WINSTON PARK resident and cyclist Sarah Camp cycled across South Africa to raise money for #Action4Inclusion, a student-debt-alleviation initiative. Starting from SU’s Ukwanda Medical School Campus in Worcester, Western Cape, on October 26 and finishing in Hillcrest on November 4, Camp travelled an average of 150km per day for 10 days.
During the 10 days, the Stellenbosh medical student travelled through the Western Cape Winelands and on into South Africa’s dry Karoo heartland, through the Eastern Cape and finally down towards the east coast of KZN, raising over R20 000 for the alleviation of student debt through her fundraising platform, GivenGain.
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Inspired by her peers and Prof Thuli Madonsela’s ‘Pilgrimage of Hope’, Sarah said she decided to undertake a journey of her own.
“Graduation is just around the corner, but for many of my classmates, there is little cause to celebrate as this marks the start of a long journey towards overcoming student debt. Access to education shouldn’t depend on wealth. In my small way, I wanted to do my bit to help talented young professionals get the start they deserve.
“I approached #Action4Inclusion, an initiative launched by SU’s Student Representative Council, and the University’s Centre for Social Justice, led by Madonsela, [asking them] to support students who cannot register for the next academic year because of outstanding student fees, as well as graduates who are unable to access academic records upon graduation owing to student debt,” she explained.
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Camp had to tackle numerous hurdles of her own before her adventure could begin: She had to convince the professors to grant her backup driver, fellow medical student, Bianca Tout, and her a leave of absence from the hospital; she had to make sure all her academic work was up-to-date; she had to borrow a bicycle, and she had to arrange sponsorship for fuel and accommodation along the way. Most importantly, she had to persuade loved ones that she would take all necessary safety precautions during her epic journey – including ‘a lurid safety vest and flashing light to ensure proper visibility on the road’ as she called it.
Camp thanked everyone for their support. “More than anything, this journey has reaffirmed for me what a beautiful country we live in, what warm and hospitable people live in it, and that everyone, in their own small way, can make a difference,” she said.
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