Alumni

Zimbabwe alumni mobilise to support their alma mater and communities

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The Unisa Foundation and Alumni Relations Office recently visited the Unisa alumni chapter in Zimbabwe. This is the largest chapter of Unisa alumni outside  South Africa, with close to 8000 members. The purpose of the visit was to mobilise alumni to create networks that will enhance support for Zimbabwean Unisans and contribute towards the university. During their visit, the team provided an alumni helpdesk facility at the Meikles Hotel, Harare, where several Zimbabwean alumni had one-on-one sessions with  Unisa staff.

Unisa Zimbabwe alumni chapter gathered to vouch support for the university

The university also hosted an alumni breakfast at the Monomotapa Hotel in Harare, where the alumni had the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming 150-year celebrations of the university and the projects planned for the Zimbabwe chapter for 2023. Among the planned projects for the year is establishing a Zimbabwe alumni legacy scholarship that will assist Zimbabwean students who cannot complete their studies due to outstanding tuition fees,  introduced by the newly elected alumni chapter convenor, Guidance Chinyemba. In addition, Chinyemba invited alumni to give back to the university by donating towards worthy causes, providing mentorship and creating networking opportunities for alumni and students.

It was evident during the session that many Unisa alumni in Zimbabwe struggle to make ends meet after the COVID-19 pandemic but are still willing to assist where possible. The Zimbabwe alumni were able to help two graduates in 2022 to graduate through donations. These graduates completed their studies but could not graduate due to outstanding fees. They are ready to continue with this initiative to ensure that their fellow Zimbabwean graduates are afforded the opportunity to improve their lives after graduating.

They will also participate in a project that will focus on community upliftment. This initiative is a testament to the dedication and commitment of Unisa alumni in Zimbabwe to support their fellow graduates and their communities.

The initiative to assist graduates with outstanding fees and focus on community upliftment demonstrates the values of Unisa and its alumni, and it will positively impact the lives of many Zimbabwean Unisans.

*Submitted by Unisa Foundation and Alumni Relations

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Publish date: 2023/05/08

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