A lecturer from the University of Pretoria is doing her part in raising funds and awareness for students who face financial difficulties.
This Sunday, thousands of running enthusiasts will descend on the small KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town of Pietermaritzburg for the 90km Comrades Marathon, which gets underway at the City Hall in the early hours of the morning and will finish outside Durban‘s People’s Park.
One of those runners will be Dr. Bianca Frost, a lecturer in the Department of Marketing Management at the University of Pretoria, who will be running to support the “missing middle” students at the university.
“Missing middle” students are those whose household income is not enough to independently pay for tertiary education but who are above the threshold for government financial assistance.
“Seeing gifted students being unable to further their studies because of financial elements is a harsh reality. Unfortunately, I can’t help them all, but every little bit counts,” said Dr. Frost, who has already taken part in the Two Oceans Marathon.
“Running marathons is a physical and mental challenge in every sense, but I believe it is a privilege to be able to participate – this year, it is about creating opportunities for others,” she said.
“Education is a powerful enabler, and by supporting students from the missing middle, we are investing not only in their futures, but ultimately in the future of our country and society. I hope that by empowering these students, they will also be able to pay it forward and give back to their own communities one day.”
To raise funds for the students, Dr. Frost hopes South Africans can contribute at least R90 – R1 for every kilometre – to her BackaBuddy campaign. She believes “every contribution brings us closer to a future where talent isn’t limited by financial constraints.”
Click here to contribute to Dr. Frost’s BackaBuddy campaign.
IOL Sport
