Pretoria’s most inspiring former car guard, Dr Kapya, recently celebrated his PhD graduation ceremony, where he stood proudly as a Doctor of Industrial Engineering and proof that the odds can and should be defied:

Pretoria, South Africa (18 September 2024) — Dr Tshinangi Fabrice Kapya has come a very long way from his days working as a car guard. How much his life has changed, beamed in full clarity at the University of Pretoria’s recent graduation ceremony. Here, Dr Kapya, a PhD graduate and Doctor of Industrial Engineering, positively shone not just as an outstanding student but as someone who defied the odds and won.

For Dr Kapya, none of it would’ve been possible if it wasn’t for the encouragement he received from friends.

“I was working as a car park attendant at Wonderpark Mall in Pretoria,” Dr Kapya recalls.

“Despite the repetitive nature of my work, I discovered an unexpected source of comfort: books. Whenever I had a free moment, I devoted it to reading… my former colleagues would often catch me reading. They’d say with a mix of playfulness and sincerely: ‘Fabrice, you don’t belong here, you should go back to school.”

This was the spark that would change everything. Dr Kapya first received a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Likasi. But, with a friend’s encouragement on his side, he decided to apply to the University of Pretoria where he’d go on to be accepted for an honours degree programme—all while working as a car guard in 2019.

By 2021, he was accepted into the masters programme, and was even offered a position as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering!

Ambitious as ever, Dr Kapya already enrolled for his PhD before even touching the master’s graduation stage.

But, being a car guard didn’t just help him earn an income at the time. In fact, his time guarding cars actually helped map out the foundations for his research.

“While I was working at Wonderpark, I frequently observed trucks from various logistics companies delivering a ride range of products. These trucks usually followed strict schedules, ensuring that goods reached their destinations on time.

“However, when COVID-19 struck, I noticed a significant shift in consumer behaviour and the way certain products were being consumed. This shift got me thinking about the processes involved in the production of certain goods.”

Dr Kapya’s research ended up becoming focused on developing mathematic models for managing production systems for perishable goods; addressing challenges like changing production rates and demand influenced by stock.

The road to this recent graduation was long and winding. But, Dr Kapya hopes his story will inspire others to follower their dreams feverishly.

“Every morning before leaving the house, I had to remind myself that it would get better with time, that each day was an opportunity to conquer, to fight for a better future. I learnt to keep a strong face, to go to war with my depression, and to cling to my faith even when it felt like a thin thread.”—Dr Kapya. 

He further thanked the University for making him feel a part of something bigger and his classmates for being champions behind his dreams—from including him in study groups to covering his transport and paying his rent when he needed help.

Sources: University of Pretoria—Supplied 

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A three-year-long fundraising campaign dubbed ‘Giving Matters’ has garnered fantastic support for students in the ‘missing middle’ (between those who qualify for funding and those who do not need it), with more than 407 students’ lives positively impacted!

Pretoria, South Africa (23 July 2024) — A three-year-long fundraising campaign by the University of Pretoria (UP) has those behind it celebrating fantastic feats in the pursuit of supporting more students with financial aid. The ‘Giving Matters’ campaign has since 2022 been on a mission to support students in the ‘missing middle’ (those who do not qualify for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding but also cannot afford much of the necessary requirements for their educations.

Aiming to raise R100 million over a period of three years, the ‘Giving Matters’ campaign was ambitious. But, since it’s launch, it’s proved that ambition and good intentions can go a very long way and as such, has resulted in some very good news for numerous students.

“We are proud to have changed the lives of more than 407 students and supported various projects at UP through this campaign,” reflected interim UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Themba Mosia. 

“None of this would have been possible without the support of our donors, including staff, students and alumni, who understand the struggles faced by students striving to transform their lives through education.”

2022

In 2022, ‘Giving Matters’ raised a whopping R31 million from 504 donors, including organisations and individuals. Around R9 million was allocated to bursaries and scholarships, while R22 million went to non-bursary projects for the University.

2023

The following year, R36 million was successfully raised thanks to 834 donors with R16 million earmarked for student bursaries and scholarships with R20 million heading to non-bursary projects for UP.

