The Student Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Pretoria (UP) has launched A Re Ageng Bokamoso, a student-led fundraising campaign with the goal of raising R5 million to support students facing financial hardship.
With registration closing on 21 February, the newly-launched campaign aims to assist students with their first payment, ensuring timely support so they can register and continue their studies without disruption.
Speaking to The Star, SRC president Vhutshilo Muambadzi said that they recognise the financial difficulties affecting students’ academic journeys and are working to alleviate these pressures through the campaign. The campaign’s name, A Re Ageng Bokamoso, meaning “Let’s build the future”, reflects the SRC’s commitment to ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent students from accessing and completing their education. The funds raised will help students continue their world-class education at UP, she said.
“The campaign, launched on February 14, has got off to a great start, with funds already beginning to come in.
It will help students navigate campus life, achieve academic success, and address challenges that may arise outside the classroom. It will also ensure that students not only gain access to higher education but are supported throughout their journey until they graduate,“ Muambadzi said.
She said the selection process for beneficiaries will be handled by the UP financial aid office, with assistance from the SRC. It will be based on financial need and academic merit, ensuring support for deserving students.
She further said that the campaign will not only focus on direct financial aid but will also address the pressing issue of student debt that prevents students from receiving their certificates.
“Many students who excel academically face barriers to graduation due to outstanding fees, which prevent them from receiving their degree certificates and ultimately hinder their employment prospects,” she said.
She also called on former SRC presidents and members, students, alumni, corporate partners, and the broader UP community to support the A Re Ageng Bokamoso campaign, aiming to build a brighter future for students in need.
UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Francis Petersen, has also pledged that the university will match the funds raised, effectively doubling the impact of the initiative.
Petersen added that solving the challenge of helping the “missing middle” students afford higher education is a collective societal responsibility.
“One of the pressing issues (universities) face is that of the ‘missing middle’ – this is a group of students who fall just above the income threshold for government financial aid but who cannot afford the full cost of university education.
“The answer to this challenge lies in partnership, in community, and in a shared commitment to providing opportunity. Collectively we can make a real difference, not only in the lives of individual students but in the future of our country,” he said.
The Star