“Thank you Siyandisa for being a force that brings change in my life since 2018. Everything you have done has always been helpful to me and I'll forever be grateful.”
Tsoseletso Motsieloa is a final-year B.Accounting student at the University of the Free State Bloemfontein main campus, a Siyandisa Foundation Scholarship Recipient and currently enjoys the benefit of the financial support provided through the Siyandisa Foundation Scholarship programme.
A resilient and determined young future professional, who believes that “there is no room for giving up, no matter what her situation looks and feels like”. Tsoseletso shares how determined she is to finish strong and complete her degree at the end of 2023 and brace herself for future prospects, after graduation.
Tsoseletso who resides in Bloemfontein with her family of 6 explains, “I come from a very big family, and last year my grandmother was a breadwinner but she has since passed and my mother our primary care-giver. My mother is currently unemployed and does her best to make ends meet for us all despite facing challenges of her own.
I honestly still don't believe that through the Siyandisa Foundation I managed to register in 2023, as my family and I did know how to fund my studies this year. I would have had to drop out of varsity possibly – but when I was able to get the much-needed assistance and support from the Foundation team it changed things for my family and I instantly”.
Much like Tsoseletso Motsieloa, many students navigate similar challenges which are magnified by the increasing pool of students in need of academic-related support at institutions of higher learning and face the limited available sources of funding. Students are not always able to afford student-loans and sometimes become unsuccessful in their quest to attain an education with the hope of changing the trajectory of their lives.
“When I received that email from Ms Chricelda, I felt hopeful. That I may have funds to help me and also my family. I’ll be able to go to varsity with my own transportation and have food as well. Back home I'll assist as much as I can cause I can't ignore the situation.”
“We share this and many other stories of young people in South Africa, who are deserving and hard-working. Who achieve exceptional marks and exhibit resilience despite personal challenges. At the Siyandisa Foundation, we are inspired by our scholars to unlock even further opportunities with partners and prospective donors, to enable our programme the capacity to reach students such as Tsoseletso Motsieloa.
These are the youth of today and leaders of tomorrow, from who we hope other young people can draw inspiration. Our unchanging position as the Foundation is to provide adequate support and ensure that scholars in our programme achieve their optimal academic abilities and unlock opportunities through excellence”, Cikizwa Bacela, Programme coordinator.
The focus of the Siyandisa Scholarship Programme remains investing in academic excellence, and the scholarship programme manages to achieve this by providing support to deserving students from currently and previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Our footprint is across all 9 provinces in South Africa, and over the past 6 years the programme has grown significantly in leaps and bounds and boasts 335 scholars active in the programme to-date