2024

This year already, ‘Giving Matters’ has rallied R15 million from 38 donor organisations, allowing R6 million to support bursaries while the remaining amount supports non-bursary projects. The university is currently raffling off an iconic 1967 Volkswagen Beetle in hopes to rally more financial support.

All in all, the Giving Matters campaign has achieved raising about R82 million for student support and university projects!

Meanwhile, in other news, where students received news of incredible support, an anonymous donor made sure that their last will and testament made more than enough space for Stellenbosch University; leaving R50 million for them to allocate to student bursaries!

Sources: Supplied—University of Pretoria 

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Cape Town’s creatives are basking in the global spotlight after raking in international awards for their talents!

Cape Town, South Africa (12 July 2024) — Young creatives from Cape Town have backed the Mother City’s reputation as a hub of the arts after several students went on to bask in the global spotlight; raking in an array of international creative awards.

Graduates from the Red & Yellow Creative School of Business, Philippa Scholtz and Duncan Schröder were among those awarded. This for their recent submissions to the One Club for Creativity Student Awards—a big deal in the world of creative up-and-comers.

One Club for Creativity promotes the global creative community year-round through its initiatives, culminating in notable awards like the Student Awards (considered the most commendable advertising, interactive and design competition for students) and the ADC Awards (which specifically recognise craftsmanship in design, illustration, photography, motion and more worldwide).

Philippa won in the Young Ones ADC Illustration category for Sweet P Creates, as well as in the Brand/Communication on Design category for her project ‘Boink’.

It was a huge honour for the young illustrator who shared that, “[the awards] validate the hard work and creativity we put into our project and motivates us to keep pushing boundaries.” 

As for Duncan, he secured an ADC Merit Award for Project ‘Melktert’ in the Brand/Communication Design/Branding Systems/Identities—Digital category. Both students have completed their Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication degrees. But if their recent praise is anything to go by, they’ve already put their degrees to fantastic use; forging a promising future for themselves.

But, the good news didn’t end with them. For the D&AD awards, five students and four tutors making up a formidable creative force won a Pencil for work they did for a big client.

The D&AD Awards, organised by a registered charity and educational body, gather the world’s best creative work in commercial design, advertising, production and craft disciplines. These works are judged by over 300 global creative leaders and innovators who ultimately decide who wins a Pencil, making it quite the feather in anyone’s cap.

The South African creatives who won are Allegra Carrara, Ammaarah Ismail, Georgia Wallace, Melandré Fourie and Nombulelo Mtshakaci along with their lecturers and mentors Wilna Combrinck, Liz Pienaar, Stephanie Simpson and Heloise Bottomley.

“Bringing home international awards is a proof point that South African students can produce world-class work for the creative industry,” reflected Stephanie Simpson, the Illustration Lecturer who supported Scholtz in the lead-up to the Young Ones Student Awards. 

“South Africans’ work ethic and creativity are often praised abroad but not as frequently recognised at home. Positive news about local young achievers is rare and people are increasingly eager for uplifting stories, especially when it’s about people associated with international success.” 

As the cherry atop the cake for their school, Red & Yellow was listed by the One Club for Creativity as the top-ranked regional college in Africa and the Middle East, earmarking it at the 25th spot in the whole world.

Sources: Supplied 

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An anonymous donor’s last wishes have left Stellenbosch University feeling beyond grateful after they found out that their students’ futures were included in the last will and testament to the tune of R50 million, set to create bursaries for financially underprivileged students:

Stellenbosch, South Africa (11 July 2024) — Few can guess what the future holds for them, while no one knows when they’ll enjoy their final day. This is a universal truth that humans have grappled with since the beginning of time. But for some folks, life is less about finding answers to impossible questions and more about making answers to impossible situations, possible. Such were an incredibly generous donor’s last wishes, that will now make a wealth of chance for those beginning their futures.

The anonymous donor’s kindness has left Stellenbosch University feeling beyond grateful after they received the news that R50 million has been donated to their students’ futures per the donor’s last will and testament.

As shared by the University’s Hugo Steyn who is the Acting Director: Principal Giving, the donor’s wishes were clear: the funds must go to bursaries for financially disadvantaged learners within the Faculty of Theology and the Department of Music.

