The Department of Marketing Management at the University of Pretoria (UP) has a long-standing partnership with Italtile, where students in the Department completed practical work at different Italtile locations. Italtile, through its Italtile and Ceramic Foundation recently extended a helping hand to two BCom Marketing students by awarding them bursaries to enable their academic success. The Foundation awarded Nuhaila Valley and Namhla Phikwa, both in their third of their students, each a bursary worth R173 000 to support the successful completion of their studies without financial distress.

Phikwa, who hails from Tabankulu in the Eastern Cape overcome with emotion and in disbelief when she learnt she was awarded the bursary. Having been selected from a class of more than 80 students has served as a reminder of her skills and talent, fuelling her to work much harder. She now approaches her studies with renewed energy and full confidence in her potential. The bursary has helped her to move from a shared room into a single room, which is more conducive for studying. She is grateful for the positive effect the bursary, has made on her academic success. Following the news of the bursary, she was elated to share her latest achievement with her parents, which made them very proud. Phikwa said her parents now have more faith in her than they had previously, which is pleasing.

Valley, was equally excited and grateful to be awarded a full bursary that covers accommodation, tuition fees, monthly allowance, textbook, and stationery fees. Last year, she travelled from her home in Brits to campus for her classes due to a lack of funds to cover accommodation close to campus. The bursary has allowed her to relocate closer to campus, saving her travelling time, which she can now use for her studies. She believes that through these bursaries, The Italtile Foundation is nurturing talent and enabling success for the next generation of leaders. Foundation. She is very pleased with the financial and academic support she has received from The Italtile and Ceramic Foundation.

Thoko Phakathi, Project Manager at Italtile and Ceramic Foundation talking on the bursaries they awarded said: “There is nothing more heart-warming than seeing the excitement in a child who has received something that they have been longing for. It boosts a certain confidence that is unexplainable and it is that response from children that continues to bless us as human beings first, then as a business”.

The Department of Marketing Management values its partnership with Italtile and looks forward to many more years of collaboration. The Department extended its gratitude to The Italtile Foundation for its investment in young people’s lives.