At just 18, sprinter Bayanda Walaza showed the world what’s possible when talent meets opportunity.
Bayanda bagged a silver medal at the Olympics in Paris last year, as part of South Africa’s 4x100m relay team, and ran a personal best (9.94s) that ranks him the world’s fastest U20 sprinter this year.

Read more: Classroom dreams to leadership: A deputy principals story
But his journey began not on the track, but in a school uniform, with a scholarship from the Ruta Sechaba Foundation.
June is Youth Month, and the foundation invited local media to witness more stories like Bayanda’s at a special outdoor classroom activation in Nelson Mandela Square recently.
Another story the media witnessed was Phoebe Mgxaji’s story.
She explained how her journey of being a talented learner from an underserved community to achieving greatness was thanks to the foundation for giving her access to world-class education, mentorship and support.

Since 2016, Ruta Sechaba has awarded more than 3 000 scholarships to high-performing learners who demonstrate academic or sporting excellence and leadership potential.
Their goal is to fill the empty desks that still represent bright young minds waiting for a chance.
The foundation called on businesses and individuals alike to play their part in educating the nation, one scholarship at a time.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We’d love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts!