For many young adults, starting tertiary education marks their first experience of living and travelling independently. As students settle into unfamiliar environments – both on their campus and in the areas that surround it – personal safety becomes fundamental to their ability to focus on their studies, build relationships, and participate fully in their learning experience. But the reality is that, while many tertiary education institutions have made significant investments in security infrastructure and technology, no campus exists in isolation from South Africa’s broader security challenges.
It is with this in mind that Richfield has partnered with Namola to give its students access to affordable personal safety technology that protects them both on- and off-campus. Students can make use of the Namola app’s security and emergency response features at a preferential monthly subscription fee, thus adding a practical layer of wellbeing to their education experience.
Adam Kelly, Group Chief Commercial Officer at Richfield, says that all education institutions have a responsibility to consider the safety and wellbeing of their students in and beyond the classroom. “Students should be able to study, commute, socialise, and live their lives with a sense of security. By making personal safety support more readily available, we are helping to create an environment in which our students can focus on their education and pursue their goals with greater confidence.”
Namola brings private armed and medical response, live location tracking, community safety features, and map-based safety awareness together in one app. Users can activate an SOS alert with a single tap on their smartphones, connecting them instantly to a trained operator who coordinates the appropriate services to their exact location.
“In South Africa, safety and education are inseparable. Young people learn, travel and build their future best when they can do so without fear, and a more educated country is a safer one for everyone. That is why we believe Namola has a genuine responsibility to stand behind education, and why protecting Richfield's students matters so much to us. It is exactly the kind of partnership we set out to build.,” says Angus Henderson, Managing Director at Namola.
The partnership also extends its impact beyond the students’ security. Every Richfield student, family member, or alumnus who subscribes to Namola automatically contributes towards a bursary fund that will help other students gain a tertiary education qualification at Richfield.
With more than 750,000 downloads in South Africa, on both the iOS and Android platforms, Namola provides nationwide private armed and medical response and is PSIRA -registered. By making the service available at a preferential rate, Richfield is giving students and their families access to a practical safety solution, wherever they are.
Richfield believes that while educational institutions have an obligation to foster environments that prioritise wellbeing in all its forms through clear policies, effective security measures, and accessible support systems, students also need to take ownership of their own safety. This starts by familiarising themselves with their institution’s protocols, emergency procedures, and available resources, and includes taking precautions on campus, at home, and everywhere in between.
“Namola provides our students with a personal safety net that travels with them, while also giving parents and families greater reassurance that support is available when it is needed,” says Kelly.
