Making dreams come true is what DUT strives to do for all its students.

Two weeks ago, Durban businessman Param Joseph committed himself to paying 18-year-old Sandiso Shange’s tuition fees for 2014 towards a National Diploma in IT after a moving story about how his grandmother, Khanyi Sibiya, had sold her bed so that he (Shange) could register for his diploma studies. After selling her bed, Sibiya spent her nights sleeping on the floor.

The story touched the hearts of many, including Tea Brand Trinco, a Johannesburg based company. On top of pledging to donate R10 000 towards groceries for the whole year (2014) to Shange and his grandmother, the company will financially help another student who also comes from Kenneth Gardens, a low-income community in Umbilo. DUT is currently deeply involved in a community-engagement project with the area.

Mahmood Mall, Trinco Brand Manager was recently in Durban to meet Sandiso and Sibiya. Trinco is part of Entyce Beverages – a tea and coffee company.

“We were subsequently told about Andile Hlatshwayo, another student who also required funding but could not attend varsity this year because his marks obtained in Matric did not meet requirements, so the next step was for him to get into a FET College to improve his Maths and Science percentages before he could get into DUT the following year. We met Andile and made an agreement that he would go to a FET College to re-do his Maths and Science this year so that he can pursue a course at DUT next year. We are prepared to give him R10 000 to cover his subjects, as well as books for the year. We believe in people empowering themselves through education, and this story resonates with our company’s goals and motto,” said Mall.

He added that Entyce Beverages would be also prepared to get extra tuition for Andile to help him pass.

Lindy-Lou Alexander, Entyce Beverages Marketing Director said, “Education is key in assisting the disadvantaged youth to improve their own circumstances, hence we are associated with this platform. It is an honour to contribute towards their ambition, particularly as they have fought against all odds to try and get an education.”

Speaking about Andile from Kenneth Gardens, Professor Monique Marks, Research Professor at DUT’s Engineering and the Built Environment Faculty, said, “How I got to meet Andile is because DUT is incredibly involved in a community-engagement project at Kenneth Gardens. DUT has been involved in this project for the last three years and it partners with a number of other universities, such as the Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). It was a very strange thing when I first met Andile in July last year because he was part of a research project at Kenneth Gardens, where he lives as well. I immediately thought this kid was way above the other kids in his year and, in fact, I was at UKZN then and I said this was the kind of guy I would teach. He now has this great opportunity that will open doors for him, and we are doing it as part of DUT and as part of a pact, forming a partnership with the business sector, and we at DUT are going to watch his progress because we see his potential. The second part of the contract is that Andile will have to identify, by May or June exactly, which course he’s going to study at DUT next year and he will provide a motivation as to why he wants to study that course at DUT. He will do an early application for registration at DUT and it’s the responsibility of Entyce Enterprises to do regular checks on how his studying is going. When it comes to the end of the year, it will be up for discussion between the University and Entyce Enterprises as to how they will go forward if Andile performs exceptionally well in those subjects, as expected.”

Excited about the great opportunity he’s receiving, Andile is looking forward to studying. “I am happy to get a breakthrough in the form of Trinco, and he (Mall) has told me the conditions of the offer. If I finish my course this year, I have to continue my tertiary studies at DUT and I am happy with that because it’s very close to home,” he said.

He also said, “I had to pass the Maths and Science subjects which I am upgrading in order to get an exemption. I am looking at the possibility of doing a third subject as well! I am definitely excited about the future. I have a few friends at DUT currently, so I am looking forward to studying at DUT next year.”
Tamlyn Fleetwood, who is part of the Kenneth Gardens Project, and who is also helping Prof Marks, said Andile had decided to do his “upgrade” with Star Schools as the classes were affordable and were held at UKZN, where he could walk to campus and not incur transport costs.
“The classes are in the evenings too, which means that Andile can get a part-time day job,” she explained.

An official cheque handover ceremony will take place at Kenneth Gardens on Thursday 27 February 2014 at 2pm.

– Waheeda Peters

Pictured: Tamlyn Fleetwood from the Kenneth Gardens Project with Andile Hlatshwayo, recipient of the R10 000 bursary from Trinco.