Alumni Students

Throughout the many years of funding University fees for underprivileged students, the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation has managed to increase the amount of students it has funded within a short period of time, taking into consideration the volumes of underprivileged and uneducated young South Africans that are in dire need of funding. The Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation has funded more than 250 University students to date. Below are some of the former and current student stories and profiles.

Name: Sanele Mnisi
Status : Alumni Student
Position: University of the Witwatersrand
Field of Study : LLB

My name is Sanele Mnisi, I am currently a Regulatory and Change Management Programme Officer at Firstrand Bank Ltd and pursuing Financial Risk Management interests in a secondment programme with the Financial Market Risk Team within the Bank. My Academic background consists of Law, Compliance and currently pursuing the Charted Financial Analyst (CFA) Exam.
My journey with the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation started over a decade ago. In 2010, while I was in matric, I applied for the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship. At the time, the founders of the Foundation were known for their company, Empilweni Payout Services, which paid out social grants to the general public. I knew the company as my mother was a social grant beneficiary. Simple mathematics will tell you, that it is impossible for a social grant to cover the costs associated with pursuing a tertiary education in our country. Add onto that the dilemma of a household that’s fully dependent on that social grant as the sole stream of income.
I come from a rural area situated about an hour’s drive from Nelspruit, Mpumalanga I completed my matric at a school that had a track record of producing a 19% matric pass rate, and had very limited resources. It might surprise you that the first time I touched a computer, as during my first year of study at tertiary. I had to attend lessons on how to switch it on and off.
In 2010 I was accepted to study LLB, a bachelor’s degree in Law at the Witwatersrand University (Wits), which was fully funded by the Eric and Charmaine Scholarship Foundation the same seed in my family by taking initiative to contribute to each of my sibling’s academic pursuits. Now, I am able to see a future that goes beyond the borders of South Africa.
Name: Kate Lubisi
Status : Alumni Student
Position: Medicine intern at Themba Hospital, Mpumalanga
Field of Study : Medicine
Kate Lubisi, born and bred in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, is one of the beneficiaries of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation. Kate is the last born child of a family of six children, headed by a single mother who could not afford to send her to University after her matric.
During her matric year in 2010, Kate, knowing the financial strains that her family suffered – sent bursary, Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation and loan applications to every organisation she could think of. She was determined to further her studies the following year and fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor. Later in the same year, her brother brought a newspaper home which had an advertisement of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation. She wasted no time and immediately sent her application. In 2011, she was awarded the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation and she commenced her studies in Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Receiving the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation was a relief to Kate and her family. The mental freedom of not worrying about University fees or paying for textbooks and meals motivated Kate to excel in her studies, with her eyes fixed on her goal of becoming a doctor.
Kate is currently in her second year as a medical intern in Themba Hospital in Mpumalanga, where she is referred to as Dr Lubisi. In 2019 she will move on to do community work, something that she is passionate about and is looking forward to. She intends on doing her community work in her hometown as part of giving back to the community that groomed her.
Since starting her internship, Kate has already made positive changes in her family’s life: she has upgraded her mother’s house and turned it into a bigger, beautiful and comfortable home and she is currently living with her niece whom she pays school fees for. Kate’s elder sister was inspired by Kate’s drive to succeed and she also decided to further her studies at a college in Mpumalanga, of which Kate is paying for.
When asked what are the values that drive her, Kate’s simple response is that “family is everything”. She considers herself a family member of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation, and expresses her eternal gratitude to the Foundation for playing a vital role in shaping her future and her family's.
Name: Mpendulo Clement Nkosi
Status : Alumni Student
Position: University of Witswatersrand, Johannesburg
Field of Study : Medicine
Mpendulo was overjoyed when he found out that he had been accepted to study Medicine at the University of Witwatersrand upon completing his matric in 2011. For his first year, he was a beneficiary of the NFSAS financial aid scheme. However he describes that year as a financial uphill battle; recalling the days he would go to University hungry, Mpendulo says his funding only covered his tuition and could not extend to his study material and meals.
Despite this, the goal driven student made it to his second year where he was advised by his peer to apply for the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation. His second year changed for the better and this was evident in his performance at University and confidence levels; no longer did he have to worry about where his next meal or text book money would come from.
His unemployed parents who lived in Mpumalanga were grateful because they could use the little income they received in the household to send Mpendulo’s younger siblings to school. He said the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation brought great relief to his family, to the extent that his mother’s hypertension stabilized.
Mpendulo says the highlight of his journey with the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation was meeting Mr Eric Mabuza, who he describes as a humble role model who constantly motivated him to never give up on his dream. He explains that his experience of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation was like being part of a family that genuinely cared about his wellbeing and not only his academic performance.
Today Mpendulo works as a junior doctor at the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg and plans to study further. He says that he will eternally be grateful for being afforded the opportunity to improve his life and of his family. As the sole breadwinner, Mpendulo says he plans to extend their family house in the near future, as he continues to set a good example for his siblings.
Name: Mamokete Lerato Mothopeng
Status : Alumni Student
Tertiary Institution: University of the Free State, Bloemfontein
Field of Study : Bcom Accounting
Mamokete has always been a determined and hardworking student who had her eyes set on a fruitful career in the Accounting profession. Mamokete has always envisioned working as a Chartered Accountant and working in firms such as PWC and Earnest and Young. She was raised by both her parents whom she lived with. In 2016, while Mamokete was completing her Matric her parents separated, it caused a mental and financial distraction and strain in Mamokete’s life. Thereafter Mamokete’s only source of financial support was her mother who works as a nurse. Her mother’s earnings were not enough to pay for her tuition fees, in addition to the other responsibilities her mother shouldered as the sole bread winner of the family. This made Mamokete worry; her lifelong dream of becoming an Accountant was potentially threatened.
Although discouraged, Mamokete did not sit back. She thought of her uncle who is an inspiration to her, who despite difficult circumstances, qualified as a geologist. Later in 2016, Mamokete applied for the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation and she was accepted. With the support of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation Mamokete’s life changed. This has made a huge difference to Mamokete’s family as they were already going through a lot after their parents’ separation. As her way of giving back, Mamokete volunteers as a Mathematics tutor for two students and plans to help a minimum of at least two students to study at University level, once she starts working and earning a salary.
Mamokete is proactive when it comes to her studies, she asks for help when she needs it and studies in advance for all her tests and exams. She attributes her strength, positive attitude and persistence to the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation. Mamokete says the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation has liberated her financially long term; had she not received the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation, she would have had to apply for a student loan and had to repay it with interest or she would have had to take a gap year to try gather funds with the assistance of other community and family members.
In Mamokete’s view, the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation is a great initiative for social development, as it grants access to higher education to the youth that cannot afford it but are brilliant academically.
Name: Lesedi Martha Ndlovu
Status : Alumni Student
Tertiary Institution: University of Witswatersrand, Johannesburg
Field of Study : Accounting Sciences
Lesedi Ndlovu, the first born in a family of three siblings who lives in Naturena, Johannesburg with her mother and step father knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in numbers. Through the mentorship that she received in high school, she made the decision to study Accounting Sciences. Although she had the capability and the intelligence to pursue an Accounting Sciences degree, Lesedi was worried about how she would fund her studies because her mother was unemployed and there were additional financial constraints witin the household. Under these circumstances, Lesedi, with hope, proceeded to apply to various Universities and she was accepted for a degree in Accounting Sciences by the University of Witswatersrand.
Lesedi’s high-school mentor informed her of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation, thereafter Lesedi applied for the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation and in 2017 she became a recipient and she commenced her Degree in Accounting Sciences. It was at this point in Lesedi’s life that she started to be more confindent and hopeful about the future.As a recipient of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation, Lesedi never worries about what she is going to eat the next day, how her fees will be paid or how she will pay for her study material.
Once a year in January the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation hosts an assessemnt workshop where the recipients are evaluated and assessed on their academic performance, if they are coping with University life and their general well-being. Lesedi explains that the workshop also has elements of fun; she had never spent time at a hotel or set foot in Sandton City, although she grew up in Johannesburg. These were all incredible firsts for her that she will never forget them. To top it off, winning the highest achiever award for the 2017 academic year was a feeling and an experience she states motivates her to maintain her high academic standards. This has set the bar for her to challenge herself in her academic performance throughout the rest of her degree.
Lesedi is now in her second year of studies and she is excelling. In 2017, she was on the Dean’s merit list of 10% of the top performing students. Upon the completion of Lesedi’s studies she would like to pursue a career in Management Accounting. She says she understands the importance of ethical accounting management, and that she is constantly checking that her values remain intact and reflect the attributes that are valued in Management Accounting; integrity, objectivity, transparency and confidentiality.
Lesedi lives by this saying : “I can do this, even if I can’t. I have to.” She is proud of her work and grateful for the opportunity that the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation has given her. Her 2018 goal is to move up the Dean’s merit list. She intends to always remain in the top performing 10% of students. Once she completes her studies and starts working, Lesedi intends to take care of her siblings and to make sure that they, too, focus on creating a good life for themselves.

