Arnold Appolis, 25, from Lavender Hill, is living proof that if you change your attitude, you can change your situation.
He has been busy working on his thesis for his Masters degree in biological sciences, at the University of Cape Town (UCT), since last year, and hopes to submit in February next year. Graduation is scheduled for June/July.
In 2015 Southern Mail interviewed Mr Appolis when he was an enthusiastic teenager who wanted to complete his studies in maths and physics, but “I realised I love biology more and my love for physics disappeared”.
At the time when Mr Appolis was a young man, and as is the case today, social ills in the community such as gangsterism and drug abuse were the biggest challenge for developing youth.
He believes that if he hadn’t decided to move away from Lavender Hill to live on residence, away from the ongoing gang violence, he would not have survived.
“I would never have been able to travel to varsity safely. My brother-in-law got shot two months ago on his way to a taxi. I can’t live in that environment. I had to move out to make something of myself.”
Mr Appolis said what drives him is his passion for the environment and his thesis is based on bioscience.
“My supervisor is Professor Adam West, who is also my mentor. He gives me psychological support and the mental strength to continue. My thesis is looking to use water isotopes and plant water potential as an indication of the potential impact of borehole water abstraction on groundwater-dependent ecosystems.”
Asked how he was funding his studies, Mr Appolis said: “I initially started on a bursary from NSFAS in February but later went for an interview for financial aid and I qualified for a scholarship at Moshal scholarship programme in March that same year.”
And then, when the “fees must fall protests” erupted across the country, with students demanding free education for the disadvantaged, his studies had be put on hold.
In April 2016, a ministerial task team was established to develop a support and funding model for poor and “missing middle” students.
It was set up by the minister of higher education and training, and placed under the leadership of former chief executive of First Rand and current National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) chairperson, Sizwe Nxasana.
Its findings were released in a report that includes the declaration that fee-free university study is possible and financially viable in the short term for very poor students, and could be funded by subsidies and loans.
During the same year of 2016 Mr Appolis said his mother Gail passed away and it was for him a “very challenging time”.
At the time Mr Appolis’s uncle Ralph Bouwers, a community leader in Lavender Hill, was in England “but he supported me emotionally during that critical period of my life”.
“It affected me so much and academically I was not doing not well. I did not finish and I extended my degree for another year. The Moshal Scholarship Programme provided me with counselling and support. It helped me so much and gave me new energy and strength.”
Mr Appolis graduated in 2019, “but we did not have a ceremony due to Covid-19,” he said.
In 2020 he graduated with an Honours degree in Biological Sciences. “It was hard during Covid and as UCT only houses students for a certain number of years, I had to seek accommodation off campus. I moved to Rosebank, a walk away from the shuttle stop and it was safe and very quick to get to campus.”
Mr Appolis said he had grown and benefited during his studying years away from home. “Being on campus provided me exposure to a leadership culture. I was part of many committees at UCT. In 2019 I was the sports representative for Obz Square residence, where I lived at the time and currently I am serving as the chairperson for Netball at the University,” said Mr Appolis.
Mr Bouwers, who got an opportunity to study overseas via a sponsor, said: “Arnold is a hard worker, he is very focused on becoming successful and he takes his studies very seriously.
“He has siblings in Hillview where the killings and the horror is. But he is focused to make that change to give them that opportunity to get them out of the situation that they are in. It’s quite bad in Hillview. They recently broke into his sister’s house and stole all her husband’s clothing.
“Arnold is a part of our organisation Guardians of the National Treasure, which focuses on giving youngsters the opportunity and break to do something different from what is currently happening here. He is one of the bright youngsters in Lavender Hill who needed the support which I could give him. He recently finished the comprehension of numbers project with some youth here in Lavender Hill, just to get them the understanding of numbers and to fall in love with maths again. This is how Arnold is paying it forward and gives back to the community,” said Mr Bouwers.