Let's Get Sithembiso Through Med School!
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SITHEMBISO
Everyone, please meet Sithembiso Khwela!
Sithembiso is an awesome South African, certified nurse, and current medical student at the University of Johannesburg, focusing on podiatry. He's passionate about making a real impact in South Africa, bettering the lives of people across the country and using both his nursing and podiatry qualifications to educate and treat his patients holistically. He's committed to finishing his degree but struggling to make ends meet right now, falling behind on his tuition, and living in a one room shack in Soweto. We could definitely help make things easier as he strives to complete his education - more on that later!
WHO I AM
I'm Amy, a filmmaker living in Johannesburg, South Africa and focusing on telling stories of social impact across Africa. I'm always looking for inspiring, positive stories, and I happened to run across Sithembiso's on Facebook last week. I reached out to him just to understand more about his situation and then met up with him in person to get to know him better. I believe Sithembiso and I crossed paths for a reason, that I have a responsibility to help people when I can, and after getting to know him better and understand how hard he's working to make ends meet and finish school, I want to do whatever I can to help him succeed.
For those of you who have been through medical school (especially in the US), you'll see the contrast between a year of tuition in South Africa and other countries. For just over $6500, we could help Sithembiso pay off his current med school debt! And for just over $8600, we could help him pay for ALL of medical school!
SITHEMBISO'S STORY
Sithembiso grew up in a very rural community in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa - a community where not many people make it past high school. He's the first generation of his family to go to university and graduated in 2014 with a nursing degree from the University of the Western Cape. He practiced as a nurse in Cape Town for 3 years before deciding to pursue the field of podiatry.
He told me, "I saw so many people in my community suffering from foot and leg-related illnesses. They don't have enough education around these things or access to proper healthcare." Seeing some of his family members suffer pushed him to enroll in school once again and pursue his podiatry degree with a steady focus and commitment. He wants to take help back to his community and to the whole of South Africa and beyond.
SITHEMBISO'S STRUGGLE
Sithembiso is trying his best to make it through medical school, but struggling with tuition fees piling up. He told me that sometimes when things are really tough, he questions his decision to go back to school. But he believes what he's doing will truly benefit the people of South Africa and so he pushes on.
He of course started this new program with the commitment to pay for his studies through his own funds, help from his parents, and financial aid. Unfortunately his father was laid off and now his mother bears the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner of the family, while still paying for his younger sibling's school fees. He had hoped to secure financial aid from several entities but nothing has come through. The National Student and Financial Aid Scheme denied him funding because he was given some aid several years ago for nursing school. The Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Health refuses to give funding for the podiatry specialization. And his own funds from nursing are unfortunately not enough to meet the tuition requirements.
He was going to be excluded from enrolling in his 3rd year in January 2019, but the school administration did him a favor and allowed him to enroll upon promising that he would somehow make a plan to pay off his debts.
Sithembiso is passionate about finishing and making a real impact in South Africa, but finding the money for school and day to day expenses is taking its toll. With debt piling up, he was kicked out of the school residence and now rents a one room shack in Soweto. He has to travel to various clinics around Johannesburg for practical education, which comes out of his own pocket.
To make money for daily expenses and transport, Sithembiso learned to sew and has been spending any free time (not much with studying!) tailoring clothing for students and staff at the university.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Sithembiso's story is one of struggle, but what I love is how he has worked to overcome whatever obstacles are thrown his way. Struggle is not unique - not in South Africa or the world over - but it's how we approach and take on those struggles that make us who we are. Sithembiso has proven that he won't give up, despite these roadblocks. He is intelligent, passionate, and dedicated to improving the lives of others. In my book, that's worth investing in.
I hope you'll join me!
Any amount is incredibly appreciated.
*If you'd like to verify Sithembiso's story, please feel free to reach out to me at +27 71 [phone redacted] or check his student ID number (201707091) by calling the University of Johannesburg Doornfontein Campus at +27 11 559 6763
Everyone, please meet Sithembiso Khwela!
