- South African student funding platform Feenix has been in operation since 2017.
- In that time it has raised an approximate R144 million to assist local students with access to funds to study.
- An estimated 3 000 students across SA have benefitted from the efforts of Feenix.
The cost of education in South Africa continues to rise, with spaces at tertiary institutions and a lack of prospects after graduation exacerbating matters. As such, many aspiring students are forced to turn to extreme measures to pay for their tuition, which is why organisations like Feenix have played an important role.
For those unfamiliar with Feenix, it is a student funding platform, raising money via crowdfunding to assist students with completing their studies.
“Born in the wake of the #FeesMustFall protests, under de Beer’s leadership, Feenix has helped connect students with limited or no funding options with the financial resources they need to achieve their academic dreams,” it explained in a press release sent to Hypertext.
As the company continues its fine work, it is entering a new era as Cara-Jean Petersen (pictured above) has been appointed its new CEO. Petersen takes over from Leana de Beer, who previously held the position.
“De Beer joined the organisation in 2017 and moved from the COO role in January 2020 to the CEO position. With Petersen stepping into the role as CEO of Feenix, de Beer will become the Group CEO and will also oversee the growth of its newly established social enterprise organisation, WaFunda,” the organisation added.
Since its launch in 2017, Feenix has raised approximately R144 million, which has assisted roughly 3 000 students across South Africa to date.
“Access to education should not be dependent on wealth. By connecting student communities who can’t afford their education with funder communities and other organisations who care about their holistic wellbeing, we’re able to create a difference in their lives and the lives of their families. More than this, we’re alsohelping to make education more affordable,” noted Petersen.
“Our goal is to do even more, with a vision of impacting the lives of more than 3500 students by 2024. With every partner that we work with who believes that every student is investment-worthy, we know that we will be able to achieve (and exceed) this,” the new CEO concluded.
[Image – Provided]
