Two CPUT students have started a campaign in aid of residents who lost their belongings during a devastating fire in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay recently.

Accounting students Luchulumanco Nanto and Siziphiwe Refiloe Dlulane have appealed to the CPUT community to donate clothing, food and toiletries to assist the residents.

The fire left thousands of people homeless.

“When I heard about the fire I immediately wanted to do something to help. I sent out a message to students on our Whatsapp groups. Siziphiwe said she wanted to be involved and we started working together in terms of mobilising students.”

Luchulumanco said there had been a good response thus far from the CPUT community, mostly from students in residences, with sanitary products, canned goods and clothing already collected.

He said the Mowbray local SRC had come on board in terms of collections on the Mowbray campus, while the Department of Student Affairs is also providing assistance.

“We plan to keep on collecting until the end of the month,” said Luchulumanco.

He said there were also plans to host an open mic event with the aim of collecting more goods for distribution.

Members of the CPUT community who want to make a contribution can contact Luchulumanco on 062 685 4615.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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A third-year Accounting student and activist, who is passionate about human rights, will be jetting off to Lagos, Nigeria this weekend after being selected for the CANVASSITY Pan African Youth Democracy Fellowship.

Luchulumanco Nanto was selected into the programme after two rounds of rigorous assessment and will be spending 10 days in Lagos.
The fellowship will see 50 bodacious youth influencers and young professionals from 15 African countries grapple with accountable, efficient and impactful governance through people-centric policy processes and engagements.
All the travelling expenses of the selected participants, as well as their accommodation, has been paid.“I was very excited when I received the news that I’d made it to the final 50 candidates who will be part of the programme,” says Luchulumanco who is the Convenor of the CPUT Student Chapter of the Association of Black Accountants of South Africa and chairperson of the Equal Education student society.

“It’s a great opportunity for me as I’m passionate about human rights; the entire programme is centred around human rights,” says the former treasurer of the Cape Town Campus Local SRC. “Human rights are largely ignored on the continent, for instance, women abuse is cultural and systematic and child labour is still prevalent.”
Using the knowledge he will acquire from the programme he plans to run workshops for all the university’s student leaders to sensitise them about the importance of human rights as well as invite external activists to address the workshops.
He plans to present similar workshops in disadvantaged communities such as Khayelitsha and Gugulethu to explain in the local languages what human rights are.
“We need to develop our communities and make education fashionable.”

Written by Kwanele Butana
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