Personal message

Dear God-sent funders,

I am writing to ask for your kind support in my academic journey. My name is Yolisa Gumede, born and raised in Matatiele, a small town in the Eastern Cape. I am currently pursuing my second year in the LLB postgraduate stream at the University of Cape Town. Before taking on my LLB degree, I completed a Diploma in law at the University of South Africa.

Furthermore, I am aware of the financial requirements to pursue an education. However, this requisite remains a challenge for me as I cannot afford to cover my tuition fee. My diploma at UNISA was funded by NSFAS. Unfortunately, I am no longer eligible for the NSFAS bursary, as the bursary does not cover my LLB stream, as well as it does not cover a second tertiary qualification. Sadly, both my parents passed away when I was just young, my mother in 2005 and my father in 2006. I was then raised by my grandmother who is now sadly deceased. This meant I had to find ways to fend for myself, including having to work as a Packer at Checkers Hyper, Somerset West,  while looking for acceptance into university. At times, I had to make extra cash by working as a street vendor, selling food (meat, fries etc.).

Despite these financial challenges, I have been able to remain resilient and thus dedicated to my academics, that I was able to complete my Diploma after struggling to gain acceptance into university for two years. During my high school career, at Rusthof High School, I held various leadership positions, including Deputy Head boy, Class Representative, and Motivational Speaker. These achievements allowed me to develop my interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as gain valuable insight into the educational system in South Africa. In addition, thanks to the limited time with my grandmother who had been my support system after the passing of my parents. She always encouraged me to focus on my education and strive to be the best version of myself.

Additionally, growing up in a disadvantaged area and losing the most significant people in my life was very challenging. This also meant limited opportunities. As a result, education is all that I have.

Finally, gaining financial support from you to further pursue my studies would be a significant step towards realising my goals. Not only this, but it would also be an affirmation of your belief in ability to excel in my academics and law career.

I would like to express my appreciation for considering contributing towards my studies.