Menlyn Park Centre turns it on with Tuks FM to help needy students

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s Back2School campaign, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre has again teamed up with Tuks FM to assist students in need.

Renamed #Back2Varsity, the campaign seeks to assist students from the University of Pretoria from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Large boxes have been placed in the mall, in which shoppers and visitors can place their donations.

The public has been called on to donate non-perishable foods, toiletries, stationery, clothing and anything that can help the student community.

The final date for donations is this Friday.

Menlyn Park general manager Olive Ndebele said the campaign was receiving positive feedback.

She said stationery and good quality clothes were being donated.

The campaign did well last year, and they managed to provide about 170 students with meals for six months. According to research conducted by the Department of Higher Education and Training, about 216000 students in the country were without suitable accommodation and almost 400000 beds were needed to meet enrolment targets for 2030.

Nbebele said this resulted in

thousands of tertiary students stranded and in need of urgent support.

Ndebele said they recognised the need to support students and would continue to work with Tuks FM and ensure that retailers were able to help students reach their academic goals.

“It is for this reason that we continue with the campaign to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing them with necessities such as canned foods, stationery, toiletries and blankets, among other things, which will remain accessible to them throughout the year.”

After previously assisting students with meals for six months, the campaign aims to do more this year.