“The funds will be invested and create a sustainable annual income stream, benefitting countless theology and music students for years to come. The first round of funds will be available soon and we should be able to award bursaries from 2025,” Hugo added.

“We always talk about the transformative power of giving and here we have it in action, shared Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations at SU Karen Bruns. The donor opted to remain anonymous and though we would have loved to publicly name and honour a person with such foresight, we will respect their wishes.”

It’s the kind of gift that will create immense impact for so many who have only dreamt about this kind of hope. And for the University, it’s a lesson in the power of giving even if no one ever knows the gift bestowed was by your hand.

Sources: Stellenbosch University 

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A passion for music and numbers, Moses Phiri (AKA DJ 10111) recently graduated with his PhD in statistics, reminding people that we are not bound to a single dream!

North-West, South Africa (30 May 2024)—The arts and sciences are often pinned against one another (largely thanks to left-brain, right-brain debates that try to box people into being one way or another). While oftentimes this couldn’t be further from the truth (geometry is often integral to the world art and design, numbers and music walk hand-in-hand and there are few classes of technology that exist without creativity), it still seems to surprise society when one person decides to harness both left and right-brained passions. Worse, society still seems to think that you have to pick one flavour of passion.

Dr Moses Phiri is a perfect example that actually, you can do both. Better yet, you should try to!

Known to many as DJ 10111, Moses recently graduated with his PhD in statistics as awarded by the North-West University.

Moses graduated cum laude in 2010 with his bachelor’s degree after a university experience where both crunching numbers and cooking up beats were prevalent in his life. He was the resident DJ on campus and even co-founded the NWU DJ Society with other DJs, all while hitting the books to become a sorcerer of statistics.

As DJ 10111, he got to share stages with the likes of Grammy winners Black Coffee and Zakes Bantwini as well as many other prominent figures in South Africa’s music scene. On the other side of his pursuits, he got his honours degree, joined Statistics South Africa and travelled across the pond to work as a data science manager and eventually, as a data science director.

A lover of learning, Moses has continued to add to his educational achievements over the years; earning his MBD in strategic leadership in 2020 and of course, his recent PD.

Though embracing both passions hasn’t always been easy, it has also been worth it.

“Balancing my passion for music and academic pursuits has been challenging but rewarding. I’m grateful for the support from the NWU and the opportunities that have come my way,” he shares. 

Meanwhile, in another shining example of art and maths making magic happen, Last month Dr Esther Mahlangu was awarded another honorary doctorate, this time for her gorgeous integration of math principles that have shaped her iconic art style!

Sources: North-West University 

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A Stellies Lecturer embarked on an incredible ‘600km in 6 days’ cycle—all to alleviate the financial burdens of her chemistry students:

Western Cape, South Africa (04 April 2024) — Stellenbosch University lecturer Dr Marietjie Lutz has undertaken a big cycle for a cause! Driven by the Stellies lecturer and a dream to enact tangible change in her students’ lives, Dr Lutz signed up for a massive bike tour of 600 kilometres from George to Stellenbosch in a time wrap of just six days.

Dubbed ‘Wheels of Opportunity’ by Stellenbosch University, the initiative is all to help finance her students in their educational pursuits!

As a lecturer of first-year chemistry students, Dr Lutz knows first-hand the financial challenges her students face en route to their dreams. No matter their potential or brilliance, financial obstacles can easily dull even the brightest sparks.

Despite the resilience of many students in these situations, a little help and effort always goes a long way—which is exactly why lecturers and students (like the incredible Sarah Camp who also cycled to help her fellow peers) go such great lengths for the cause.

However, it was one student in particular who inspired Dr Lutz’s ‘Wheels of Opportunity’ initiative.

“The student was on the brink of homelessness and food insecurity. Despite facing immense financial stress, this determined student excelled academically, demonstrating resilience and determination,” shares Dr Lutz.

As of 29 March, the Stellies lecturer decided to take the Easter Weekend as the perfect opportunity to embark on a pursuit with her students’ challenges in mind (she has before used her love of long-distance cycling to empower students, including the Cape Epic!)

Adding the extra heartwarming feels of this story, the Stellies lecturer was not alone on the recent long road to Stellenbosch, thanks to her husband and four children who hit the road alongside her. According to Dr Lutz, this was part of the family’s travel theme—gratitude.

