Doting husband who walked the talk - for 600km
Amid the ongoing challenge of student debt, which burdens many hopeful students as they cling to dreams of a better tomorrow; a supportive Goodwood husband, Lucien Williams, who walked from Cape Town to George to raise funds to pay for his wife’s student debt watched with pride as she graduated recently.
While the cost of tertiary education is on the rise, Universities South Africa (USAf) last noted that student debt had climbed to more than R16.5 billion with 120 000 students faced with the possibility of being unable to graduate because they owe tertiary institutions.
Lucien said his wife, Washiela, who was afforded a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary for the first two years of her studies at Unisa, incurred student debt when her studies were not funded in 2021.
This meant she would have to pay off the debt before she could graduate and be a qualified teacher.
“My wife became one of the statistics of people who lost their jobs in the first few months of the pandemic...
Because it was a huge challenge to adjust to life with only me working and also having two kids to raise, she enrolled for an Education Degree at Unisa.
She finished the course, and did exceptionally well but was unable to graduate due to the debt incurred, ‘’ Williams said.
The father said he decided to take on the 600km to raise funds for his wife’s plight so she could fulfil her dream of being a teacher.
Williams started the walk from Cape Town Stadium on March 23, walked for ten days over 600km, and arrived in George on April 1.
He travelled from Cape Town Stadium, past Gordon’s Bay to Grabouw then on to Hermanus (Onusrivier).
From Hermanus to Pearly Beach then to Bredasdorp all the way to Swellendam. After Swellendam he tackled Heidelberg, then Albertinia to Mossel Bay which would lead him along the Garden Route to Goerge.
His planned trip to help Washiela was also widely covered by the media before he set out on his journey.
Williams said he embarked on the journey with the very little money in his pocket.
“I had R170 of my own money as food budget, but I never needed it as people opened their hearts, so much so that I came home with more than I took,” he said.
He raised funds over the R30 000 target through his BackaBuddy page.
He suffered an injured back and tired feet but never a dampened spirit.
“The walk was physically challenging.
“But I knew I couldn’t quit because of the promise I made to my family and I pushed through. I remain overwhelmed by the response and generosity of strangers, the love and support along the way and just the heart-warming messages we received.
For now I am still a proud husband to a beautiful teacher,” he said.
Washiela said Williams has been supportive throughout her journey.
“I did have a lot of support from my husband like you know he walked to George to raise funds so I can graduate. There were nights when I was up late to study or do assignments.
My husband was there to look after the children and give me time to do my thing. There were lots of days I wanted to give up but all I saw was my graduation day and I wanted to have that moment of graduating.
“On the day of the graduation I had all kinds of feelings. I was happy, sad and nervous at the same time. This was really what I was looking forward to on my graduation day.
Now I want to build my experience and then do my honours. This is really the best thing that could have happened to me and my family,” she said.
The burden of student debt looms large, casting a shadow over the future for students across the country.
The ‘Cape Times’ last week told the story of 29-year-old Vusumzi Ziki from Makhaza who envisioned a future where he, as an employed graduate, could make a positive impact on the lives of his pensioner parents after completing his tertiary education.
However, despite graduating with a BA degree in sport, recreation, and exercise science from the University of Western Cape in 2018, Ziki now finds himself unable to pursue job opportunities due to the weight of student debt, which he said stood in the way of receiving his certificate - withheld due to a debt of R11 699.72.
He has since started a BackaBuddy campaign which has to date not raised any funds.
The South African Union of Students (SAUS) had expressed disappointment that universities were not doing enough from their side to fund raise for students like these.
Donations for Zuki can be made via https://www.backabuddy.co.za/vusumzi-ziki-5581480589017065760.
Cape Times