The Amrut Foundation is proud to be recognised as a Silver Donor Organisation at the University of Witwatersrand. Together with its close working relationship with the university, Amrut is also a bursary donor to eight different institutions of learning, supporting students in seven different faculties. Recipients of the Amrut Foundation Bursary Program 2022 interacted with the Amrut staff, donors and guest speakers at the Foundation’s inaugural Bursary Felicitation and Networking Event. Through fun interactive games, these young minds shared ideas and inspired one another through giving their peers a special motivational take-home message. Guest speakers who have succeeded in their respective fields after overcoming many hardships also shared their insights and experiences. Chief donor of the Amrut Foundation, Mr Birju Patel also shared his views on life, studying and business.
In the presence of Professor Rodney Genga, director of the Academic Development Unit (ADU) in the Engineering Faculty at the University of Witwatersrand, the Foundation announced the launch of three new projects to support students.
In inaugurating the HerEducationHerDignity project, the Foundation pledged to provide sanitary kits to female students to ensure they are able to attend lectures and examinations without hesitance. Through the GiveBackFullCircle program, students on the Amrut bursary pledged to assist in growing vegetables to be handed over to the Wits Food Bank WCCO, and thereby assist their fellow students.
Finally, through inaugurating the Pradip Patel Memorial Award For Resilience and Excellence, the Foundation pledged to award a graduating student each year who had overcome extreme hardship but persevered to succeed academically. Amrut staff and members of the ADU led by Professor Genga agreed upon setting a criteria for nomination for this award together.
In closing, the Foundation felicitated students on the Bursary Program who had graduated in 2021, despite the challenges they faced due to the COVID-19 distance learning model. All participants departed with books written by inspirational world figures, as a way of taking the day’s spirit and message forward.