UWC financial aid campaign raises R1.7m
THE University of the Western Cape (UWC) is gearing up for next year and they intend to give more students financial aid following the success of their Access to Success campaign.
“The old saying rings true that it takes a village to raise a child, but it’s also true that it takes a whole campus to raise up a student. And when we all band together to help others become educated, there’s no limit to the benefits to society, as well as the difference it makes to individual lives,” Tyrone Pretorius, rector and vice-chancellor of the university, said.
The campaign raised R1.7 millon in pledges from the university, staff, alumni and public. From August to September, around 60 students worked through a database of 18 000, calling UWC alumni across South Africa and beyond with the aim to reconnect, update their contact details and raise funds to address student fees needs, as part of the Access to Success campaign. The goal was to raise money to help curb the trend of students quitting their studies simply because they can’t keep up with the financial needs and empower student helpers.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without the students who manned the call centre for the duration of the campaign, calling up every alumnus of the university to make a contribution,” Patricia Lawrence, director of Institutional Advancement, said.
The campaign started last year where more than R1m was raised in the telethon linked to the campaign, and over 500 new donors were brought on board.
“With last year’s contributions, 93 students have already benefited,” said Samantha Castle, manager of the UWC Alumni Relations Office.
Currently, students may apply for Access To Success funding through the UWC Financial Aid Office. The university said it hopes to assist even more students next year.