Sithembiso is an awesome South African, certified nurse, and current medical student at the University of Johannesburg, focusing on podiatry. He's passionate about making a real impact in South Africa, bettering the lives of people across the country and using both his nursing and podiatry qualifications to educate and treat his patients holistically. He's committed to finishing his degree but struggling to make ends meet right now, falling behind on his tuition, and living in a one room shack in Soweto. We could definitely help make things easier as he strives to complete his education - more on that later!
WHO I AM
I'm Amy, a filmmaker living in Johannesburg, South Africa and focusing on telling stories of social impact across Africa. I'm always looking for inspiring, positive stories, and I happened to run across Sithembiso's on Facebook last week. I reached out to him just to understand more about his situation and then met up with him in person to get to know him better. I believe Sithembiso and I crossed paths for a reason, that I have a responsibility to help people when I can, and after getting to know him better and understand how hard he's working to make ends meet and finish school, I want to do whatever I can to help him succeed.
For those of you who have been through medical school (especially in the US), you'll see the contrast between a year of tuition in South Africa and other countries. For just over $6500, we could help Sithembiso pay off his current med school debt! And for just over $8600, we could help him pay for ALL of medical school!
SITHEMBISO'S STORY
Sithembiso grew up in a very rural community in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa - a community where not many people make it past high school. He's the first generation of his family to go to university and graduated in 2014 with a nursing degree from the University of the Western Cape. He practiced as a nurse in Cape Town for 3 years before deciding to pursue the field of podiatry.
He told me, "I saw so many people in my community suffering from foot and leg-related illnesses. They don't have enough education around these things or access to proper healthcare." Seeing some of his family members suffer pushed him to enroll in school once again and pursue his podiatry degree with a steady focus and commitment. He wants to take help back to his community and to the whole of South Africa and beyond.
SITHEMBISO'S STRUGGLE
Sithembiso is trying his best to make it through medical school, but struggling with tuition fees piling up. He told me that sometimes when things are really tough, he questions his decision to go back to school. But he believes what he's doing will truly benefit the people of South Africa and so he pushes on.
He of course started this new program with the commitment to pay for his studies through his own funds, help from his parents, and financial aid. Unfortunately his father was laid off and now his mother bears the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner of the family, while still paying for his younger sibling's school fees. He had hoped to secure financial aid from several entities but nothing has come through. The National Student and Financial Aid Scheme denied him funding because he was given some aid several years ago for nursing school. The Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Health refuses to give funding for the podiatry specialization. And his own funds from nursing are unfortunately not enough to meet the tuition requirements.
He was going to be excluded from enrolling in his 3rd year in January 2019, but the school administration did him a favor and allowed him to enroll upon promising that he would somehow make a plan to pay off his debts.
Sithembiso is passionate about finishing and making a real impact in South Africa, but finding the money for school and day to day expenses is taking its toll. With debt piling up, he was kicked out of the school residence and now rents a one room shack in Soweto. He has to travel to various clinics around Johannesburg for practical education, which comes out of his own pocket.
To make money for daily expenses and transport, Sithembiso learned to sew and has been spending any free time (not much with studying!) tailoring clothing for students and staff at the university.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Sithembiso's story is one of struggle, but what I love is how he has worked to overcome whatever obstacles are thrown his way. Struggle is not unique - not in South Africa or the world over - but it's how we approach and take on those struggles that make us who we are. Sithembiso has proven that he won't give up, despite these roadblocks. He is intelligent, passionate, and dedicated to improving the lives of others. In my book, that's worth investing in.
I hope you'll join me!
Any amount is incredibly appreciated.
*If you'd like to verify Sithembiso's story, please feel free to reach out to me at +27 71 [phone redacted] or check his student ID number (201707091) by calling the University of Johannesburg Doornfontein Campus at +27 11 559 6763
Organizer
Amy Montalvo
Organizer
North Richland Hills, TX