Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Handy way to aid needy students
Fund-raising initiative helps with expenses
LIVING with her own adversities has not prevented Briony Chisholm from lending a hand to those in need.
Chisholm, 45, is “armwalking” (waving her arms and clocking up “steps” on a distance tracker app) the equivalent of her third Two Oceans Marathon (168km) this month to raise funds for the UWC Fairy Godmother, using a Backabuddy campaign.
The UWC Fairy Godmother is a Facebook page run by a lecturer at UWC that connects students needing assistance with university-related expenses with funders.
Expenses range from textbooks, laptops, smartphones and data to basic needs such as groceries and toiletries.
To date the Harfield Village resident has raised more than R40000.
Chisholm said the plan was to do the Two Oceans Marathon twice but kept going due to the amount of donations.
“I discovered a while ago that my phone records that I’ve done some steps each day, despite being in a wheelchair. On experimenting a bit, I found that by waving my arms around,
I could do many steps. Even better, it got my heart rate up and I was even a little out of breath. This was while watching Netflix,” she said.
The information pharmacist at the National HIV and TB Healthcare Worker Hotline based at UCT, is quadriplegic after she broke her neck in a car accident in the Eastern Cape in 1996. However, she said that has not stopped her from helping others.
“Education is important and the UWC Fairy Godmother helps so many students complete their education. I think we all have a responsibility to care for each other, and to be kind,” she added.
The lecturer, who wanted to remain anonymous said: “All of our funders are private individuals such as Briony herself.
“Briony is, of course, an exception in that she has spearheaded her own fund-raising initiative for our students (whereas most funders are giving from their own pockets, directly to students).”
To support Chisholm’s campaign email: shinybriony@gmail.com or see https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/arm-running-the-capecycle-tour-for-the-uw