%20(3).png)
A response to social ills by creatives.
Recepients
%20(3).png)
Gugu chose not to have her image displayed.
Gugulethu Jack, 24
GOAL
REACHED
LLB
University of Cape Town
Gugu's fees are now paid off. A portion of the fund was donated through Sun Raise.
Funding Situation: Having had no funding during her final year, Gugulethu finds herself unable to graduate this year. Dell Young Leaders paid R100 000, which covered most of her historical debt. At the time of applying she still needed to pay R29 384 before the 30th of June 2025, in order to graduate in September this year. Gugulethu has since then acquired a loan and paid R20 200 towards her fees. Her outstanding balance is now R9 443. We are currently running a donation drive for her on our social media.
​​
University Experience: Gugulethu enjoyed most of her university experience. She reported often struggling with feelings of belonging and alienation at UCT. Even so, she is eternally grateful to the supportive community that she has gained at university, despite her challenges.
​
Passions and Interests: Gugulethu is a passionate and proficient poet. She says that it “comes from the depths of my heart and is inspired by our daily happenings as black african children who will forever be indebted to our ancestors.” She feels that writing poetry and sharing it with those who resonate is deeply heartwarming.
Neelam Jameel, 24
Psychology (Honours)
UNISA
Funding Situation: Neelam was funded by NSFAS for her undergraduate studies and has no student debt from that period. However, she lacks funding to pursue her Honours degree. She is seeking funding to continue her studies and become a qualified Psychologist.
University Experience: Neelam has a Bachelor of Arts Degree Majoring in Psychology and Public Administration. Her love for Psychology and learning about the human mind has been with her since she was a little girl. She was funded by NSFAS for her undergraduate studies but was rejected by the NRF for her Honours Psychology funding due to budget constraints.
​
Passions and Interests: Neelam enjoys making videos and showcasing the beauty of everyday life, from nature to people.
​
​
​
Lois Flandorp, 23
Anthropology (Honours)
University of Cape Town
​
Funding Situation: As of now, Lois has raised over R70 000 in funds through Backabuddy, allowing her to pay off outstanding debt and enroll in the Anthropology Honours programme. She is unable to graduate in September due to an outstanding balance of just under R12 000. With regard to funding for her Honours degree, she is still waiting to hear back from a few scholarships and bursaries, including the NRF. Her current total debt is around R65 000.
University Experience: Lois started her undergraduate degree in History and Anthropology 2021. Her love of learning and her passion for people is what fuels her academic career. She completed her undergraduate degree in 2024, yet is unable to graduate due to outstanding fees. While she has raised enough money to continue her studies, fears of a repeat of 2024 continue to haunt her as she chases her dream. Lois has dreams of becoming an ethno-musicologist and an anthropology lecturer one day.
​
Passions and Interests: Lois is deeply intrigued by people, culture and history. She has special interests in national history, music history and symbiotic relationships in nature. Lois is also an artist. She writes, sings and loves to draw, paint and produce music in her free time. She is also part of a band called Operation Khataza. Her current Honours research is concerned with the Cape Town music industry, and how community collaboration can serve as a tool in anti-capitalist resistance. ​​​
GOAL
REACHED
David Arries, 22
Environmental Geographical Sciences (Honours)
University of Cape Town
Funding Situation: Hailing from Tafelsig, David completed his Honours degree with tuition covered by bursaries but still has an outstanding accommodation balance of R9,800. He worked part-time in 2024 but couldn't cover all his living expenses. He has reduced his debt from R60,000 to R9,800 through a BackaBuddy campaign and is seeking assistance to cover the remaining amount to graduate.
​
Financial Need: R9,800- recently covered by SunRaise
University Experience: David is driven by a deep passion for Environmental and Geographical Science and finds immense joy in rigorous learning and in-depth research at the intersection of environment and politics. However, his university experience has been significantly hampered by persistent financial struggles.
​
Passions and Interests: David is a visual artist who creatively directs photographic narratives that delve into the often-unseen political struggles faced by people of colour in contemporary society. His work explores how the capitalist system perpetuates a sense of "otherness," crafting visual dialogues that speak to these silent yet profound realities. (See link to his documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxxx )