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360º PERSPECTIVES | ISSUE 4 | 2015/2016
Ikamva Lethu Fund to assist struggling students On 29 February 2016, the University of the Western Cape Student Representative Council (SRC) launched its Ikamva Lethu campaign which will assist academically deserving students with funding.
T
he campaign targets struggling students to ensure that they are not financially excluded. The issue of student funding is most pertinent, as many of the 20 000 registered students at UWC need financial assistance. SRC President Akhona Landu says, “As the student leadership body, we find it very important to always put students and their needs first in all our engagements and activities.” The campaign forms part of the SRC’s Legacy Project, which aims to initiate sustainable student support initiatives that will have a long-term impact. The nationwide campaign has already secured R2 million from the UWC Executive Management with an added pledge of R350 000 from the SRC that will be taken from the SRC’s allocated budget. Renewable energy company BioTherm Energy, together with the Department of Energy, donated R1 million each towards the Ikamva Lethu - Our Future Fund campaign. Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius says, “Regardless of our historically disadvantaged institution (HDI) status, we have been consistent with our performance, which has earned the University the distinction of being one of the five top-
rated institutions in the country. But we are an HDI institution that needs support from various stakeholders.” Master’s student in the Linguistics Department, Zandile Bangani, feels privileged to be part of a generation of students that offers solutions to problems instead of excuses for the challenges they faced. “Financial difficulties are limiting most
students from underprivileged backgrounds. Ikamva will help prevent the high dropout rate of students wanting to finish but unable to due to fees being too expensive and