Latest news with #RutaSechabaFoundation
IOL News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
From shack to sprinting glory: Bayanda Walaza's rise as the world's fastest teenager
19-year-old Bayanda Walaza. Image: Supplied. For 19-year-old Bayanda Walaza, the road to global sprinting stardom did not begin on manicured tracks or in elite sports academies. It began in a modest backyard shack in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, and almost ended before it truly began. 'I truly felt afraid of losing my future,' Walaza said, recalling a moment that nearly derailed his dreams. He had just overheard adults discussing the costs of attending a top-performing school, the kind that could nurture his world-class speed. 'It hit me that no matter how hard I worked, without support I might not make it,' he says. 'I had big dreams, but I didn't know how to reach them. The odds felt stacked against me.' Everything changed when Walaza received a scholarship from the Ruta Sechaba Foundation – an initiative dedicated to unlocking potential through access to quality education. The foundation sponsored his matric year at Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria in 2024. In return, Walaza is now the face of its new awareness drive: I Funded A Future. This campaign launched just as Walaza earned the title of world's fastest university student at the FISU World University Games in Germany on 22 July, clinching gold in the 100m with a dominant six-tenths-of-a-second lead over his nearest rival. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ His rise has been meteoric. Under the guidance of Curro coach Thabo Matebedi, Walaza slashed his 100m and 200m times, claiming gold at the SA Under-20 Championships. By August, he stood on the Olympic podium in Paris with a silver medal around his neck as part of South Africa's 4x100m relay team. And in May this year, he clocked a blistering 9.94 seconds in the 100m – just 0.12 seconds off Akani Simbine's national record. But his mind still often returns to the narrow streets of Katlehong and the life he might have lived had that scholarship not come. 'Emotionally, I was hopeful but also anxious. Academically, I tried hard, but it was tough without access to the right resources,' he says. 'A world-class education felt like something I would only see on TV. It felt like it belonged to a different world.' Walaza recalls the day he received the scholarship as one of the most powerful moments of his life. 'I was in total shock. I thought it might be a mistake. But when it sank in, I felt this wave of gratitude.' He immediately called his mother, Tholiwe, who broke down in tears. 'We hugged for a long time,' he said. 'I could see in her eyes that she knew life would be different now.' Since 2016, more than 3,000 young South Africans have received Ruta Sechaba scholarships to attend Curro schools. Candidates are selected based on academic or sporting excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to their communities. 'The scholarship gave me confidence,' Walaza added. 'It showed me that people believed in my potential, even when I didn't fully believe in it myself. It opened a door to a better future. I went from surviving to dreaming big.' His journey has become a symbol of hope. When he visited his former primary school, a young boy said to him, 'I want to run like you one day.' 'That moment hit me hard,' Walaza said. 'I realised I'm not just running for me – I'm running for everyone who's ever been told their dreams are too big.' For him, the message is clear: Talent lives everywhere – in every school, every street, every family. All it needs is a chance. Now studying supply chain management at Tshwane University of Technology, Walaza balances books and training, fuelled by the mission to inspire others. When asked what he would say to someone who doubts the power of giving, he replies without hesitation: 'I am the difference your contribution made. Even the smallest act of giving can change the direction of a young person's life.' 'I nearly didn't make it,' Walaza says with quiet resolve, 'but I was given a chance – and I ran with it. Literally and figuratively.' Named after the Sesotho phrase for 'educating the nation,' the foundation partners with Curro and other private institutions to provide scholarships to talented learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. The I Funded A Future campaign invites individuals and corporates to support these life-changing opportunities. BUSINESS REPORT
The Star
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
'You gave me a chance, I ran with it' – teen Olympian pays it forward
I nearly didn't make it, says star teenage sprinter Bayanda Walaza " I truly felt afraid of losing my future." Bayanda Walaza, the world's fastest teenager, remembers the moment when he overheard a conversation about what it would take to attend a top school that could nurture his sprinting talent. "It hit me that no matter how hard I worked, without support I might not make it," says the 19-year-old. "I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn't quite know how to reach them. Mentally, I was determined, but sometimes it felt like the odds were stacked against me." Everything changed when the Ruta Sechaba Foundation awarded Walaza a scholarship to attend Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria. Now, he's paying it forward by leading the Foundation's Nelson Mandela Day "I Funded A Future" campaign, rallying South Africans to help raise 67 donations and unlock a bonus scholarship for a learner in need. After only weeks under coach Thabo Matebedi, Walaza was shaving tenths of a second off his 100m and 200m personal bests and winning gold in both events at the South Africa Under-20 Championships. By August, the schoolboy had an Olympic silver medal around his neck as a member of South Africa's 4x100m relay team in Paris, and in May this year he ran the 100m in a personal best of 9.94 sec, just