GEORGE NEWS - A promising young medical student from Thembalethu could be forced to put her studies on hold unless urgent financial support is secured.
Asiphe Gowuli, a former top achiever of Thembalethu High School, is currently in her third year of medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT), a dream made possible through exceptional academic performance and the intervention of senior UCT leadership, but mounting debt now threatens her ability to continue her studies.
Gowuli's journey to UCT began after she achieved an 84% matric average and helped her school attain an overall pass rate of 86.7% in 2023. Despite her strong results and ambition to study medicine, she was not accepted at any university during the initial application process.
At the time, Gowuli was also a regular user of the Inkcubeko Youth and Science Centre in Thembalethu, where she received academic support from skilled tutors, particularly in mathematics and physical science.
Her story caught the attention of Dr Hermann Reuter, UCT's community-based education co-ordinator based in the Garden Route, who immediately approached the Dean of Health Sciences, Prof Lionel Green-Thompson.
Following a strong motivation for discretionary admission, Gowuli was offered a place, and by 8 February 2024, she had registered for her MBChB degree and secured accommodation in a student residence.
Now firmly established in the demanding six-year medical programme, Gowuli has passed her second year with strong results, achieving marks ranging between 72% and 81% and an overall average of 75%.
While she receives NSFAS funding, this has not been sufficient to cover all her academic and living expenses, leaving her with an outstanding debt of about R50 000.
As she enters her third year, she faces uncertainty about how long she will be allowed to continue her studies without settling these arrears.
To help bridge this gap, Gowuli has launched a BackaBuddy fundraising campaign to raise funds towards her tuition and accommodation costs. The campaign can be accessed at backabuddy.co.za/campaign/from-themblethu-to-uct-medicine.
The UCT office in the Garden Route, based at George Hospital, has appealed to local businesses and residents to assist in ensuring that a promising future doctor is not lost due to financial constraints.
Those wishing to support Gowuli may contribute via the BackaBuddy campaign or make a direct payment to the University of Cape Town to offset her outstanding fees.
In addition, Gowuli is eager to work during her July university vacation to help support herself and avoid facing similar financial difficulties in future years.
Local businesses willing to offer temporary employment or anyone who can assist are encouraged to contact her directly on 062 332 8355, or Reuter on 071 233 1606 for her CV, a recommendation and relevant UCT banking details.
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