GO FUND A STUDENT

GOFUNDASTUDENT AIMS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT FUNDED BY ANY GOVERNMENT SCHEME, BURSARY OR GRANT, ARE UNABLE TO SECURE STUDENT LOANS, & IF THEY DO MANAGE, ARE INDEBTED TO THE LENDER FOR SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS AT HIGH INTEREST RATES. WE FEEL THESE STUDENTS AREN'T LESS DESERVING & ARE GENERALLY EXCLUDED FROM ANY TRADITIONAL FUNDING, EFFECTIVELY FALLING INTO THE "MISSING MIDDLE" , A TERM THAT HAS BECOME COMMONPLACE IN OUR COUNTRY.

But what is the missing middle? Who are these people and what does it mean to be part of the missing middle?

Simply put, the missing middle are those too poor to avoid university themselves but also not poor enough to qualify for government funding. In order to qualify for NSFAS, your household income needs to be below R120 000 per year and, while this is great for the disadvantaged, the middle class is underserved by this system.

Those whose households earn less than R600 000 annually are often unable to afford the fees, accommodation and living expenses that go along with tertiary studies. Hence the term 'missing middle': unable to qualify for financial aid but also unable to pay for university themselves.

This fund aims to lessen the burden on the missing middle, on already strained government finances, ultimately the taxpayer. Think about it - your contribution could lessen your tax burden because you are making a donation that could be tax deductible, lessens the burden on the student that wants to succeed but hasn't the means to fund his/her studies, lessens the burden on the state in terms of your tax revenues going towards a selective few students, other state departments that don't benefit or give back to you the taxpayer. In South Africa education isn't free for all and there is no allowance for deduction in personal income tax for those families that need to fund their own children's education.

We therefore encourage you to donate whatever amount you can. Any small amount will at the end of the day go along way to making a huge impact. The sum of the parts will be greater than the whole.