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Remmone Ramotete says the Ikateleng project is definitely worthwhile and led the way to where he is today.
How Ikateleng changed Remmone’s life
A proud beneficiary of the project is Remmone Samuel Ramotete (turning 21 in March), who performed extremely well in his 2019 matric exams. He is now enrolled for a BSc in actuarial science at the NWU's campus in Potchefstroom.
"Everything I have achieved until now is thanks to the Ikateleng project,” Remmone says.
“It's actually the most beautiful opportunity, and I'd encourage any student to use it effectively. You will benefit from this project both academically and socially.”
3 ways you can help
Pay it forward. Plough it back. Sharing is caring. Do you recognise these somewhat overused expressions for asking alumni to donate time, expertise or money to their alma mater?
Well, these might be platitudes but they definitely hold some truth. The crux of the matter is that we need you – your time, money and expertise.
Let’s look at the three main ways in which you can contribute. (Click on the purple links in each bullet to read more.)
- Preparing students for the world of work
For any final-year student, the idea of starting a career can be daunting.
Having our alumni visit the campuses and talking to them makes a huge difference. Information and tips about the world of work prepare them and set their minds at ease.
Another way to prepare NWU students is by mentoring them, or making internships available to them. - Joining the Convocation, which is a statutory body with representation on the Council of the university. You can also join the Convocation’s Alumni Association.
The purpose of the Convocation is to promote the well-being of the NWU by safeguarding its image and interests and by serving as a bridge between members of the Convocation and the university.
The Alumni Association, established by the Convocation, connects alumni with their alma mater. - Making general donations or giving financial support for specific bursaries or projects (for instance the Meal a Day or Ikateleng projects).
In 2019 the financial aid offices on the campuses administered R2 023 million. This amount includes funds from government financial aid schemes, and also R208,8 million from our own resources.
Unfortunately, several factors in our external environment are intensifying the pressure on our finances, a major one being fee regulation by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
It is not only our students who need funds, however.
Our researchers are eager to find solutions to real-world problems in society, but their efforts are sometimes hampered by the decline in external research funding.
NSFAS, for instance, no longer funds postgraduate studies, making it increasingly difficult to reach our goal of increasing our research outputs.
We would like to make a big and lasting impact in the communities around our campuses, and also nationally and internationally.
For this we need increasing financial support from interest groups like you, our loyal alumni.
The NWU & U
Please send us your comments, suggestions and any other contributions you would like to make, for instance photographs or news snippets.
We value your opinions and input – after all, the NWU & U belongs to us all.
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Imagine this:
John looks at the coins in his palm. He has to choose between buying himself breakfast or paying for a taxi to get to campus.
The aroma of baked goods coming from the café makes his tummy rumble. He looks at the road stretching into the distance. If he walks to campus, he might be late for his first class.
He turns away from the café entrance and hails a taxi.
The above scenario is part of more students’ lives than we may think.
Talking to lecturers and social workers, we hear about students almost fainting in class because they have not had enough to eat. Other students sleep on the floor in empty rooms because they can’t afford furniture.
The university is committed to supporting needy students, but we need your help. Cliché or not, please pay it forward, plough it back or share what you can. You can make a difference in people’s lives.