First announced by Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Hester C. Klopper during her inauguration in June, the VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund is a student-focused support initiative driven by a vision of care, dignity, and solidarity. It starts with an initial R2.6 million, made possible through a R1.3 million contribution by the Motsepe Foundation and matched by the university itself.

Walking with purpose towards a caring campus

The word Imbewu, meaning "seed", reflects the essence of the fund: a small but powerful beginning, capable of growing into something transformative. As Prof Klopper said, "We are not merely launching a fund; we are planting seeds of hope, opportunity, and transformation that will grow into forests of possibility for generations to come."

Financial strain continues to be one of the biggest threats to academic success, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds. Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) Treasurer-General Kgomotso Sekonyane said the fund emerged from "the shared understanding that far too many of our students often face a devastating possibility of being excluded from the academic space due to sudden or unforeseen financial hardships".

She described the fund as a collective response shaped by "empathy, duty, and hope – core elements that represent the value of care that grounds our university".

That same care echoed through the words of Pat Lamusse from the Institutional Advancement Office, who called the launch "a very solid starting point for a very successful foundation". She noted the high volume of requests for assistance her office receives and expressed confidence in the fund's potential to make a real difference.

Siphosethu Nguyuza, a beneficiary of the fund who is also a first-year Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics student, shared her story with the audience. "A few months ago, an amount of over R80 000 stood between me and the completion of my degree... But then Imbewu happened. It planted a seed of hope in my life, restored my dignity, allowed me to settle my tuition, and reaffirmed that I belong here."

She added: "To the visionaries behind this fund – thank you so much. You did not just pay off my fee. You unlocked a future."

With the fund now officially launched, the university has extended an open invitation for ongoing support. "We are gathered here with purpose to invite contributions, partnerships, and lasting investment," Sekonyane said, before calling on internal and external stakeholders, development partners, and philanthropic institutions to join the cause.

As Prof Klopper reminded those in attendance: "Your contribution to the VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund is not charity – it is an investment... in human capital, in innovation, in the kind of transformative leadership that our continent needs."

To contribute to the Imbewu Legacy Fund, visit: https://ufs.devman.co.za/Devman/online/giving/
 

Prof Hester C. Klopper, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, during the launch of the VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund on the Bloemfontein Campus.