SUCCESS STORIES

I am the first person in my family to graduate high school, and thus the first to attend University. I was raised by a single parent, my mother who dropped out of school when she was a teenager. Growing up I always have piece jobs on weekends, and I have worked hard ever since to relieve pressure from my family. My mother could not contribute to my university expenses, so having a STUCET bursary helped me with my basic personal and academic needs and helped me avoid costly student loans that could take years to repay. It was also wonderful to have the support of a mentor. I have just passed my final year in BCom (Management Accounting) at Stellenbosch University!

 

Through working hard, I was selected as an Academic Mentor for EMS, and mentored first years students doing mathematics. I was ` involved in several activities in my residence – a green community project, Disciplinary committee, and Costumes committee.

 

Having this Degree means I will be able to give back to my community, I have many plans for my community like creating pads drive for girls, help matric students to apply to universities, and supplying stationery to them.

 

My plan for 2022 is to pursue my studies further by doing my honours in Management accounting as I aspire to become an Accountant In the future.

Abongile Pandula

BComm (Management Accounting)

Yonela Ndlangalavu

BCom (Summa Cum Laude)

My father died when I was 9 years old. My mother did a wonderful job of bringing up my sister and me on a very small income. When the Covid lock down came, my mother lost her job and went to live in the Eastern Cape after fruitless efforts to find another job due to Covid-19. My sister and I have stayed alone in our shack in Kayamandi.

 

I performed very well at high school, but would not have been able to go to University without the help STUCET offered. The supplementary financial support meant I could concentrate on my studies. The STUCET mentoring made a huge difference in my academic and personal growth. I learnt so much from my mentor, I was exposed to new ways of thinking and having the chance to learn and share with someone else in a safe space which was hugely impactful to me.

I will forever be grateful to STUCET for giving me this opportunity to be one of their bursary holders.

 

It was tough in 2020 and 2021 when UWC went online because of the Covid lockdown. However, I met the challenge of having to discipline myself to meet the deadlines and work through all the material. Not the easiest thing to do when you live in a shack and have to use your phone  to call up the internet. In 2020, I was placed on the Dean of Economic and Management Sciences list of High Achievers. The following year, I completed my BCom-General degree summa cum laude at the end of 2021, that was the proudest moment for me.

 

This year, I am pursuing my Honours in Economics. My dream is to further my studies, do a masters degree and possibly a PhD. My main goal is to specialize in my field of study. Since I am so fascinated about economic growth and trends, I would like to work as an Economic Analyst.

It would be amazing if I could study, work so that I could be able to build my mother a big house that she always dreamed of.

My name is Haylene Frantz and I matriculated in 2007. Although I had good results at the end of my school career and was offered a place to study at the two universities I applied to, my mother could not afford the registration fees and could not pay my tuition fees. 

Luckily, STUCET approached my high school and advised the top 10 learners to apply for financial support. My application was successful and I had a chance to make my dream of going to university true. I was the first in my family to go to a university and I felt extremely blessed to be able to do so. I went to the University of the Western Cape, where I completed an Accounting degree.

Dr Elaine was my mentor during university and I can truly say that if it were not for her, I would not have made it. The programme I did prove to be quite challenging but because I had funding and my mentor, I managed to push through and graduate. I could worry less about where the money would come from for my tuition, books, and living expenses and fully submerge myself into my studies all because of STUCET.

I am currently working as a Budget Accountant at the University of the Western Cape. In addition, I have joined the mentoring team and have been mentoring a BCom Economics major who is in her fianl year of studies and I can proudly add, doing extremely well.

Thanks to STUCET I can live out my dream and give back!

Haylene Frantz

 

Fabian du Plessis

 

STUCET really changed my life. It is a wonderful organisation that not only sponsored me financially through my studies but alsowere really interested and invested in my progress. They gave me an opportunity to study and, in the process, I have met people that are good hearted, inspirational and role models. I had excellent mentoring and full support during my studies. STUCET made my life better adng gave me hope. I am ever grateful for everything STUCET have done for me.

My name is Thandokazi Daweti, I am originally from the Eastern Cape but grew up in Kayamandi, Stellenbsoch. I am a first born of 5 children, we were all raised by a single mother who works as the cleaner in one of the Stellenbosch University residences. After completing my Matric in 2009 I enrolled for a National Diploma in Environmental Management at Cape Peninsula University of Technology and completed it in 2012. I immediately registered for a B-Tech degree in Environmental Management in 2013. To do so, I had to apply for a student loan to finance my degree. During my B-Tech academic period I had to find a part time job as my mother was struggling to support me financially and my other 4 siblings, I then got a job in Sunningdale where I was required to travel a total of 6 hours to and from work. I continued with both my job and studies for the whole year. I failed one module that I couldn't finish the following year because I was in debt to the university. 

From 2014 - 2016 I did all I could to settle my debt, but could not manage to do so. Early in 2017, I approached Stellenbosch United Church for a bursary. They approved my application, paid the balance of my debt, and paid for my registration, the remaining module, stationery and a laptop. Equipped in this way and with the mentoring I received from STUCET, I was finally able to complete my degree which helped me to get a promotion at work. I have been engaged ever since in valuable environmental work in Stellenbosch which has greatly benefitted the community. 

Thandokazi Daweti