twelve-hundredths of a second outside Akani Simbine's national record. Reflecting on his journey from a backyard shack in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, to the pinnacle of youth athletics, Walaza remains a powerful voice in South African sport, inspiring the next generation as he champions access to education and opportunity. "I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn't quite know how to reach them," he says. "Emotionally, I was hopeful but also anxious. Academically, I tried hard but it was tough without access to the right resources." Walaza says the idea of a "world-class education" felt like something other children had – "something I would only see on TV or read about. It felt out of reach, like it belonged to a different world." Wave of gratitude Being awarded the scholarship changed that. "I'll never forget that day. I was in total shock. For a second, I thought it might be a mistake. But then it sank in and I just felt this wave of gratitude." The first person Walaza told was his mother, Tholiwe. "We hugged for a long time," he says. "I could see in her eyes that she knew life would be different now." Walaza is one of more than 3 000 young people awarded Ruta Sechaba (Sesotho for "educating the nation") scholarships to Curro schools since 2016. Recipients are selected for their academic and sporting excellence, leadership potential and commitment to making a difference in their communities. "The scholarship gave me confidence," says Walaza. "It showed me that people believed in my potential, even when I didn't fully believe in it myself. It opened the door to a better future. I went from surviving to dreaming big. "I started to believe that I could compete internationally – not just in sport but in life. It also made me realise that success is not just for certain people, it's for anyone who is given a chance." Walaza says it became clear that his personal good fortune represented something bigger when he visited his old primary school in Katlehong. "A young boy told me, 'I want to run like you one day.' That moment hit me hard. I realised I'm not just running for me – I'm running for everyone who's ever been told their dreams are too big." Someone's potential shouldn't be limited by where they were born, he says. "Talent lives everywhere – in every street, every school, every family. All it needs is a chance. "That donation could be the reason a future doctor, engineer or Olympian gets their start. It's not about knowing us, it's about believing in what's possible." After passing matric (with a distinction in isiZulu), Walaza now combines athletics with supply chain management studies at Tshwane University of Technology. What would he say to someone who thinks their contribution to a Ruta Sechaba scholarship won't make a difference? "I'd say, 'I am the difference your contribution made.' Even the smallest act of giving can change the entire direction of a young person's life. "I nearly didn't make it, but I was given a chance and I ran with it – literally and figuratively." • Donate to the Ruta Sechaba Foundation at .
IOL News
17-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
'You gave me a chance, I ran with it' – teen Olympian pays it forward
His 100m personal best is 9.94 seconds, but Bayanda Walaza's greatest leap was out of hopelessness. I nearly didn't make it, says star teenage sprinter Bayanda Walaza "I truly felt afraid of losing my future." Bayanda Walaza, the world's fastest teenager, remembers the moment when he overheard a conversation about what it would take to attend a top school that could nurture his sprinting talent. "It hit me that no matter how hard I worked, without support I might not make it," says the 19-year-old. "I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn't quite know how to reach them. Mentally, I was determined, but sometimes it felt like the odds were stacked against me." Everything changed when the Ruta Sechaba Foundation awarded Walaza a scholarship to attend Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria. Now, he's paying it forward by leading the Foundation's Nelson Mandela Day "I Funded A Future" campaign, rallying South Africans to help raise 67 donations and unlock a bonus scholarship for a learner in need. After only weeks under coach Thabo Matebedi, Walaza was shaving tenths of a second off his 100m and 200m personal bests and winning gold in both events at the South Africa Under-20 Championships. By August, the schoolboy had an Olympic silver medal around his neck as a member of South Africa's 4x100m relay team in Paris, and in May this year he ran the 100m in a personal best of 9.94 sec, just twelve-hundredths of a second outside Akani Simbine's national record. Reflecting on his journey from a backyard shack in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, to the pinnacle of youth athletics, Walaza remains a powerful voice in South African sport, inspiring the next generation as he champions access to education and opportunity. "I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn't quite know how to reach them," he says. "Emotionally, I was hopeful but also anxious. Academically, I tried hard but it was tough without access to the right resources." Walaza says the idea of a "world-class education" felt like something other children had – "something I would only see on TV or read about. It felt out of reach, like it belonged to a different world." Wave of gratitude Being awarded the scholarship changed that. "I'll never forget that day. I was in total shock. For a second, I thought it might be a mistake. But then it sank in and I just felt this wave of gratitude." The first person Walaza told was his mother, Tholiwe. "We hugged for a long time," he says. "I could see in her eyes that she knew life would be different now." Walaza is one of more than 3 000 young people awarded Ruta Sechaba (Sesotho for "educating the nation") scholarships to Curro schools since 2016. Recipients are selected