Pippa Hudson speaks to UCT student Tshegofatso Masenya, creator of student fees crowdfunding platform GoShare.
Tshegofatso Masenya is a fifth year medical student at the University of Cape Town
Masenya established GoShare, an online, donation-based crowdfunding platform which allows students to raise funds to pay their fees
Her business idea has been nominated in the 2021 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity competition
The cost of tertiary education is prohibitively expensive for all but the very privileges in South Africa.
Every year we hear of students who have won a place in their course of choice, but are struggling to meet their fee obligations, or whose NSFAS funding hasn't come through in time, or those who have partly got through their course, but have to drop out because they can no longer afford the costly fees.
As South Africans battle to cope with the socio-economic effects of a rising cost of living, the expense of university fees is often low on the priority list for parents and students.
That's why fifth-year medical student at the University of Cape Town, Tshegofatso Masenya has created a crowdfunding platform to help fellow students pay their outstanding fees for tertiary education.
The idea was essentially to democratise access to tertiary education, because we believe as youth who wants an education, that shouldn't be governed by financial barriers. Tshegofatso Masenya - Creator of GoShare crowdfunding platform
The success of a crowdfunding platform really relies on how well the community responds to that call. The idea was essentially to bring that community aspect together, but also to make sure we're coming together for the greater good of not just the youth receiving the education, but the country as a whole will benefit from having an educated youth. Tshegofatso Masenya - Creator of GoShare crowdfunding platform
In recent times, it's become somewhat of a common practice for tertiary students to take to social media to implore the public to help fund part of their fees.
Masenya picked up on this, noticing how common this was and how regular it was appearing on her Twitter timeline.
The messages were all the same, students need donors to fund what’s left of their college or university fees, or they won’t see graduation day.
Desperate to help, she established GoShare, an online, donation-based crowdfunding platform that allows students to raise funds to cover their outstanding fees.
Having seen the nature of the pleas on social media, students feel the onus to demonstrate just how in need they are. We find that it's dehumanising and can be humiliating to have to take to social media, a place that's meant for entertainment and engagement, and you're using it as a last resort. Tshegofatso Masenya - Creator of GoShare crowdfunding platform
Having to demonstrate how dire your circumstances are, isn't the kind of way we'd like for people to raise money. There's nothing wrong with public fund raising, but it's the way that it's being done...we're trying to dignify crowdfunding. Tshegofatso Masenya - Creator of GoShare crowdfunding platform
Her business idea has earned her a spot in the 2021 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity competition.
She says this platform is different to other crowdfunding models, in that this platform lists each individual student and their interests and aspirations above their financial circumstances, enabling donors get to know students on a completely different level.
The platform also tracks students’ university progress, and grants donors exclusive access to their student journeys from the minute the first donation is made until graduation day.
The platform is open to students from South Africa’s 26 public universities, TVET colleges and other private institutions.
Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the interview.