A winning recipe of resilience, faith, and hard work

Mampoledise Emily Malo, an administrative support assistant at Unisa’s Midlands Region, recounts her inspirational journey towards graduation and how education changed her life.

Reflecting on my academic journey at Unisa fills me with pride and gratitude. My story began in Potchefstroom in 2008, after I moved from Vaal Sebokeng, where my late grandmother (Nomvula Florah Mofokeng) raised me. She was a domestic worker and later a pensioner, and despite her unwavering love and support, she could only afford to educate me up to matric. She once told me, “My child, I can only educate you until matric, and from there, I am sorry, I cannot afford to take you further.” At the time, I knew nothing about bursaries like NSFAS or Funda Lusaka. As the first graduate in my family, I now understand why I lacked that valuable information.

Through it all, my faith in God’s provision sustained me. 2013 while working as a beauty advisor at Ponds, I registered with Unisa, determined to pursue my studies despite the challenges. I am especially grateful to Unisa, my employer, for providing me with the opportunity to study free of charge as a permanent staff member. I began my journey with a Higher Certificate in Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) at NQF Level 5, driven by my grandmother’s belief that education is the key to overcoming poverty.

One day in 2013, while submitting handwritten assignments at the Unisa office, I saw a notice advertising a temporary worker position. With the encouragement of Jacqueline Tsebe and Tebogo Monnaemang, who assured me that as a registered student, I was eligible to apply, I quickly contacted my sister, Helen Malatji. With her assistance, I submitted my application. Though it felt like forever before I was called for an interview, I held on to my faith that God had great plans for my life.

After a successful interview, thanks in large part to Helen’s guidance, given her experience at North-West University, months went by without any news. Eventually, I concluded that I had not been selected. But God’s timing is perfect: I received a call inviting me to start on 1 November 2014, a moment that changed my life and my family’s future. Working at Unisa was a blessing. Despite previous struggles to secure employment after matric, I was finally given the chance to thrive.

In 2016, I was appointed permanently. I completed my higher certificate in 2015, but initially enrolled in the wrong degree and struggled with Basic Numeracy. Undeterred, I switched to ABET and later Communication Science, determined not to give up. I remembered my grandmother’s words: to be independent and to rely on myself.

I made steady progress and eventually graduated at the age of 37 with a degree in Communication Science. This journey taught me that it does not matter when you start; what matters is that you finish. I am deeply grateful to my mentor, Thapelo Mokotedi, for his unwavering support from NQF Level 5 to 8. He always believed in me, even during the most challenging times. I also want to thank Ms Dasserie for her nurturing support. She truly exemplified the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”.

My heartfelt thanks also go to my husband, Sipho Godfrey Malo, and our children, who stood by me through it all. I completed my undergraduate degree in 2021 and immediately enrolled for my honours degree. This achievement inspired me to share my story and to encourage others that anything is possible with faith, perseverance, and hard work. Although I faced setbacks, including failing a module twice, I refused to quit. I also made it my mission to share valuable information about educational opportunities and bursaries with high school learners and the community, so that they could avoid the struggles I faced.

Balancing work, life, and studies was a challenging task. Still, I had incredible support from my brother, Mpho Boysa, who helped me navigate the Unisa student system, as well as from colleagues and my former manager, Freddy Mavhungu, who always encouraged me to pursue my goals.

I am especially grateful to my sister, Helen Malatji, whose unwavering support gave me the strength to keep going. I am surrounded by strong individuals who inspire me to strive for excellence. My two incredible managers, Angie Bopape and Kedibone Thantsha, took an interest in my progress and motivated me to succeed. Their encouragement filled me with pride as I celebrated my second graduation at the age of 40, a proud mother of three beautiful children.

To anyone reading this: I hope my story inspires you to believe in yourself and the power of education to change your life. Remember, “No easy come, easy go”. Education is a lifelong investment; it will never disappoint you.