WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND
GODWIN OPTOMETRIST
( X1WAWCNR-QK080920
TUESDAY 8 September 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
@ThePeoplesPost
People’s Post
Lending a hand
A resident in Kensington’s 18th Avenue informal settlement started a feeding scheme after realising the great need to keep residents fed during the national lockdown. With the assistance of KenFac Community Action Network, Illona Crouch, feeds more than 50 people twice per day with a wholesome meal. This feeding scheme is one of several feeding kitchens that were started in the area during the lockdown.PHOTO: KAYLYNNE BANTOM
CROWDFUNDING FOR STUDENTS
A huge relief for students KAYLYNNE BANTOM KAYLYNNE.BANTOM@MEDIA24.COM
W
hen Bianca Brandt (36) completed her matric 18 years ago she gave up her dream of studying at a tertiary institution and went looking for a job instead in order to assist her parents financially. She later went on to get married and became a mother of three children, but her dream to further her education never escaped her. In 2019, she finally applied at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) for a BA degree, got accepted, but financially she was by no means able to pay for her own studies. Her dream was almost shattered for a second time until she was told about the Feenix crowdfunding platform.
Feenix is an online fundraising platform that connects communities; providing a tool for students to formalise their fundraising efforts and a channel for funders to find students they wish to support. Brandt says she registered on the platform and trusted God for a financial breakthrough. “I was shocked when I received an email from the university’s finance department thanking me for my payment. That’s when I checked on Feenix and saw that my fees were fully paid.” Leana de Beer, Feenix chief executive officer, says Feenix, a public benefit organisation (NBO), is aimed at students in the missing to raise funds, so that they can either pay off debts and obtain their qualifications, or to afford to be able to go to university. De beer says since it’s inception in 2017 the Woodstock based organisation has assisted
more than 1 200 students countrywide, raising over R42 million. De Beer adds that during the lockdown the organisation also launched a campaign called Cap the Gap which was specifically aimed at post-graduate and final year students. “The aim of this campaign was to assist students with either a laptop, data or food voucher. Since many universities started the online learning during the lockdown, we approached universities and they sent us lists of names of students that would need financial assistance in order to work remotely.” She says with the help of donors they were able to raise over R3 million, which assisted 405 students with either a laptop or a data/ food voucher. Brandt says she is grateful for the opportunity to further her studies and adds that her children have now become her inspiration. “I’m currently a second-year full-
time student. I must admit studying now is quite difficult because I am a mom and a wife. There are many challenges, but I am glad that I am able to set a good example for my children.” Asanda Nobede, a post-graduate student at UWC, says she had outstanding fees debt amounting to R83 000, which she couldn’t afford. “This is when I decided to give Feenix a try. To my surprise donors raised more than R71 000. That gave me hope again as I was ready to throw in the towel. I am thankful to each donor.” Nobede encouraged other students who find themselves facing financial difficulty to seek assistance from Feenix. De Beer says students hoping to get funding are required to register on the Feenix website on https://feenix.org/