Tukkies walk to help needy students

A GROUP of student activists from the University of Pretoria (UP) will embark on a walk from Parliament to the Union Buildings to raise funds and awareness of financially excluded students from disadvantaged backgrounds on Human Rights day.

The walk will commence on Thursday, and the 14 participants are expected to reach Pretoria on April 10.

The #Walk4Access campaign is a peaceful, student-led and student developed initiative that aims to rally all South Africans around the burdens of the cost of higher education. The campaign aims to raise R100 million.

Auditing partners of UP will provide auditing services for the funds raised.

#Walk4Access organiser Luvuyo Menziwa said the idea came about in February, following #FeesMustFall and various campus-based student struggles against financial exclusion, hunger, textbooks and accommodations.

“The #Walk4Access is a student-lead initiative in collaboration with Elim Full Gospel Church.

“We aim to raise awareness and fund-raise for the financially needy students and those who are financially excluded through asking everyone to donate a minimum of R2 for each day of the walk in the next 20 days,” Menziwa said.

#Walk4Access participants hope more volunteers from Cape Town will join them.

Elim Full Gospel Church pastor Immanuel Landman said:

“Activists and the church decided on #Walk4Access. We need to make South Africa aware that the Education crisis is real.”

To donate, email Walk4Access@gmail.com. Visit https://www.facebook.com/walk4access/