2025 Westville Boys’ High School Head Boy, Joel Munemo, is going to university! It took a whole community to safeguard his dream that was nearly silenced by red tape and financial barriers.
Durban, South Africa (12 February 2026) – To study at university was a dream Joel Munemo held close to his heart throughout his matric year, despite the odds that stood in between making it a reality.
After finishing school last year at Westville Boys’ High School (WBHS), where he was head boy, Joel aspired to study law; however, financial challenges and the reality of being a non-South African citizen meant he wasn’t eligible for NSFAS or most bursaries.
However, WBHS Old Boy got wind of his plight and rallied to help one of their own.
Last year, we shared how a crowdfunding campaign was launched to help raise the funds Joel would need to get into university. Thanks to the incredible power of community, social media, and networking, the public showed when it mattered most, raising over R144,000 toward Joel’s tertiary education!
And according to Yesthiel Singh, who has been leading the fundraiser, Joel has also secured a partial scholarship to Newbridge Graduate Institute, where he will begin his undergraduate BCom Law degree next week.
The remaining tuition fees and his college books will be covered by the funds raised, and his postgraduate LLB degree will also be funded through the funding account.
“Thank you to every single person who contributed, whether big or small. Thank you for the reshares, the story posts, the messages, and even the word-of-mouth support. Every action mattered. Every share counted. We all worked together to change a life.
“Joel and I come from different backgrounds, different cultures, but here we are, brothers, united, sharing the same DNA, the blue, red and white of the @westvilleboyshighschool family,” said a thankful Yesthiel.
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