#Trailblazers set off for Machu Picchu

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) trailblazers vice-chancellor Prof Derrick Swartz and third year Public Management student Nandipha Jack were up at the crack of dawn to catch their early morning flight to Johannesburg, where they met up with fellow trailblazer and alumni Dr Bridgette Gasa, before jetting off to South America.

Swartz, Jack and Gasa will join about 20 other trailblazers, including NMMU chancellor Santie Botha, on the 43km Inca trail to Peru’s Machu Picchu in a bid to raise R4-million to help 160 academically deserving, financially needy students finish their academic journeys. The university’s #Trailblazing campaign has so far raised more than R2-million, with fundraising initiatives to continue until the target is reached.

Those wanting to keep up with the trailblazers can follow their journey via the BlazeIT app created by the university’s computer science students, which is accessible through the website http://trailblazing.nmmu.ac.za.