Rooted in creativity, rising with hope: Udumise’s story
Date Released: Thu, 11 September 2025 10:19 +0200By Chubeka Kulu
“Your support is more than a donation – it’s a belief in artists like me, and in the generations we’re shaping. You’re not just helping to fund a degree; you’re fuelling creativity, healing, and change.” - Udumise Qutywa
Studying the Arts comes with unique challenges. Across South Africa, countless talented students brim with creative passion, yet opportunities to fund their education remain scarce. Unlike fields such as commerce or the sciences, where structured bursaries are more readily available, Arts students often stand on the margins – making every award, every act of support, all the more life-changing.
At just 20 years old, Udumise Qutywa, a Fine Arts undergraduate at Rhodes University, is determined to transform his creativity into a career that inspires change. Growing up in East London, in a small, close-knit family, he faced the realities of financial struggle and the challenges of his parents’ divorce. Yet, through it all, Udumise held tightly to his dream of becoming a professional artist.
When Udumise was awarded the Hillensberg Trust Bursary for 2025, it meant more than the easing of financial pressure. It was a resounding affirmation; an acknowledgement that his voice, his vision, and his art matter. Freed from the heavy weight of uncertainty, Udumise can now fully explore his creativity across painting, sculpture, and digital media with renewed confidence and focus.
“Art isn’t just what I study – it’s how I process the world, and how I imagine new possibilities beyond it.”
Even as a student, Udumise has shown his commitment to giving back. He has donated clothing to those in need, supported the Makhanda SPCA, and volunteered his time for community projects. The bursary he received is not only fuelling his studies, but also amplifying his generosity, his creativity, and his hope for the future.
A bursary like Udumise’s does more than pay tuition – it plants seeds of cultural expression, empathy, and leadership. Supporting Arts students is an investment in building a society that is more inclusive, more imaginative, and more humane.
He says: “Your support is more than a donation – it’s a belief in artists like me, and in the generations we’re shaping. You’re not just helping to fund a degree; you’re fuelling creativity, healing, and change.”
Your generosity can help students like Udumise rise – proving that art is not just worth supporting, it is essential.
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One of Udumise's artworks
Source:The Division of Communication & Advancement