for their academic and sporting excellence, leadership potential and commitment to making a difference in their communities. "The scholarship gave me confidence," says Walaza. "It showed me that people believed in my potential, even when I didn't fully believe in it myself. It opened the door to a better future. I went from surviving to dreaming big. "I started to believe that I could compete internationally – not just in sport but in life. It also made me realise that success is not just for certain people, it's for anyone who is given a chance." Walaza says it became clear that his personal good fortune represented something bigger when he visited his old primary school in Katlehong. "A young boy told me, 'I want to run like you one day.' That moment hit me hard. I realised I'm not just running for me – I'm running for everyone who's ever been told their dreams are too big." Someone's potential shouldn't be limited by where they were born, he says. "Talent lives everywhere – in every street, every school, every family. All it needs is a chance. "That donation could be the reason a future doctor, engineer or Olympian gets their start. It's not about knowing us, it's about believing in what's possible." After passing matric (with a distinction in isiZulu), Walaza now combines athletics with supply chain management studies at Tshwane University of Technology. What would he say to someone who thinks their contribution to a Ruta Sechaba scholarship won't make a difference? "I'd say, 'I am the difference your contribution made.' Even the smallest act of giving can change the entire direction of a young person's life. "I nearly didn't make it, but I was given a chance and I ran with it – literally and figuratively." • Donate to the Ruta Sechaba Foundation at
IOL News
25-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Empty desk, full potential: Ruta Sechaba Foundation calls on corporate South Africa to sponsor tomorrow's stars
This empty desk at Nelson Mandela Square represents thousands of untapped talents waiting for corporate South Africa to invest and help rewrite their futures. Image: Supplied The Ruta Sechaba Foundation, which has funded over 3 000 scholarships for talented learners from low-income households, showcases the real impact of investing in potential through its Youth Month campaign. The foundation set up an outdoor classroom at Nelson Mandela Square - each desk telling a success story, except one left empty, calling on corporate South Africa to help rewrite the future by sponsoring the next generation of world-class talent. Natasha Mkhize, executive of strategic relations at Ruta Sechaba, said: 'We are urging companies throughout the country to emulate the likes of PSG, Absa, Capitec and Exxaro in sponsoring bright young learners who need nothing more than the chance to show what they can become.' Since 2016, Ruta Sechaba, which means 'educating the nation' in Sesotho, has awarded scholarships to over 3 000 learners at Curro schools. These learners are selected based on academic and sporting excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to community upliftment. The foundation's impact is reflected in its impressive 2024 results, with a 100% matric pass rate and 94% of learners qualifying for university entrance. Two scholarship recipients were among Curro's top 10 national performers last year. Ruta Sechaba Foundation scholars excelling in diverse fields thanks to support from the foundation. Image: Supplied Among the foundation's success stories are: A Grade 12 learner who won an Olympic silver medal as part of South Africa's 4x100m relay team in Paris in 2024 and recently set a personal best of 9.94 seconds, making him the world's fastest under-20 athlete this year. A recent matriculant now studying motorsport engineering at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, leading the university's motor-racing fluid dynamics team, with ambitions to design championship-winning Formula 1 cars. A former head girl and scientist who represented South Africa at an international youth science competition in Beijing and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at Wits University after recently performing at a major Cape Town concert. Phoebe Mgxaji, once a top science competitor, now pursues a Bachelor of Music at Wits University - showcasing how Ruta Sechaba scholarships open diverse pathways. Image: Supplied This Youth Month, the foundation's outdoor classroom display symbolises the opportunities unlocked through sponsorship. However, an empty desk in the display serves as a stark reminder of the millions of learners whose potential remains untapped amid a stretched education system expected to accommodate 1.2 million more learners by 2030. Mkhize warns of the wider consequences: 'Several studies have found that the education system produces graduates who often cannot meet basic literacy and numeracy requirements for available jobs, even at entry levels. And because gaps in education limit legitimate earning opportunities, criminal activity becomes relatively more attractive.' Scholarship recipients paving the way for South Africa's future leaders and innovators. Image: Supplied She further explains the economic imperative, citing a North-West University study analysing 26 years of data: 'People who completed their Grade 12 (with matric certificate) and bachelor's degrees contribute positively to South African economic growth.' The foundation proposes a scalable solution: if each of the 270 JSE-listed companies sponsors 100 learners annually, within five years there will be 13 000 new bright young South Africans ready to contribute to the country's future. Involving unlisted companies would further amplify this impact, improving skills, expanding markets, stabilising communities, and reducing inequality. Ruta Sechaba's campaign invites corporate South Africa to help 'fill that empty desk this Youth Month' and enable more learners to go 'from the classroom to world-class.'
