Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) continues to advance its mission of fostering student success through purposeful partnerships, most recently reaffirmed through a collaborative initiative with Absa Group Limited aimed at alleviating student hardship. The approval of student support for the first quarter of 2026 marks a significant milestone in the relationship between the two institutions, underscoring a shared commitment to academic excellence, social responsibility, and human-centred development.
Recently, the School of Science and Technology (SST) hosted an official handover ceremony, welcoming a delegation of approximately twenty representatives from ABSA. The delegation included representatives from various ABSA branch offices across Tshwane, demonstrating a unified institutional commitment that extends beyond a single office to a broader organisational endorsement of student development initiatives at SMU. The engagement was not merely ceremonial; it reflected a deepening partnership grounded in empathy, responsiveness, and a mutual understanding of the structural challenges faced by students in higher education.
Leading the ABSA delegation was Salome Morulane-Khorommbi, a Private Wealth Banker whose personal narrative added depth to the occasion. Reflecting on her own academic journey, she said, “I understand, from lived experience, the frustration of pursuing your studies while lacking even the most basic necessities. It is precisely this understanding that compels us, as ABSA, to intervene meaningfully where we can, because no student should have to choose between survival and success.” She further emphasised the intentional nature of the partnership, noting that it forms part of a broader commitment to youth empowerment and educational advancement. “Our relationship with SMU is not transactional; it is intentional and value-driven. We recognise the critical role the university plays in shaping future professionals, and we are proud to contribute to that journey tangibly,” she added.
The delegation was formally received by Dr Esmey Baratwa Esther Moema, Operations Manager in the SST, representing the Dean, Professor Lawrence Obi. In her address, Dr Moema expressed both gratitude and strategic appreciation for the partnership. “We are deeply honoured by this gesture from ABSA, which speaks not only to generosity but to a genuine investment in the well-being of our students. The presence of multiple ABSA branches here today further affirms the strength and sincerity of this partnership,” she said. She also highlighted the broader implications of such initiatives within the higher education sector. “Financial distress remains one of the most significant impediments to student progression. By addressing these challenges directly, initiatives such as this create an enabling environment in which our students can focus on their studies with dignity and confidence,” she noted.
Central to the handover was the donation of groceries valued at R20,000, designated to support students in need. While modest relative to broader systemic challenges, the intervention carries both symbolic and practical significance. It reinforces the principle that student success is not solely an academic pursuit, but a holistic one that requires attention to fundamental human needs.
The initiative further reflects SMU’s institutional ethos, which prioritises inclusivity, resilience, and community upliftment. Through strategic partnerships with stakeholders such as ABSA, the university continues to position itself as a responsive and socially conscious institution, committed to transforming lives through education.
As the engagement concluded, both parties expressed a shared intention to sustain and expand the partnership. In a higher education environment increasingly shaped by complexity and constraint, such collaborations offer a compelling model for impact-driven engagement—bridging corporate responsibility with meaningful educational transformation. In doing so, SMU continues to affirm its role as a catalyst for academic excellence and social progress in South Africa.
By Dimakatso Modise
