Two months before he was to leave on a lifetime opportunity to pursue his studies in a Turkey university, Mthokozisi Perceverence Guliwe’s stepfather and guardian passed away, he recalls. As difficult as things were, the 19 year old, with his struggling mother’s blessing, left South Africa with a group of 11 other disadvantaged youths who had been awarded scholarships to study at various universities in Turkey.
This is all thanks to a partnership between the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the Turkey Embassy.
In October last year Mthokozisi from Nhlazatshe, a village near Badplass, Mpumalanga, and other recipients from five provinces left South Africa in pursuit of their dreams of studying in the fields of engineering, information technology, biomedical technology and commerce as well as law.
The Mechatronics Engineering student recalls: “I was in a church choir practice when I received a call from the NYDA informing me that I had been chosen to receive a scholarship to study overseas. I was shocked and scared. I went back to choir practice and later told my mother. She was so excited. For the first time in my life, she kissed me.”
Last month, 11 out of 12 students returned to South Africa for their first home visit since the departure and will be going back to resume their studies tomorrow. One student dropped out after receiving another scholarship opportunity.
Lucinda Fischer, a 21-year-old from Manenberg in Cape Town, has enrolled to study Geological Engineering, a four-year BSc degree, at the Middle-East Technical University. Raised by both her parents and grandmother, Lucinda says having left South Africa for Turkey in October last year had opened her eyes to a new world.
“I’ve had to mature faster, made new friends and met new people. I’m sad to leave my family behind but the thought of what awaits me keeps me going. I want to make my family and my country very proud,” she says.
The scholarship covers tuition, residence and a monthly stipend. Recipients of the scholarship come from KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and the Western Cape. The project is in the first year of implementation.
The students return to the Republic of Turkey on 3 September 2011.
Enquiries:
Linda Mbongwa
Tel: 011 651 7053
Cell: 082 315 3217
National Youth Development Agency bids its Turkey University scholarship recipients farewell
