We recently had two requests from two students – almost on the same day – for travel assistance. This is specifically for travel from university back home, usually for the longer winter and summer vacations. Often the request is for money to help pay for transportation. But we know that the real cost isn’t just the ticket.
Recent global conflicts are resulting in escalating oil costs. When fuel costs rise, food costs are soon to follow. Vulnerable households already staggering under the weight of unemployment and poverty get pushed over the edge. Students who are already making do with little lose their foothold with narrowing safety nets at home. Add to this the the significant fuel price jumps we’ve seen over the last months, and we now get some context for what it really costs for a student to get home.
Let’s tally the costs. The actual ticket price for a bus ticket home is usually what we are approached for. The latest price was just over R 1 500 for a 30 hour busride from Cape Town to a town in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN). But the student may need transport from where they live to get to the busstop. The likelihood of having a friend, relative or neighbour with a car who is willing and able to help is pretty slim. And of course, it has to be safe transport. The usual commercial tax services are safe, but expensive. Sometimes they cannot reach the township address because of unsafe conditions for the drivers themselves, or they simply cannot afford the service. Also, the cheaper long-distance tickets are the ones that require travel early in the morning or later at night. Choosing cheaper options means finding means to get to the busstop safely, which then poses a safety risk, and the price. An Uber ride can cost anywhere from a few rand to a few hundred rand depending on times, driver availability, location and driver willingness to enter unsafe places. Let’s assume R 200.
Packing requires decision-making about needs at home and needs back at university when the student returns. Shabby suitcases that cannot close properly cannot be replaced easily (R 2 000). The risk is high when you cannot afford a lock for your bag (R 100). Storing things means getting it somewhere, and that at a cost of fuel (R 100). And there is the fact that you have to physically lug everything yourself. Usually friends help.
Assuming they have these costs covered, there is the 30 hour drive back home. Food needs come into play. Let’s assume fastfood at convenience stores along the way that become fewer and fewer along the gradient from urban to rural locations.
Once the student is safely at the busstop at home, there is the commute from there to wherever home is. There may be fewer commercial options, but the costs could still be high as informal service providers monopolise poorly serviced areas. There is also the genuinely high cost of fuel.
Finally, for some students, going home means getting back to essential social safety nets. Presumably there is a warm bed, food, means by which to live. But for many students who go home, they go as providers. Bursaries are stretched to help with food and electricity needs. Sometimes those responsibilities are foisted upon them by desperate parents. Sometimes the student feel compelled to help, just because the feel they have to.
The bottom line: going home has many hidden costs. For resource-poor students, the hidden costs are that much harder to bear.
Is there a first generation student in your circles trying to get home? Consider that they may need a ticket. Some cash for food and data so that they can stay in touch would be helpful. A suitcase that closes properly and that can be secured with a lock might come in handy.
An opportunity to go home can be time for replenishment, encouragement and support from family and friends. Let’s make it possible for first generation students who really need the help.
The Small Things Fund 