Not Just A Student Number: I am the youth of tomorrow

Eduloan is celebrating the individuality of South African students and scholars, recognising the potential in every person. We consider every student’s needs when we put together their student loan package, taking your dreams and ambitions into consideration and working out a payment schedule that will suit you and your pocket!

That’s why we’re asked YOU to give a voice to students all over Southern Africa. Mofokeng Mojalefa 
participate in our Not Just a Student Number initiative and is this months winner.

Read it here:

It is said that varsity or higher education is a privilege not a right, so if you find yourself at varsity embrace every moment! Make every day as memorable as possible, for you’ll never know what tomorrow may bring.

I take a stand today, as a 2nd year student at the North West University Vaal Triangle Campus. I am not here just as a student with an 8 digit student number, but here to make a change, not only in my own life but in the community too. I’m currently doing my Bachelors’ of Education degree and receiving experience on becoming the best educator I can be! I want to give back to the community and all the B.Ed students by going to different organisations and helping out where needed.

This has made me a student that is highly productive, not just a student number. Apart from my course, I’m also part of the student’s campus newspaper and the administrative officer of the Ubuntu homo association. This is a campus society at the Vaal Triangle campus, aimed at highlighting homosexual rights and promoting healthy living for our fellow gay and lesbian pupils. As a result of this opportunity, I vow to myself that I’m not going to leave here with just a student number but I will leave a legacy behind.

I salute Eduloan because without that green Eduxtras card, which allow us to purchase food and books, all this wouldn't be so easy.


I Mofokeng Mojalefa am ‘not just a student number’.

Celebrating Students – Youth Day 16 June 2013

On 16 June the entire nation celebrates Youth Day to commemorate the Soweto Riots that claimed so many lives and remind us annually of the importance of our youth. Intended to remind us of the constitutional right to adequate and equal education, Youth Day also seeks to make young people in a free South Africa more conscious of the sacrifices made by other young people so that they can enjoy the benefits of a better education, opportunities, safer home environments and health care.

This year, Eduloan would like to salute our leaders of tomorrow, celebrating their potential by empowering them through education and encouraging them to make wise choices to support a sustainable future.

2013 has been declared Year of The Artisan. The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness amongst South African youth about career opportunities that will help gain skilled workers in the areas where there might be a lack of certain skills that can contribute directly to the development of South Africa. By focusing on skill-based education, the department of education can ensure that we have artisans to support and sustain our economic and infrastructure development. Examples of these types of occupations include plumbers and electricians amongst others.

By supporting students’ passion, abilities and skills, South Africa can empower its future leaders to unlock their potential. Eduloan has empowered thousands of South Africans to unlock their potential and start realising their dreams. To date we have awarded over 700 000 study loans.  We understand the real costs of education and offer study loans which cover not only the course fees, but additional expenses such as textbooks, registration fees and educational tools such as tablets and laptops. In addition, Eduxtras, our unique bursary management tool, will allow you to manage and allocate bursary funds for specific needs such as books, accommodation food and more, ensuring that your funds are spent appropriately.  

If you would like to unlock your potential you can visit our website (www.eduloan.co.za), like our page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/EduloanSA) and follow us on Twitter (@EduloanSA).

If you, as the future youth of South Africa have a story to share, you can enter our Not Just A Student Number competition by telling us how you have made a difference or how you have empowered yourself to make a difference to your future. If your article stands out from the rest, you could bag win R1 000 in cash.

I’m Not Just a Student Number – submit your story and stand a chance to win R1 000!

This month, we celebrate South African Youth. 16 June marks national Youth Day, a day we commemorate those who made a difference to the future of South African youth and lead to the fact that each and every South African has a constitutional right to adequate and equal education.

Eduloan is celebrating the individuality of South African students and scholars, recognising the potential in every person. We consider every student’s needs when we put together their student loan package, taking your dreams and ambitions into consideration and working out a payment schedule that will suit you and your pocket!

That’s why we’re asking YOU to give a voice to students all over Southern Africa. We want you to participate in our Not Just a Student Number initiative and submit a thought-provoking article for our blog based on the theme for the month.

Do you want the chance to prove that you’re more than just your student number or a name on a class register? Tell us why you represent the youth of South Africa.

Submit your contribution to competitions@eduloan.co.za before 30 June 2013 and we could select yours as the winning article to be featured on our blog for next month. We also have a R1 000 cash prize to give-away to the winning entry each month, so get your creativity going!

Your blog must fit to the theme of the month and must not be fiction (fic·tion [f k sh n] noun. Writing that is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact) and it should touch on your viewpoint and life as a student or scholar.

This month’s theme is: I am the youth of tomorrow

Thought Starters (some ideas to get you going):

• This is how I want to make a difference in the future
•  I have made a difference – tell us how you might already have made a difference in your life or someone else’s
• How do you contribute to yourcommunity
• How is your school/college/university helping you to make a difference

Guidelines:

1. Your article must be between 300-500 words long
2.  It must be non-fictional (non·fic·tion [nänˈfikSHən] noun. Writing based on facts, such as biography or  history) and factual
3. Your writing must not be degrading or libelous to any person
4. Your article must have something to do with your life as a student
5. Any piece containing profanity, hate speech or racism will be disqualified
6. Your article could be reproduced in print or web publications on behalf of Eduloan.
7. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
8. All articles must be your own work – no plagiarism

      Terms and Conditions apply   

Wanting More

Lerato is the winner of our April Not just a Student number competition. See her winning blog below on our April theme: Wanting more.

I'm a first year student at University of South Africa, studying towards a bachelor’s degree in intermediate and senior phase Education.

The reality of life began after matric in 2012. I wanted more for the future, I began to see life with the naked eye, where I made decisions that will determine my future, where my social-life was nowhere to be found. In the words of my former Mathematics teacher, Ms Mabudu, "focus less on friends, after matric all will take their own path".

As a part-time student it’s never really an easy task, its takes someone with discipline and who knows how to manage their time, but after all I wanted something more challenging. At first, attending workshops with students old enough to be my parents and even grandparents, I felt like "Oh do I really belong here?” But gradually all turned out good, socialising with them helped me to develop mentally.

I always wanted to be in a field dealing with children, but didn't know what career to choose, until grade 12, my former English teacher Mr. N.A Mapodile, asked me to assist him in teaching. That was a life time opportunity! I feel so unique, because most people my age run away from this career and I'm chasing it.

I am not qualified to be a teaher yet, but that doesn't stop me because I want more. I recently joined the Gogo reading project in Daveyton Intermediate School. We offer our time to read books to learners every Friday. The people I'm working with are all qualified teachers, some even retired and that makes me so unique! I'm the youngest of all of them, studying and looking for experience.

I use every opportunity I get because I always want more. I do whatever it takes to be where I want to be and enjoy exploring things that will help me in future.

Student life prepares me for the future, I learn to be independent, how to approach challenges and problems and to take responsibility for my actions.

Regards

Lerato P Selepe