Through demanding roads through Oudtshoorn all the way to Greyton, yesterday, the family of cyclists completed their final kilometres.

“We had the best support one could dream of…so many messages and financial contributions from family and many, many friends and colleagues,” Dr Lutz shared.

In total, all the individual GivenGain campaigns have rallied R34,050 of the R60,000.

You can toss in some support here!

Sources: Marietjie Lutz, Stellenbosch University 

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Maybe the internet needed to be reminded that life isn’t always so serious, or maybe the energy of these students was just infectiously joyful. Whatever the main reason, a singing prank in a Stellenbosch lecture hall has gone beyond viral with almost 30 million views!

Stellenbosch, South Africa (01 March 2024)—Being a university student means living in the weird space between serious adulthood and laidback youth. Some days, it feels like your whole life is dependent on one assignment. Other days, you might be at the height of feeling young and invincible. But fun should lie in the mix of it all, as should stepping outside of your comfort zone, which is exactly what students at Stellenbosch University got up to thanks to a singing prank that skyrocketed past virality at 28.4 million views and 3.9 million likes.

Maybe the internet needed to be reminded that life isn’t always so serious, or maybe the energy of these students was just so unanimously and infectiously joyful. Whatever the exact reason, a clip of students giving their lecture a High School Musical twist has captured social media users after this rendition of ‘We Are Young’ made people smile.

Watch: Singing Prank in Stellies Unites Students

@timmorrel Ending was worth it #university #lectures #college #CapCut ♬ original sound – Tim

Shared by TikTok creator Tim Morrel, the clip captured bravery, fun and unity through doing something you have to have a lot of guts to do. Students’ mental health at tertiary levels is known to be a cause for concern; with anxiety and depression sadly impacting so many young people’s journeys through higher education. What was awesome about the clip was not just the singing and joy, but that the whole cohort of students joined in; which means even the anxious, those who feel alone, and those who never considered that they could make others smile simply through a little silliness.

Yes lecture halls are a place of learning, but they should also be a place where students can unite and even learn a few lessons outside of the curriculum—like this lesson in being bold!

Sources:  TikTok

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In incredible international news, a widow who was left a fortune has decided to donate $1 billion dollars to fund medical students’ tuition! Full story:

New York City, USA (29 February 2024) — It’s not every day that a widow receives a billionaire’s fortune. But it’s even rarer to learn that she would make the decision to donate $1 billion (over 19 billion rand) to fund medical students’ tuition. Well, in a literal wealth of good news from New York City, this is exactly what happened thanks to Dr Ruth Gottesman.

Ruth Gottesman is the widow of David ‘Sandy’ Gottesman—a billionaire who made a big part of his fortune by investing in Bershire Hathaway Inc. It is believed that this saw him quietly reach a net worth of around $3 billion in his lifetime.

When David passed away, his wife of over seven decades was reportedly left with the stock David had and instructions.

“Do whatever you think is right with it,” the instructions said as per Forbes.

93-year-old Ruth got to thinking about what she could do and found the answer in her roots. Ruth is a former professor of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, based in New York City’s Bronx. Knowing the institution and its student’s challenges well; Ruth returned to her old professional stomping ground with a once-in-a-lifetime gift: a donation that would change the futures of students in a way that has never been seen before in the United States medical school history. Ruth decided to donate the $1 billion so that medical students would have their college tuition covered. Historically, tuition at the college will now be free; and no student will have to pay tuition costs in the future either! Not to mention, all spring tuition will be reimbursed, as the college shared.

“I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Gottesman for this historic and transformational gift. I believe we can change healthcare history when we recognize that access is the path to excellence. With this gift, Dr. Gottesman will fund excellence in perpetuity and secure our foundational mission of advancing human health,” said Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein.

Dr Gottesman has only added to her legacy of impact with this gift. While she was working at Einstein’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Centre, she was a huge force in developing screening and help for children with learning problems. In the ’90s, she began the Adult Literacy Programme and continued her work in treating learning disabilities and, alongside David, created an institution for stem cell research.

