KwaThema scientist Mbali Mahlayeye to fly the South African flag high at the Dutch Visitors Programme in the Netherlands
Seven people from different departments were nominated for selection by the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa and she was invited by the Dutch Visitors Programme in Hague, making her one of eight people from developing economies invited to take part in the programme.
KwaThema – KwaThema remote sensing scientist Mbali Mahlayeye will be going to the Netherlands to take part in the Dutch Visitors Programme.
The 10-day programme, which will take part from March 17 to 27 will be a platform for information sharing on matters of drinking water and wastewater.
The former Eureka High School student says her journey started when she applied for a bursary from a mining company that was advertised in the African Reporter.
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“I was accepted for a BSc extended studies programme at the University of Pretoria and was looking at going into the mining engineering programme the following year,” she says.
It was during this programme where Mahlayeye realised that she was not interested in the technical world of engineering but wanted to do something that will help communities in a more tangible way, leading her to geology.
Mahlayeye, who holds a BSc Honors in Geology and an MSc in Geoinformatics says her journey was not an easy one as she had to take an extra year as a result of failed modules and as such, lost her funding.
“I remember how worried my mother was when I left for my second year as we were not sure if I was going to get funding but as a result of my determination, I managed to secure a bursary,” she explains.
To others in a similar situation, Mahlayeye says the key is in not giving up.
“Don’t give up, and knock on those doors,” she says.
“Know that you are destined for greatness and go for it,” she continues.
Mbali was nominated to be part of the programme after participating in an event she was attending during her work for the Department of Water and Sanitation.
Seven people from different departments were nominated for selection by the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa and she was invited by the Dutch Visitors Programme in Hague, making her one of eight people from developing economies invited to take part in the programme.
Mahlayeye also plans to pursue a PhD at the University of Twente in the Netherlands.
