There is still some time to reflect on 2019 as we rev up for the new academic year. We had the unusual case of donations arriving in December, so we were able to help a few more students than we usually can at that time of year. This post is about some of the needs we heard of.
a) Food needs – we had a few requests from students needing money for food. They were not aware that NSFAS does not make allowances available for November. For students still writing exams, this was a real liability. Fortunately, we were able to help with small amounts here and there to help students get by until they left campus.
b) Transport to go home – this year, as in previous years, we were approached by students who didn’t have funds to go home. Sadly, some students opt to stay on in town, because the circumstances at home are worse than what they face here. Others are desperate to see friends and family after months, sometimes years, away from loved ones. One student used his food money to afford the transport home – bus, train and taxi – but he was going home!
c) Money for home – for many first generation students’ households, they are the breadwinners. Bursaries are meant to cover academic costs: books, stationery, accommodation and fees. But the reality is that those funds are often used for household electricity, food and other immediate family needs.
The needs of resource-poor students are many and frequent, and small offerings like ours’ may not even make a dent. But we hear time and again from students who express gratitude, for the money, yes, but especially for the caring expressed with it.
What we can do:
- Donate to The Small Things Fund, and we will make the connections with the students
- Offer a lift to a student whom you know needs to travel home during University vacation times (March/April, June/July and December – February), or hook them up with safe and reliable transport as your family’s offering for Christmas or Easter
- If you know of a student who is not going home, invite them to your home for Christmas. Invite them to bring a friend!
The Small Things Fund 