Eastern Cape musician Nomsa Mazwai has started a fund to aid curriculum development at the University of Fort Hare, with the goal to raise R1-million in its centenary year.
Mazwai, sister of award-winning singer Thandiswa Mazwai, was elected the University of Fort Hare’s first female SRC president in 2009.
The university is currently celebrating its centenary, and at a centenary panel discussion, Mazwai announced the fund and why it was being established.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, she highlighted the importance of alumnae involvement to secure the next 100 years of excellence for the university.
“As alumnae, we have a very important role to play in ensuring that the university is responsive to changes in society and therefore be sustainable as an institution.
“We need to produce students who will be absorbed by the market and students who will have the tools of their academic training to respond to the needs of their communities,” Mazwai said.
She calls it the Pan African Fund – or Sobukwe Fund – which is currently running off Mazwai’s website as the artist Nomisupasta.
She said one click on the Fort Hare centenary icon would link to a site where an online payment could be made through PayPal.
Donating individuals are encouraged to submit their information so they can receive a report on how the fundraising progresses and how funds are utilised.
“Transparency is key. The funds are being channelled to a reserved account, and contributors will be updated on a quarterly basis as to how much money has been raised, and how it is being managed,” she said.
Mazwai said that once funds have been raised, they will explore how Life Knowledge Action (LKA), a course created at the university as a curriculum development project, can be best implemented.
Mazwai described LKA as a course taken by first years which builds on students’ knowledge as a way of developing compassionate, socially engaged, critical and responsible citizens.
She said the course reflected the need of young people to have their social and intellectual capital respected and valued so the notion of experiential learning could be given a real-life form. The pilot of LKA was launched in 2009.
When asked why the focus on LKA, Mazwai said that in the year she was voted in as the first female SRC president, she was already part of the university’s discussion on re-imagining the curriculum.
“I decided that this would be my legacy project and continued to participate, up until LKA was created and implemented with all first-year students in 2010, long after my term as president had ended.
“More than 80% of all first years who took the course, passed their year,” Mazwai said.
The campaign is targeted at Fort Hare alumni, but any member of the public is free to participate.
lTo make a donation, visit www.nomisupasta.com and click on the UFH centenary icon. Fill in your details, click submit and then click donate. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
East Cape singer aims to raise R1m for UFH fund
Mazwai, sister of award-winning singer Thandiswa Mazwai, was elected the University of Fort Hare’s first female SRC president in 2009.
The university is currently celebrating its centenary, and at a centenary panel discussion, Mazwai announced the fund and why it was being established.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, she highlighted the importance of alumnae involvement to secure the next 100 years of excellence for the university.
“As alumnae, we have a very important role to play in ensuring that the university is responsive to changes in society and therefore be sustainable as an institution.
“We need to produce students who will be absorbed by the market and students who will have the tools of their academic training to respond to the needs of their communities,” Mazwai said.
She calls it the Pan African Fund – or Sobukwe Fund – which is currently running off Mazwai’s website as the artist Nomisupasta.
She said one click on the Fort Hare centenary icon would link to a site where an online payment could be made through PayPal.
Donating individuals are encouraged to submit their information so they can receive a report on how the fundraising progresses and how funds are utilised.
“Transparency is key. The funds are being channelled to a reserved account, and contributors will be updated on a quarterly basis as to how much money has been raised, and how it is being managed,” she said.
Mazwai said that once funds have been raised, they will explore how Life Knowledge Action (LKA), a course created at the university as a curriculum development project, can be best implemented.
Mazwai described LKA as a course taken by first years which builds on students’ knowledge as a way of developing compassionate, socially engaged, critical and responsible citizens.
She said the course reflected the need of young people to have their social and intellectual capital respected and valued so the notion of experiential learning could be given a real-life form. The pilot of LKA was launched in 2009.
When asked why the focus on LKA, Mazwai said that in the year she was voted in as the first female SRC president, she was already part of the university’s discussion on re-imagining the curriculum.
“I decided that this would be my legacy project and continued to participate, up until LKA was created and implemented with all first-year students in 2010, long after my term as president had ended.
“More than 80% of all first years who took the course, passed their year,” Mazwai said.
The campaign is targeted at Fort Hare alumni, but any member of the public is free to participate.
lTo make a donation, visit www.nomisupasta.com and click on the UFH centenary icon. Fill in your details, click submit and then click donate. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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