DJ Black Coffee, designer Laduma Ngxokolo and artist Nelson Makamu raise R3m for student fees
Gauteng - Three of the country’s top creatives have come together to raise funds for students in creative industries to fight the plight of financial exclusion.
In the light of the recent student protests across the country, internationally renowned South African DJ Black Coffee; MaXhosa Africa knitwear designer Laduma Ngxokolo; and fine artist and gallery owner Nelson Makamu, have joined efforts to raise R3 million for students in the creative industry through the Fashion.Art.Music (F.A.M) Academy.
The academy, founded by Ngxokolo, has started a campaign named the F.A.M tag to raise R3m in two weeks.
The campaign comes at a critical time for students, amid a backdrop of nationwide student protests around financing issues with a focus on creative arts undergraduate students and graduates with historic debt.
F.A.M spokesperson Lungie Maphumulo said: “The #FAMTAGYOUIT campaign is a response to the long-standing national crisis of ’Fees Must Fall’. we felt the need to contribute to the solution for the sake of the South African youth.”
Maphumulo told The Star that the fees and financial plight of most students was at the centre of the academy as they believed the success of an African child should start with education.
“This issue is very close the FAM Academy, we believe that the bright and successful future of African child starts with world-class education and it is no secret that most of the South African youth cannot afford to study.
“Each of one the founders of FAM Academy have personal experiences of struggling to pursue and complete their studies. It’s the first-hand experience that has inspired the campaign."
The F.A.M. Academy - which was established in 2017 in response to the challenges creative industry professionals face in building lucrative and sustainable business models - learned of the lack of funding in the sector.
The organisation and its founders believe that the creative arts play a pivotal but undervalued role within contemporary African societies.
“We seek to cherish and nurture our young artists; to make sure they have a place at the economic table and are valued in a way that is commensurate with their vital contribution to our lived reality - and a good place to start is in ensuring they are able to study without worrying about student debt,” said Maphumulo.
All undergraduate students in need of funding are encouraged to register on www.feenix.org to stand a chance to receive the funding.
The Star