Durban — A final year medical student has cycled 1500km to raise money to help students clear historic debt.
Sarah Camp, 25, began her cycle on October 26 from Worcester in the Western Cape and arrived at her Hillcrest home in Durban on Saturday.
The Stellenbosch University (SU) student is raising money for #Action4Inclusion, a student debt alleviation initiative.
She approached #Action4Inclusion, an initiative launched by SU’s Student Representative Council and the University’s Centre for Social Justice led by former public protector Professor Thuli Madonsela to support students who cannot register for the next academic year because of outstanding student fees, as well as graduates who are unable to access academic records upon graduation owing to student debt.
She travelled through the Western Cape winelands and into South Africa’s dry Karoo heartland, through the rolling hills and rugged mountains of the Eastern Cape and finally down towards the lush green east coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
Following Camp in a car was fellow medical student Bianca Tout.
Camp's target was to raise R20 000 through her fundraising platform on GivenGain. She has almost reached the goal.
“There are a lot of students out there who need a helping hand, either for registration fees or graduation debt. Graduation is just around the corner, but for many of my classmates, there is little cause to celebrate, as this marks the start of a long journey towards overcoming student debt.
“I was inspired by my peers and Madonsela's Pilgrimage of Hope where they walked 300km to raise money to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds pay their debts to Stellenbosch University.
“I thought if somebody of her calibre could do this then why am I not doing something to help my fellow students.
“Access to education shouldn't depend on wealth.
“In my small way, I wanted to do my bit to help talented young professionals get the start they deserve. I thought of a few ideas and then decided it would be symbolic to cycle from university to my home,” said Camp.
Through mist and very hot days, Camp cycled and did quite a bit of walking.
She said there were lots of cheerful greetings along the way and enquiries as to “what an Umlungu was doing on a bicycle”.
Camp is no stranger to physical endurance and pushing the boundaries – she has traversed the 230km Drakensberg mountain range by foot, paddled the 330km length of England’s River Thames in a canoe, and earlier this year tackled her first Comrades Marathon.
Madonsela said it was heart-warming to receive news of Camp’s intention to undertake a cycling pilgrimage in support of their pilgrimage of hope, an extension of their action for inclusion crowdfunding initiative.
“I was moved deeply by her generosity of spirit and immediately indicated to my Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) team that we must support her. Sarah Camp’s cycling will keep the flame of hope burning while our pilgrimage of hope awaits resumption from 20 January to 2 February 2024.
“In undertaking cycling as her ubuntu grounded gesture of human solidarity, Sarah Camp follows in the footsteps of Stellenbosch University vice chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers, a doctor himself, cycles, walks and hikes to end student hunger and raise funds to remove student debt as a barrier to completing higher education studies.
“She also follows in the footsteps of Tygerberg medical Professor Karen Batjes, who raised over a hundred thousand to help disadvantaged students, through walking, earlier in 2023.
“We joined her on one of her walks. As the CSJ we are proud to be associated with Sarah Camp and inspired by her compassion and selfless service to humanity.
“We hope she inspires many more within the Matie community and beyond,” said Madonsela.
De Villiers, said: “Sarah Camp’s cycling expedition, covering 1 500km across South Africa to support #Action4Inclusion, embodies the spirit of the SU community. We are immensely proud of her determination and commitment to addressing the pressing issue of student debt.
“Her initiative is a shining example of how students can make a real impact, and it resonates with our university’s core values of inclusivity and access to education for all. As a fellow-cyclist and doctor, I applaud her remarkable achievement. We’re inspired by her passion for making a difference.”
Sunday Tribune