As South Africa nears the end of a second year in the clutches of COVID-19, the sober reality of a “new normality” can increasingly be felt by all.

In addition to the financial, socioeconomic, and healthcare repercussions continuing to stunt our society, the pandemic’s effect on the country’s education system can realistically only be fully calculated in years to come.

While various kinds of lifelines from both government and private institutions have been thrown out to help assist South African citizens, the unfortunate reality is that students from outside local borders are at risk of falling through the cracks.

Published in the Universal Journal of Educational Research in April this year, research by Sunday Olawale Olaniran (University of Johannesburg) and Chinaza Uleanya (University of South Africa) noted that the effects of the pandemic tend to be "more severe" for international students currently residing in South Africa.

The study also revealed that the multiple imposed closures of university residences "exposed many international students to undue hardship".

Stellenbosch University currently has 187 registered Zimbabwean final-year students (both post- and undergraduate) who have varying amounts of outstanding student debt.

Furthermore, 112 of those students "have no other sources of funding" to cover their accumulated debt of just over R3 million by the time that they are set to graduate.

Created as a financial aid initiative by the Division for Development and Alumni Relations, the #Zim4Zim Project Fund aims to ensure that these students are given financial support to help clear their debt by the time they graduate in December 2021 or March 2022.

The distribution of funds will be overseen by a panel made up of alumni and University representatives. If successful, this project will ensure that these graduates will receive their physical degree certificates and can therefore begin to look for relevant employment immediately.

HOW TO DONATE:

Individuals who wish to donate to the Fund from within South Africa are able to transfer or deposit money directly into a Standard Bank current account. The account number is 073006955 and the branch code 050610.

For donations from outside of South Africa, a First National Bank public sector cheque account has been made available. The account number is 62107177083, the branch code 200610, and the Swift code FIRNZAJJ. 

Patrons from within the United Kingdom who donate directly through the Stellenbosch University SA Foundation UK account with National Westminster Bank, City of London. The account number is 39448843 and the sort code is 60-00-01. In addition, donors are able to increase their donation by 25% via Gift Aid. For more details, please contact Darryn Havenga at darrynh@sun.ac.za.

For all three transfer options listed above, please use your name, surname and #Zim4Zim as reference when sending proof of payment to Fund project coordinator Randall Adams at adamsr@sun.ac.za.