Before Cradock-born diamond tycoon Sir Abe Bailey drew his last breath in 1940, he enshrined in his will a directive to establish a travel bursary that would see sparkling young leaders visiting his ancestral home in the United Kingdom for generations to come.
Mthatha-born Walter Sisulu University IT student Zikhona Tshaka, 23, is one of 18 young leaders from 22 universities around the country who will make the annual pilgrimage to Britain this year on a tour funded by the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary.
“I’m so excited about the trip! To see all those sights and hear all those unfamiliar sounds. This will be the best experience of my life,” said Tshaka, who hails from Ncambele.
The bursary is open to under-25 university students and academics with exceptional leadership qualities and a good community service record.
Tshaka, a BTech student, graduated cum laude this year to become the first graduate in her family.
“I am so excited about this. This is the first time I will travel outside the Eastern Cape. I am very thankful to God for this opportunity.
“This will be my first time in Cape Town,” enthused Tshaka.
Her passion and drive for academic study is matched by her benevolent ways in the community, traits which made her selection by the trust a certainty. “Coming from an impoverished background, I know how desperately our people are in need of a helping hand. It’s only natural that I want to help people, and give them hope going into the future.
“I thank my family that through everything they have been so supportive,” said Tshaka.
She believes the tour will encourage others to work hard.
“Hard work brings rewards when the time comes. We must all have dreams. we will always achieve,” she said.
Tshaka tutors fellow students as a peer helper and serves as secretary for the computer science society. “I also run a number of programmes through my church, which organises workshops, awareness campaigns and outreach programmes aimed at improving people’s lives, especially the youth,” she said.
Tshaka will depart for London on November 28 after three days of orientation in Cape Town. She is set to return on December 20.
“This is a great opportunity for me to learn what other youth leaders in our country are doing in advancing social cohesion,” she said.
She has mixed feelings about being away from home on her birthday on December 9. “I guess it will be another experience to spend the day with new faces. It will be another learning experience.”
WSU congratulated Tshaka saying that she made the university and the province proud. “Zikhona exemplifies the type of students WSU aims to produce – a student who exhibits academic prowess, leadership and social responsibility,” said WSU spokeswoman Angela Church.
“We congratulate her and trust she will represent WSU with immeasurable class. We hope this serves to inspire other students.” — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
UK tour for high achiever
Mthatha-born Walter Sisulu University IT student Zikhona Tshaka, 23, is one of 18 young leaders from 22 universities around the country who will make the annual pilgrimage to Britain this year on a tour funded by the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary.
“I’m so excited about the trip! To see all those sights and hear all those unfamiliar sounds. This will be the best experience of my life,” said Tshaka, who hails from Ncambele.
The bursary is open to under-25 university students and academics with exceptional leadership qualities and a good community service record.
Tshaka, a BTech student, graduated cum laude this year to become the first graduate in her family.
“I am so excited about this. This is the first time I will travel outside the Eastern Cape. I am very thankful to God for this opportunity.
“This will be my first time in Cape Town,” enthused Tshaka.
Her passion and drive for academic study is matched by her benevolent ways in the community, traits which made her selection by the trust a certainty. “Coming from an impoverished background, I know how desperately our people are in need of a helping hand. It’s only natural that I want to help people, and give them hope going into the future.
“I thank my family that through everything they have been so supportive,” said Tshaka.
She believes the tour will encourage others to work hard.
“Hard work brings rewards when the time comes. We must all have dreams. we will always achieve,” she said.
Tshaka tutors fellow students as a peer helper and serves as secretary for the computer science society. “I also run a number of programmes through my church, which organises workshops, awareness campaigns and outreach programmes aimed at improving people’s lives, especially the youth,” she said.
Tshaka will depart for London on November 28 after three days of orientation in Cape Town. She is set to return on December 20.
“This is a great opportunity for me to learn what other youth leaders in our country are doing in advancing social cohesion,” she said.
She has mixed feelings about being away from home on her birthday on December 9. “I guess it will be another experience to spend the day with new faces. It will be another learning experience.”
WSU congratulated Tshaka saying that she made the university and the province proud. “Zikhona exemplifies the type of students WSU aims to produce – a student who exhibits academic prowess, leadership and social responsibility,” said WSU spokeswoman Angela Church.
“We congratulate her and trust she will represent WSU with immeasurable class. We hope this serves to inspire other students.” — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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