which prevents them from getting their degree. Without their degree, they can’t apply for jobs. We are losing out on people that could have contributed to a skilled workforce and moved the country forward,” Thembalethu Seyisi told Feel Good.
Seyisi said he is passionate about seeing other people free themselves from the fee debt that holds them back.
According to the article, Seyisi has been involved in the initiative since it was established in 2020 by the Stellenbosch University student representative council.
Seyisi attributes his success – completion of the law degree to people who mentored him, some are prolific academics who hold key positions in society.
“I’ve been privileged to be mentored by very good people, such as Professor Thuli Madonsela, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, and Justice Edwin Cameron. I’ve seen how they go about leading their lives.”
He told the publication that he was taught that when you rise, you should lift others with you.
Seyisi explained that the fundraising events for #Action4Inclusion aim to encourage students to have fun with a purpose – through hikes, comedy nights, and jazz festivals – while raising funds.
Editor’s note:
It is a remarkable thing to do – enrolled students raising funds for less fortunate young people who want to study further. What Thembalethu and the team are doing is quite remarkable and should be praised.
Description:
Thembalethu Seyisi through the student-led organisation #Action4Inlcusion aims to raise monies that will be used to pay fees for students who face exclusion since they can’t afford to pay tuition fees. After the drive, the organisation will find ways of disbursing the money.
Editor: Anirlé de Meyer
Project manager: Anirlé de Meyer
