Funds stand in the way of a bright future at varsity
|||This bright matriculant overcame horrendous odds to pass with five distinctions but now a lack of cash threatens to shatter his dreams.
The son of a domestic worker and a gardener, Rukudzo Chirikumarara, 18, has endured more hardships than most teens.
Four years ago, he and his family were forced to flee impoverished Zimbabwe.
And once they settled on the Cape Flats, they were uprooted again and had to flee to a safer suburb after xenophobic attacks threatened their lives two years ago.
But through it all, the determined teen kept his head stuck in his books.
Rukudzo now dreams of becoming a chartered accountant after being accepted by the University of Cape Town for a BComm Accounting degree.
But the Aloe High School 2011 matric pupil’s dreams hinge on a bursary or financial aid.
Qualified
His proud mother Shuvai is a qualified nurse but earns less than R400 a week because she can only get work as a domestic worker here.
And back in Zimbabwe his father Wilson was a teacher but now has to get by doing part-time gardening work.
“I knew what I wanted to be, an accountant,” says Rukudzo.
“I just drove myself to learn and even took mathematics for the first time in matric.
“Now I have been accepted by UCT but I don’t have a cent to pay for my studies.
Despite this, the humble teen says he must thank his mother and teachers for their help.
He achieved above 80 percent for accounting, business studies, economics and history.
School principal, Keith Damon says: “He was the school’s valedictorian last year and we have been watching him since he started here because he had that self-determination.”
Donovan Lakay, who was Rukudzo’s Grade 10 teacher literally went the extra mile and provided him with transport to school.
“He made the sacrifice and even took mathematics in his final year for the first time and achieved 69 percent,” adds Lakay.
“He was doing classes on a Saturday from 8am to 1pm and sitting at the library during the week.”
Shuvai says she is very proud of her son because he beat the odds of the hard life they have endured.
When the family moved here from Zimbabwe, they found themselves homeless and unemployed.
Survive
Today, they battle to survive on a salary of a domestic worker and a gardener and earn only R120 a day.
But the brave family are now preparing to make even more sacrifices so that Rukudzo’s twin sister can also have a successful matric year.
“Rukudzo is one of a twin and I brought him over first and now his twin sister will be in matric this year,” says a proud Shuvai. - Daily Voice