Medical student launches campaign to save her dream of becoming a doctor

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Years of study and sacrifice now hang in the balance for Duduzile Sibanyoni, a 24-year-old fifth-year medical student at Nelson Mandela University, who has been blocked from registering for the academic year due to R180,550 in outstanding fees.

In a last-ditch effort to continue her medical training, she has launched a public fundraising campaign to clear the debt.

Sibanyoni has launched a fundraising campaign on BackaBuddy.

The historical debt has prevented her from registering academically and for residence this year, placing her medical training on hold unless the amount is cleared.

Originally from the Vaal in Gauteng, Sibanyoni moved to Gqeberha to pursue her studies and is now living in Summerstrand while attending university.

She comes from a close-knit family, but with no-one at home currently employed, supporting herself financially during university has been extremely challenging.

“During my studies, I received support through a bursary from the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority, which I am very grateful for.

“However, the bursary is capped and does not cover the full cost of university fees and it also does not provide a food allowance.

“Over time, the remaining balance that was not covered accumulated and unfortunately, my 2025 fees were not fully paid, which contributed significantly to the current historical debt that is now preventing me from registering for the academic year,” Sibanyoni said.

She said discovering that she might have to stop studying because of financial constraints had been emotionally difficult, especially after years of dedication to reaching her fifth year of medical school.

“It was extremely stressful and heartbreaking.

“After working so hard to reach my fifth year of medical school, the possibility of having to stop because of financial barriers was very difficult to accept.

“I applied for a concession and later an acknowledgement of debt in hopes of being able to register while continuing to pay the balance, but both applications were declined because of the outstanding fees.

“Despite the setbacks, I remain hopeful that I will find a way to continue my studies,” she said.

Before being accepted into medical school, Sibanyoni first completed a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand as part of her long-term plan to pursue medicine.

In addition to her studies, Sibanyoni documents her medical journey online through a series of videos called “Becoming Dr Sibanyoni” on TikTok, where she shares educational content and insights into life as a medical student.

Small brand collaborations and online content creation have helped her cover some of her basic living expenses while studying.

“As I go through each clinical rotation, I sometimes create short educational series where I share simple medical facts that people may not easily understand.

“For example, I made a video explaining contraception after realising that many people who are using contraceptives do not always receive enough information about what they are or what side effects they might experience.

“Through these videos, I hope to make medical information easier to understand while also inspiring other young people who may want to pursue careers in health care.”

Sibanyoni said her immediate goal was to complete her medical degree and serve patients with dedication and compassion, adding that she hoped to one day contribute meaningfully to the healthcare sector.

“I am incredibly grateful to anyone who takes the time to read my story or support my campaign.

“Every contribution, no matter how small, brings me closer to clearing the historical debt preventing my registration and continuing my journey toward becoming Dr Sibanyoni,” she said.