Fundi makes education dreams come true

After the loss of her older sister, who was the breadwinner of the family, a young girl’s dream of going to university and becoming a chartered accountant could have been shattered if not for Fundi, an education organisation that prides itself in assisting young South Africans like her in realising their dreams.

Growing up in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Nompilo Shange was in grade 10 when she lost her sister who provided for the household that included her, her pensioner mother and her sister’s two kids.

For Shange, her death meant that her dreams of setting foot in a university to study accounting would never be realised because a loan under her mother’s name would never be enough to cover all the expenses involved.

Pushing thoughts of university aside, she participated in a competition at school a year later which involved writing a letter about what she would do if she became a president someday.

“It came earlier in the year and I just submitted it and forgot about it. Then, at the beginning of November, I got a call saying that I had been selected as one of the two finalists who would be representing my province for the competition in Johannesburg and that we would be staying there with all expenses paid for three days. I couldn’t believe it and I was so excited because it was going to be my first time in a plane!”

She said that after arriving in Joburg and being overwhelmed by the motivational speeches on leadership and training on public speaking, she was instructed, along with the candidates from other provinces, to prepare a speech for the award ceremony taking place at the end of three days; but she never expected what happened next.

“There were 18 of us and they were planning on giving away nine awards. The first award would be R300 000 which would cover three years’ worth of tuition fees for the winner at the university of their choice, sponsored by Fundi,” said Shange.

“Then they called my name and I was shocked!”

Fundi decided to pay for more than it originally intended, extending the bursary to cover her honours year, which she is doing this year.

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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