Lauded by students

Angel of mercy: Lecturer Nicki Fouché had her praises sung by student Jane Nyarumba and her Tanzanian classmates, for whom she has been a godsend.

Jane Nyarumba, one of five Tanzanian students on the postgraduate diploma in nursing at UCT, thinks the world of lecturer Nicki Fouché. Recently, she shared in an e-mail just how grateful she is for the effort that Fouché, based in UCT's Division of Nursing & Midwifery, put into her courses and her students.

"I find it a pleasure to express my thanks to you for the support you have shown us since we started applying for studies in Cape Town. You have shown commitment and concerns towards us. Through your help with the application process, we managed to come down to pursue critical-care nursing studies here.

"Your commitment did not end there. When we arrived, we were lost and had to start from zero for most of our needs - we had no place to sleep, no bedding, no cooking utensils and, above all, no money in our pockets.

"In all these things you worked something out for us. We not only found shelter, but have not had a single sleepless night because of hunger or cold. Often you brought us food from your house.

"We really appreciate your love towards us. For this, thanks very much and be blessed.

"Academically, you were not only our ICU convenor, but also our English teacher. You took us from 'anti-pain' to 'analgesics', 'anti-BP' to 'antihypertensives', 'antitemperature' to 'antipyrexia'.

"When it came to transport and contributions, you worked out ways that helped us attend seminars and other programmes that facilitated our coursework.

"Your hands, time and energy were always readily available to us.

"Personally, I would like to thank you and Pat [Mayers, a senior lecturer in the department] for granting me your resources (physical, mental and material) to listen and give help. I can only imagine that without this support my life in Cape Town would be full of frustrations and it could have been so difficult for me to carry on with studies. I so much appreciate the dedication you showed and continue to show upon us.

"It is my daily prayer that the almighty God may bless you and your families.

"I will live to say thank you for the love that you are showing to us."

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