The Big Favour: Six dreams take flight
East Coast Radio and KZN Slots are changing lives! Six graduates can now step into their futures with confidence as their outstanding fees have been paid in full. Dreams unlocked, futures secured!
East Coast Radio believes education is a powerful tool, but for many graduates, outstanding fees stand between them and their future.
That’s why The Big Favour with Darren, Sky and Carmen took on the challenge to break down these barriers and give people the chance to move forward.
This Big Favour isn’t just about paying fees; it’s about changing lives, opening doors, and proving that with the right support, anything is possible.
This journey began with Aphiwe Miya, a bright young graduate who played Darren Maule’s Quick Quiz on East Coast Breakfast, hoping to win R1,000. Sadly, she wasn’t able to ace it and she needed the money to help settle her outstanding university fees.
Without clearing her debt, she couldn’t receive her degree in Analytical Chemistry and step into her career. Her story moved us, and thanks to the generosity of KZN Slots, her fees were paid in full. That was just the beginning.
Aphiwe’s story opened the door for so many others facing the same struggle - graduates who had worked hard, passed their courses, but remained stuck in limbo, unable to graduate because of financial constraints.
We asked you, our listeners, to send us the names of those in need, and you answered the call. With the support of KZN Slots, we are thrilled to announce that six more students will have their outstanding fees cleared.
Their dreams are no longer on hold.
ALSO READ: The Big Favour: Helping dreams take flight
Meet the graduates whose lives have changed
Sancia Samuel - A mother’s dream for her daughter
For 22 years, Sancia has done everything to give her daughter, Carly, the education she deserves. As a single parent, she worked tirelessly to ensure Carly could pursue her studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she completed a Bachelor of Social Science, majoring in Geography and Environmental Sciences.
Despite four years of hard work, Carly was unable to graduate in March due to an outstanding fee balance of R16,000; a gap left after NSFAS capped accommodation funding. Her mother, already struggling to provide for another child, simply could not afford the amount.
It was heartbreaking to think that after everything, Carly would miss out on the moment she had worked so hard for.
The Big Favour with Darren Sky and Carmen and KZN Slots lifted that burden and paid her outstanding fees in full. Carly can now step into her future and make her mother proud!
Eddie-Lee Gumede - A degree that unlocks a future
Eddie-Lee completed her Management Sciences degree in Supply Chain Management at Durban University of Technology (Pietermaritzburg Campus) in May 2024. Despite finishing her studies, she couldn’t obtain her qualification because of an outstanding debt of R19,000.
As a self-funded student, the financial weight became too much to bear. Her single mother, who is raising Eddie-Lee and her brother alone, was doing her best, but with mounting expenses, she couldn’t cover the debt.
Eddie-Lee watched as job opportunities slipped through her fingers because she had no certificate to prove his qualification.
Today, that changes. KZN Slots has stepped in to cover her outstanding fees, giving him the chance to step into the career he’s worked so hard to build.
Kerina Paultoo - The attorney who didn’t give up
Kerina’s academic journey has been nothing short of outstanding. She graduated cum laude from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) with an LLB Degree, earning multiple Dean’s Commendations, Certificates of Merit, and the highest individual marks in two different modules.
Despite her achievements, when she attended her graduation ceremony, her degree certificate was withheld. The reason? An outstanding balance of R19,000.
Now completing her two-year articles and preparing to write her Legal Board Exams in August, Kerina needs her degree to become an admitted attorney by 2026. Without it, her dreams of practicing law remain out of reach.
Today, she no longer has to worry. Thanks to The Big Favour with Darren, Sky & Carmen and KZN Slots, her fees are fully covered, and she is back on track to achieving her lifelong dream.
Nhlanzeko Dlamini - The engineer looking for stability
At 32 years old, Nhlanzeko has worked hard to build a career, completing an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering. Wanting to expand his skills, he pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration at the University of Pretoria. This qualification would give him an edge in management and leadership roles.
However, without R13,000 to settle his outstanding fees, his certificate remains out of reach, limiting his ability to secure permanent employment.
Having already gone through multiple internships, he longs for the stability of a full-time job.
Today, that dream becomes a reality. With his fees paid, he can finally obtain his certificate, making him a strong candidate for career growth and job security.
Nkumbulo Pearl Shezi - A teacher in waiting
Nkumbulo completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at UKZN, hoping to begin a career as a teacher. Although with an outstanding balance of R9,572.90, she was unable to collect her certificate, making it impossible to secure permanent teaching positions.
She worked hard to bring down her debt from R21,000, paying what she could after briefly holding a substitute teaching post in Limpopo.
After that though, she struggled to find work, leaving her unable to pay off the remaining fees.
Today, thanks to KZN Slots and The Big Favour with Darren, Sky & Carmen; her journey to becoming an educator is back on track. She can now collect her certificate and pursue her passion for teaching.
Pearl Peter - A scientist determined to make a difference
Pearl Peter is a Medical Science graduate specializing in Biochemistry, currently pursuing her Honours in Medical Microbiology at Walter Sisulu University.
Her goal is to advance in the field of medical research and diagnostics, but an outstanding balance of R9,091.76 threatened to delay her graduation.
With NSFAS funding her undergraduate degree, she managed to pay part of her Honours fees through a refund from NSFAS, but the remaining balance was a burden too great to carry on her own.
With her fees now fully covered by KZN Slots, Pearl can graduate this May, enter the workforce, and begin contributing meaningfully to the medical field.
These six students are proof that financial constraints should never be the reason dreams are put on hold.
Thanks to the generosity of KZN Slots and the power of community support, they can now move forward with their careers, free from the burden of outstanding fees.
However, The Big Favour with Darren, Sky & Carmen isn’t stopping here. There are still many others facing the same struggle, and we want to continue making a difference.
If you know someone who has completed their course but can’t graduate due to unpaid fees, visit www.ecr.co.za, click on The Big Favour tab, and submit their story.
