Business scheme helps Bulawayo student

Written by Lewis Jones - ZDDT Field Correspondent Tuesday, 19 January 2010 13:36

Bulawayo: Selborne Park, situated 5 kilometres to the east of Bulawayo’s central business district, is regarded as one of the newest and more effluent suburbs in the city.

It is here that the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has its home, and in this setting, Inesisa Mlalazi, a first year student, aged 22, from a disadvantaged background, found herself faced with a particularly daunting dilemma.

Penniless and unable to pay the necessary fees, she was confronted with the possibility of losing her place at the institution. Fortunately however, this is where ZDDT’s Business Social Credit Scheme (BSCS) came to the rescue.

The BSCS comprises a fund into which willing businesses, organisations or individuals contribute money or goods, for the benefit of underprivileged people. Elected urban or rural Councillors are encouraged to identify very needy people in their Wards and those selected, become beneficiaries of the fund.

On 13 December 2009, Inesisa received an undisclosed sum of cash from the BSCS, as payment towards her studies. Presenting the gift, at ZDDT’s central Bulawayo office, Paul Malaba, a lecturer at the university located in Ward 4, where he is the Councillor, expressed delight at having been honoured to grace the occasion. “I consider it a privilege to work with   you, in your attempt to alleviate suffering in society,” he said and added, “Inesisa is one of my students. When I was approached with information about the scheme, I knew that she was the candidate in my ward most deserving to benefit from it.”

An emotionally overwhelmed Ms. Mlalazi later described the joy she felt, at being a recipient of this kind gesture, and the great relief it had brought her.