Hanover Park residents will host a mass fundraiser to help a struggling matriculant pay her university fees.
After weeks of planning hundreds of residents are set to descend on Pelican Court on Thursday to help raise funds for Shanique Jacobs, 18.
The Grade 12 learner from Mountview High School has applied to AFDA university as she pursues her dream of becoming a film maker in the hopes of creating films which focus on gender-based violence.
The soft spoken meisie from Soetwater Court says after a year of raising herself following the death of her ouma, she refuses to give up on her dreams.
“I was raised here in Soetwater by my ouma Lorraine,” she says.
“My mother is an alcoholic and on the streets and my father is on drugs and is somewhere here in Hanover Park. My ouma died last year from lung cancer and I live with my aunty.
“My matric year has been very hard because the house is overcrowded so I can only study at midnight when everyone is asleep. I basically raise myself and do small things like sell my clothes for toiletries and so on,”she adds.
Shanique says she watched her aunty being abused by her husband for many years and her dream is to one day make a film highlighting the impact of gender-based violence.
“I enrolled at AFDA and I was accepted but I need to pay the application fees. I want to do a degree in film making and will be applying for a bursary. I watched my aunty getting abused everyday and I really want to create a film showing what is actually happening inside the homes,” she says.
Tessa Amos of Pelican Fitness Club, says the event will be held from 9am and will include various activities for children and the sale of boerewors rolls and other treats.
“We were approached about Shanique’s story and we had already been planning an event for 16 December to raise the funds for the club so part of the proceeds will go towards Shanique,” says Tessa.
“We will have a jumping castle, fitness displays and various items on sale. We are encouraging residents to come out and support this cause.”
If you would like more information call Tessa on 073 502 6884.