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Classroom to world-class: how companies can rewrite SA's future
Natasha Mkhize is Executive: Strategic Relations at the Ruta Sechaba Foundation. Image: Supplied. Investing in education doesn't just help an individual; it has a ripple effect that benefits their families, communities, and ultimately, the economy. This simple truth, often referred to as the human capital theory, underscores the profound impact that education can have on society's Africa has made notable strides in its commitment to education. Between 2008 and 2023, our nation increased its education spending by 39% – a figure that surpasses the benchmark recommended by UNESCO. While we celebrate these achievements, we also recognise that continued innovation and partnership are key to ensuring every learner gains the full benefit of these investments. Recent insights remind us that there is always room to nurture and improve. A study released by the World Bank in February highlighted an opportunity to further support early reading skills among Grade 4 learners. By emphasising enhanced teaching methods and well-coordinated reading programmes, there lies great potential for fruitful collaboration between the public and private sectors, especially in extending quality education to all learners, including those from lower-income families. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Since 2016, the Ruta Sechaba (Sesotho for 'educating the nation') Foundation has demonstrated the value of this approach with its support for learners from low-income households. More than 3 000 young people – selected for their academic and sporting excellence, leadership potential and commitment to making a difference in their communities – have been awarded scholarships at Curro schools, and the outcomes have been overwhelmingly positive. In 2024, every Grade 12 learner passed matric and 94% achieved a university exemption. Two Ruta Sechaba scholarship recipients were among Curro's top 10 performers nationally. But it is in individual achievements that we really begin to understand the possibilities of investing in potential: Bayanda Walaza, a Grade 12 learner last year at Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria, warmed up for his matric exams by winning an Olympic silver medal as a member of South Africa's 4x100m relay team in Paris last August. And on 24 May he was faster than ever, running a personal best of 9.94 sec that made him the world 's fastest under-20 so far this year. 's fastest under-20 so far this year. Dash Gilbert, who matriculated at Curro Durbanville in 2022, dreams of being the next South African to design championship-winning Formula 1 cars. He is studying motorsport engineering and leads the motor-racing fluid dynamics team at Oxford Brookes University in the UK. And Phoebe Mgxaji, who shone as a scientist and head girl at Curro Somerset West – she represented South Africa at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition in 2019 – was one of South Africa's 'voices of power' in the recent Vroustemme concert in Cape Town. She is studying for a Bachelor of Music degree at Wits University. This month, Bayanda, Dash and Phoebe will be among Ruta Sechaba alumni 'back at school', this time at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton. The foundation is setting up an outdoor classroom where a book on each desk tells the story of a world-class learner supported by the desk, however, will convey a different narrative. It will be empty, telling the story of an exceptional learner whose potential is yet to be unlocked; a story of an already-stretched education system that will have to accommodate an additional 1.2 million learners by 2030; and a story in which hundreds of thousands of bright young individuals and an entire economy are being let down by their schooling. The subplots of this story are distressingly familiar: unemployment and crime. Several studies have found that the education system produces graduates who often cannot meet basic literacy and numeracy requirements for available jobs, even at entry levels. And because gaps in education limit legitimate earning opportunities, criminal activity becomes relatively more attractive. Economists say there are correlations between areas with lower educational attainment and higher rates of property crime. This is a story that can be rewritten, of course, which is what the foundation's 'world-class' campaign this Youth Month sets out to do. We are urging companies throughout the country to emulate the likes of PSG, Absa, Capitec and Exxaro in sponsoring bright young learners who need nothing more than the chance to show what they can become. Put differently, we are asking them to invest in the future of South Africa, as shown by a recent North-West University study which analysed 26 years of data and concluded: 'People who completed their Grade 12 (with matric certificate) and bachelor's degrees contribute positively to South African economic growth.' This is a scalable proposition. If each of the 270 JSE-listed companies sponsors 100 learners annually, within five years there will be 13 ,000 new reasons to believe in South Africa's future. If unlisted companies join them, the impact becomes exponentially greater – and so does the payback. The skills base in the economy improves; positive brand associations make it easier to attract top talent; educated consumers with higher earning potential expand markets; companies benefit from operating in more stable, prosperous communities; and the risks associated with inequality and social instability us to fill that empty desk this Youth Month. Help bright young minds go from the classroom to world-class. Natasha Mkhize is Executive: Strategic Relations at the Ruta Sechaba Foundation. BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
