Prof Russel Botman had a clear sense of what the world, and Stellenbosch University (SU) in particular, needed to create opportunities and a future for the next generation. His vision is why we need to commemorate International Youth Day.

This year’s International Youth Day, observed on 12 August 2021, will celebrate all that is under the theme, Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health. This theme touches on three of the five Millennium Goals Russel Botman focused on in his tenure at SU, which endorses the mission of creating a better world.

Prof Botman has inspired the youth with these three goals, which reiterates the theme of this International Youth Day:

1. eradicating poverty and related conditions;
2. promoting human dignity and health; and
3. promoting a sustainable environment and a competitive industry.

Furthermore, the global youth were asked to reflect on the following question: What gives you hope in 2021? Prof Botman had a profound sense that hope is the future. By posing this question to the youth we are consequently responsible to support them. Our support can be shown by providing them with a conducive environment, which is engaging and helpful towards the change in food systems. His legacy demands us to continue to answer this question until there is hope.

In saying this, one of the ways Prof Botman set out to provide hope to our youth was by establishing the Russel Botman Bursary Fund so that students would be able to afford further or higher education and the opportunity to study at SU. These bursary opportunities provide the youth with study opportunities that could promote human and planetary health for all. Without your generous donations, this is not possible. Please donate to the Russel Botman Bursary Fund.