University 2022 for Zoë Taguma

December 1, 2022 update: Friend, thank you so much for walking this journey with me. I've officially finished my Biokinetics degree!! So grateful to even be at this point. However, there's R41 225 outstanding in tuition fees. This is needed by the end of the year, so that I can continue with my Honours degree. Grateful for this community and what God has done here.

Hey friend, this is my story

I was born in Zimbabwe in 2001, but my family moved to South Africa in 2010. Honestly I've lived here longer than I've lived anywhere else. My community, family and all I've known are all here in South Africa. As cliche as this sounds, I've always wanted to be a doctor and help people. So when it was time to apply for university I realized that Wits (University of Witswatersrand) was the only university that would accept international students into their Medicine programme. So I applied for Medicine there and then as a back up I applied for Biokinetics ( I did first aid for most of high school and I loved the sports injury side of things) and Fine Arts. As the process continued I decided not to study Fine Art, and I didn't get into Medicine. I also applied to other universities for degrees in Biology but Wits is the one that I got into, and the one that made the most sense. So Biokinetics it was.

But here's the thing

I don't have my permanent residence in South Africa yet, a process that takes years, and so I'm considered as an international student. What that means is that all my tuition for the year has to be paid at the beginning of the year (75% before I register and 25% by the end of March). It also means that I can't apply for any student loans, and I don't qualify for most bursaries and scholarships.

Thankfully

In 2019 I was able to register for my first year thanks to money from family and some money that my parents had saved up. Honestly this wasn't enough. The Lord really stepped in and I was able to register having paid only 25% of the fees, and the university let me continue with the year. Studying Biokinetics, I realized just how much I loved what I was studying. Even though it was definitely hard a lot of the time, it was so so worth it and thankfully I passed my first year.

2020 rolled around and because only a part of my fees from first year were paid, for me to continue with my second year the remaining money from first year would have to be paid on top of the full fees for second year. We didn't have that kind of money and so I had to take a gap year. I have been able to work this year, which has been really good and I've been able to raise a little bit more money. Honestly I have seen my parents work so hard, especially my mom, just trying to provide for us and for me to be able to go back to university. The truth is though university is expensive. This would be a way to help them and be able to go back to university.

This is where you come in

Honestly I was so nervous to do this. I never want to inconvenience anyone or put any sort of pressure on people. And to be frank it's hard admitting that you need help, but I do. So here I am. I'm hoping to raise R300 000, this would cover:

• The remaining debt from my first year.
• My next three years of study (tuition and international fees that I have to pay), so that I can graduate and make a plan moving forward.
• All the textbooks and equipment needed for these years.

And even if you can't donate

Thank you for just spending time reading my story. I know that this year has been hard for everyone, and so any support would be so so appreciated. Whether that's sharing my story, or just keeping up with the journey. I do also have a prints shop that you can support.

This is not a pity story, or a story to share how hard my life is ( because there are plenty of other people who's lives are so much harder than mine), but rather it's an opportunity for God's glory to be shown through my story. And who am I, to let my own pride or fear get in the way of what God is doing, whether it's through this fundraiser or through another way.

I put this up in October 2020, and around R128 00 was raised in four months. I truly never could have thought something like that could ever happen. This allowed me to go back to varsity this year. Going back this year has been difficult but such a privilege. Even in the hard moments, I have truly enjoyed it. I truly am so so grateful. I would like your help to be able to go back next year, and be able to graduate with my undergrad, and also the year of study after that. I am so so grateful, and this whole thing has just been such a God thing and I know that He will provide and use so many people in this- whatever it may look like.

Previous update: Firstly, I just wanted to say such a massive thank you. R130 433 has been raised so far. This covered the remaining fees I had from first year, part of my fees + school expenses for 2021 and allowed me to study in 2021. Thank you so so much to every single person who has donated so far, read my story and taken the time to share it. You have had such an impact on my life, and honestly thinking about this whole thing is so overwhelming in the most beautiful way. Please help me get to the goal. Reaching it will help me pay the rest of my fees from 2021 and those for this year, allowing me to graduate. It will also allow me to pay for the year of study after that.