Founders of the R10GoesALongWay education funding initiative have launched the second phase of this inspirational campaign – inviting South Africa to come together once again and invest in the dreams of our next generation. With over R2,3m raised towards the tertiary registration fees of 106 students in March this year, the team has its sights firmly set on helping even more. All they need is that crumpled R10 in your pocket…
Launched to help address the ongoing tertiary registration fee crisis being seen among students earlier this year, #R10GoesALongWay was created as a heartfelt response by social media celebrity Lasizwe Dambuza, and friends Nkateko “Takkies” Nkateko, Sibu Mabena and Ayanda Mhlongo. After raising R38 000 between the four of them, they went on to ask their families, friends and followers to help – by contributing just R10.
“R10GoesALongWay is about the power of collective positivity; starting a movement to create meaningful change,” explains Lasizwe. “While Covid-19 has kept us apart and challenged each of us in so many ways, it’s also reminded us of what can happen if enough of us rally around a cause and commit to doing something together.”
As momentum grew, the founders soon realised they would need an experienced partner to assist them both with ongoing collection, as well as with student selection and fee distribution. They reached out to education finance and fund management solution specialist Fundi. As South Africa’s leading education finance and Fund Management Specialist, Fundi provided fund management services, working alongside auditors Nexia SAB&T to ensure the valuable donations are collected, administered and distributed credibly.
“There was an immediate – and natural – fit!” says Mala Suriah, CMO of Fundi. “Given our own commitment to finding funding solutions especially for the ‘missing middle’ and how these were mirrored by the initiative’s objectives, we made this a Fundi Foundation initiative. We also worked to amplify the campaign across our client and influencer base – inviting our corporate clients to donate.”
As word of mouth spread, the groundswell continued with corporate sponsors of the likes of KFC, MTN Foundation, the Pick ‘n Pay School Club, Gemelli, VumaTel, Exito, Home Coming Events, African Bank, Chivas, ViacomCBS, Standard Bank and the general public among others pledging large amounts. Students too, started applying for the funding, going through an audited application and selection process on Fundi’s website to determine their need and whether they qualified for the funding.
By the closing date of 25 March 2021, over 19 000 applications had been received by Fundi, with the collective R2.3m raised then being allocated to the registration fees of 106 students who would otherwise have remained “outside the system”.
“Given the spontaneity of this original response, we’re sure that we can do even more this time, and help many more needy students,” says Suriah. “For too many of us, being shut out of a system on a purely financial basis is something too close to home. We have personal experience of it. If it’s in our power to change that for someone else, we must. This is the invitation and call to action behind #R10GoesALongWay: use that R10 in your wallet, in your pocket or on your phone to do good and change a life. The reward will be far greater than you could have imagined.”
Donations towards this campaign can be made directly through the dedicated microsite: https://fundifoundation.org/CaseSinglePageR10
