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News - Date: 18 November 2005
A young and dedicated rural student from the University of Venda, Percy Ravhudzulo (20), has been awarded the prestigious Abe Bailey Travel Bursary 2005, worth R150 0000, which covers the all-expenses-paid trip to the United Kingdom.
This prestigious award has been made to over 650 South African students of outstanding calibre, since 1951. The objectives of the Travel Bursary are to broaden the views of young South Africans by enabling outstanding South African students who show exceptional leadership and academic performance to go abroad. It also enables young South Africans to visit, understand and appreciate British history, institutions and culture and to foster enterprise, commitment and effective participation in a common future.
A special farewell function was held for Percy at the University of Venda Council Chambers on Monday afternoon. Percy was selected by the trustees of the Abe Bailey Trust Board for his exceptional leadership qualities and impressive academic performance. A third-year BCom student in Accounting, Percy boasts 22 distinctions in the final results of his first and second year of study at the university.
Together with other 15 students drawn from 14 South African universities, Percy will depart for the UK by air on 25 November. The tour will officially end in London on 17 December, with the participants arriving back in South Africa on 18 December. The host in the UK is the Goodenough College in London.
Accompanied by his unemployed parents to the farewell function, Percy said the award will obviously change the impact on his career as an aspirant accountant.
“I would like to thank my parents, Salphinah and Hudson, for doing different piece jobs to finance my studies. It was not an easy task for me to get this bursary as it took a lot of dedication, determination, discipline and diligence. There were lots of obstacles and challenges during my studies but I studied hard to produce quality results. My intention in community development is to use education in the fight against poverty and unemployment. I will act as a responsible representative and ambassador of my people and I will use the acquired knowledge to build my community,” said the jubilant Percy, who stays at Thengwe, a rural village north of Thohoyandou.
The Acting Executive Director of Public Relations and Development at the University of Venda, Mr Rufus Kharidzha, wished Percy a successful and fruitful trip to the UK. “We have put all our trust in you and we have no doubt that you will represent us with dignity and integrity.”
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