Stellenbosch University Students Grateful for ISFAP
The Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP) aims to support missing middle students in many different ways. Three students who were part of the pilot ISFAP group at Stellenbosch University share their thoughts about the difference that the programme made in their lives. They all studied BAccounting, a three-year degree, and graduated in 2020.
For Yazeed Tyman, being part of the ISFAP family was the “most phenomenal experience”, one for which he will always be grateful. He was born and raised in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, and, exposed to the positive change that formal education can bring in a person’s life, decided to pursue a university education.
In his matric year, he researched various funding methods. The ISFAP bursary scheme attracted his attention due to the holistic support that it provides. “The ISFAP bursary gave me a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to advance socioeconomically without the burden of student debt – while receiving support from all areas.
Without the bursary’s financial support, I may not have been able to pursue higher education due to its high costs in South Africa.” Yazeed also appreciated the sense of community fostered by the bursary fund; it made him feel valued and part of something bigger and he made many good friends.
He has developed the “hope to bring about positive change in South Africa”. Samantha Williams was the first person in her family to attend university and was under a lot of pressure transitioning from high school to university. She applied for various bursaries but her applications were unsuccessful.
The ISFAP bursary, however, gave her the opportunity to further her studies. “ISFAP covered everything from my tuition to my accommodation. They are very understanding and caring towards their students, considering everything we would possibly need. Not only did the bursary cover our finances but ISFAP also provided emotional support.
I am grateful for Mrs Anne Havemann-Serfontein, my bursary coordinator, who was my rock.” Growing up, Tumelo Mofokeng knew that he would one day want to pursue a university education. Living in a single-parent household, however, he was aware of the financial burdens of adulthood. Two weeks after his final matric exam ‒ fortunately ‒ he was contacted by SU and invited to apply for the SU-ISFAP bursary. He applied for this in
December 2017 and began his BAccounting degree studies in February 2018. In May 2018,
ISFAP confirmed that his application was successful.
“I was elated to know I had the financial backing to complete my tertiary studies.” Tumelo is also grateful for the valuable workshops that ISFAP offered, which taught him how to adapt to university and how to prepare for the workplace and taught him other universal skills as well.
