Michael Olivier, 19, from Bonteheuwel, is one of 100 winners of the Rise Global Scholarship.
He attended JG Meiring High School, in Goodwood, until Grade 11. This year, he has been at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, where he has been enrolled in a pre-university course that teaches African studies, entrepreneurial, leadership, writing and rhetoric skills. He applied for the scholarship, an initiative of the Rhodes Trust and Schmidt Futures, in January last year.
Applicants for the scholarship, which includes a university bursary and mentorship opportunities among others, have to complete various community-building challenges.
Michael has applied at various universities in America, Spain, and the UK, and he hopes to major in business management and minor in economics and entrepreneurship.
In the first round of the application process, Michael made a video in which he spoke about how unemployment in Bonteheuwel fuelled crime and gangsterism there. He proposed encouraging entrepreneurship to tackle the problem.
Up against 10 000 applicants in the second round, Michael ran a two-week entrepreneurship workshop with Grade 4 to 7 pupils at Arcadia Primary School, his old school, in March last year.
“They came up with ideas of businesses they could start. One boy suggested sweeping people’s yards to earn money. Another girl, who uses TikTok, said that she could teach people how to use the app. We also spoke about possible challenges and how to overcome them. We spoke about goal setting – how to set goals, wishes and outcomes, the plan and executing it. The pupils said that one of the challenges could be financial,” he said.
He taught pupils to use the “STOP” tool when facing a challenge. S is for “stop”, T is for “thinking” about what went wrong, O is for seeking “opportunities” to fix the problem, and P for “planning”.
“It was important to bring this to Bonteheuwel because many families are struggling. Teaching kids how to make money in a responsible way is important so that they can become self-sustainable. It is a skill they can use for the rest of their lives,” he said.
In the third and final round, the remaining 500 applicants had to debate global issues, do a presentation on something meaningful to them, participate in a problem-solving activity and do an interview with admission officers from the Rhodes Trust Foundation. One-hundred applicants were chosen, and Michael is one of two from South Africa. The other 98 are from 62 countries.
Arcadia Primary School deputy principal Rowena Hermans said Michael’s workshop had been positive and beneficial for the pupils.
“The pupils loved it; they were very excited. It was nice to have a young man standing in front of the class. It is exceptional that he came back to the school to give back what he has learnt so that our pupils can see that Bonteheuwel is not just about crime and gangsterism but also about people creating a bright future for themselves,” she said.
“He is a real role model to our pupils. We need people like him to inspire our children to strive to be better and realise that there are options out there.”
Michael’s, father Steven Olivier, said he was very proud of his son’s achievement.
“His determination, despite the odds, is extremely admirable. Growing up in a community where drugs and gangsterism is all around you, he worked hard not to be sucked in and be a positive influence to his peers.”