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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To channel her grief into something helpful, Briony Chisholm did something unexpected. Despite having been in a wheelchair for decades, she created her own kind of marathon, the solo ‘arm marathon’, to make a difference for students who need financial help. And we’re thrilled to report that it’s been a success!

Western Cape, South Africa (05 February 2024) — A clever initiative has shown people in the Western Cape that sometimes all it takes to make a difference is a little creativity, some heart, and dedication to some fierce arm work. The unofficial, solo ‘arm marathon’ by Briony Chisholm has successfully surpassed its fundraising goal for the second time and is now fully set to make a difference for students at the University of the Western Cape.

You’d be forgiven for wondering what on earth an arm marathon is. Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like—a marathon reliant on arm movement.

For Briony who took on the initiative as a way to channel the grief she experienced after her mother passed away into something positive and helpful, the idea was sparked when she realised that the ‘steps’ her phone was tracking from her daily movement were not fuelled by her feet, but by her arms.

Briony is quadriplegic and has been in a wheelchair since she was 21 years old on account of a car accident that changed everything for her in the 90s. When she realised she could use her arms to make a difference the way that many marathon runners use their legs to do, her arm marathon began packing a punch of inspiration.

Setting her sights on completing 80kms (just a few kilometres shy of the Comrades) in honour of what would’ve been her mom’s 80th birthday, Briony called on her community to help her make the marathon count.

Beyond celebrating her beloved mother, the initiative aimed to raise funds for the UWC Fairy Godmother—an anonymous Good Samaritan committed to solving small financial problems that students face—from paying for groceries to academic-related stresses. Updates on her kilometres of progress were shared on social media, and the support behind her strides became infectious.

Briony’s mission surpassed its initial wish of R8000 last month already. After shifting the goalposts to R18 000, the arm runner has seen even more support roll in and the fundraising target has been surpassed yet again!

Sharing that her mom “believed that the only way to make things better is through education”, Brioni’s unique Camino will undoubtedly help students with the everyday challenges that hold so many back from excelling through the local Fairy Godmother, who you can read more about here.

Briony’s dedication shows us that there is no blueprint for making a difference. Sometimes it means rolling with the punches and coming up with something entirely new. Working with what you have to work with and seeing how far that might just take you. And betting on yourself even when you’re in an incredibly tough place.

Congratulations to the arm-runner who, beyond achieving those big goals has also inspired so many to follow the path of positive impact!

Sources: Briony Chisholm/BackaBuddy

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Architecture students from the University of the Free State got to represent South Africa and dazzle hundreds of thousands at one of the most prestigious showcases in the world—the Venice Biennale!

Free State, South Africa (22 January 2024) — The Venice Biennale (La Biennale di Venezia) is a highlight on the calendars of architecture lovers, architects, creatives and design enthusiasts. They come from all over the world to enjoy the grand spectacle dubbed ‘one of the most prestigious cultural festivals in the world’ that runs annually from May to November. And last year, students from the University of the Free State got to bask in being a part of it all.

Third-year students from UFS’s Department of Architecture got the chance to exhibit their work at the international showcasing—a shining accomplishment for any architect, let alone students.

Around 285,000 visitors attended the La Biennale di Venezia last year where, for the first time in its 18-year-long history, Africa was the focus of the festival. Six design artefacts were selected by South Africa’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, with UFS’s students proudly earning their place among the chosen six.

According to Phadi Mabe, a UFS Department of Architecture lecturer:

“To be featured in this exhibition means that we are recognised by the international community as one of the leading architectural learning sites in South Africa and the work being produced at the institution deserves international acclaim.”

But it also means a big shift in how architecture values what young African minds have to bring to the table—something we can all root for.

The students who have made South Africa so proud are Anya Strydom, Yamkelwa Simelane, Jan Truter and Khalipha Radebe, who used 3D printing in the most innovative way.

“The sound structures of South Africa’s languages are mapped three-dimensionally to create a visual and spatial record of language. This unique artefact demonstrates that there are uncharted terrains in architecture, suggesting alternative dimensions that can be extrapolated to show that architecture can represent the intangible,” Mabe explains.

Meanwhile, in other applause-worthy news of South African creativity earning spots in international settings, a South African film by Mark Engels was recently selected for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles!

Sources: UFS; Various (Linked Above)

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