Students

Name: Stian Gueswill van Wyk
Status : Current Student
Tertiary Institution:
Field of Study : Bcom - Investment Management and Banking
Year of Study:
My name is Stian Gueswill van Wyk. I was born in a small town called Upington, in the Northern Cape. I am the first born of 4 children, all raised by our grandparents as my mother was working away from home.
My mom later moved back home and my siblings and I got a chance to know her. The downside of it is that her return meant that she was no longer working and this caused a lot of struggle for us. My entire family was battling to stay afloat as not all of them were working. I realised at a young age that a large part of their unemployment was due to the lack of education and skills.
I realised that through education, I could break the cycle of poverty in my family. I applied to study at various universities and I was accepted at most of them, unfortunately there was no money to send me to school. I ended up staying at home for two years, searching for bursaries. One day, while searching online, I came across the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation and I applied. When I received a call for an interview, I knew instantly that my luck had changed for the better.
Being awarded a full scholarship by the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Foundation really changed my life. I am studying a Bcom with a specialization in Investment Management and Banking. Obtaining a Bcom will enable me to attain a CFA-charter and pursue a career as a Chartered Financial Analyst within the banking sector. This will enable me to gain the knowledge and experience to start my own private Hedge Fund.
Since becoming a student, I have never have to worry about tuition, text books or even meal allowance. The Foundation has taken care of all of that, allowing me to focus on excelling in my studies. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be the first one to go to university in my family. The cycle of poverty has truly been broken. My intention is to always set a good example for my siblings.
I always remind myself of who am I and reflect on why I am working so hard. This helps and keeps me motivated.
My advice for other students would be to become in-tune with their star player (themselves). Know yourself, and you will know what you want to become.
Name: Aliyah Shaikh
Status : Current Student
Tertiary Institution: Wits University, Johannesburg
Field of Study : Accounting Science
Year of Study: First Year
My name is Aliyah Shaikh, born in Johannesburg and bred in Rustenburg, Northwest. My three siblings and I were raised by my parents, with my father taking care of the household with income generated from his small business. My father being self-employed came with various challenges, especially the inconsistent income and the posed challenges on us as a family.
My parents have always encouraged us to aim much higher than they’ve reached, to really put on the effort in our studies in order to improve our lives. The Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation has really helped me to change my life. Not only has the Foundation supported me financially, but it has also inspired me to reach my maximum potential.
I am studying Accounting Science at Wits University. I chose this course because I enjoyed the subject in high school and I was good at it, now that I’m studying towards this career, I know that I’ve made the right choice for myself.
I have big dreams, and achieving small steps towards my dreams brings me joy and keeps me motivated.
I have big dreams, and achieving small steps towards my dreams brings me joy and keeps me motivated.
Name: Neville Mbulawa
Tertiary Institution: Durban University of Technology
Field of Study : Diploma in Cost and Management Accounting
Neville was born in Durban and raised in the Eastern Cape by his grandmother. He has five siblings, four brothers and one sister. After his grandmother passed away he moved back to Durban to live with his mother.
His parents were separated which meant he only saw his father once or twice a year. Growing up he had a normal childhood and his single mother went the extra mile to ensure that he and his siblings received everything that they needed. This was until 2015 when his mother passed away and his life took a turn for the worst. He started facing financial difficulties at home which caused him emotional strain as he pondered how he would ever achieve his dream of becoming an accountant.
He heard about the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation through his father, who saw the advert in a newspaper and encouraged him to apply. Neville has always been a hardworking student who has always wanted a fruitful career in the accounting profession. He studied a Diploma in Cost and Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology.
Being awarded the full scholarship by the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation really changed his life. Not only did the Foundation support him financially, but it also gave him peace of mind as he was able to go to lectures without worrying about his tuition fees or missing a day at varsity because he didn’t have money for transport. The Foundationoffered him tremendous support paying for everything including books, accommodation and meals. This inspired him to reach his maximum potential.
Neville currently works at ITHUBA, the Lottery Operator as a Finance Clerk and is now responsible to support his younger brother. Every month he sends money back home to buy stationery and clothes. “I feel like I have a lot to give and in good time I will give back to someone else who is not related to me’’ said Neville Mbulawa.
Name: Khethiwe Kosa
Tertiary Institution: University of Free State
Field of Study : Bachelor of Accounting
My name is Khethiwe Kosa one of the beneficiaries of the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation. I was born in the North West but grow up in Johannesburg where I was raised by both my parents, who played a pivotal role in my up bring. They always encouraged me to work towards my goals and assured me that hard work is the most important key to success.
Things were not always great at home as we were faced with financial difficulties and my family was battling to stay afloat and meet our daily needs. My mother came across the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation advert in the Daily Sun, at that very moment I knew instantly that my life was about to change for the better. Considering the financial strains that we were faced with at home I immediately applied for the scholarship and I was awarded the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza scholarship. Which was a relief for my family.
He heard about the Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation through his father, who saw the advert in a newspaper and encouraged him to apply. Neville has always been a hardworking student who has always wanted a fruitful career in the accounting profession. He studied a Diploma in Cost and Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology.
I have always had a passion for accounting and the various career options it offered and that is why I chose to study Financial Accounting at the University of Free State. The scholarship helped a lot with the financial burden that my parents were facing as it covered for all my university expenses.
During my time at University, I was part of an organisation that assisted in our community mainly focused on children and elderly people. The Eric and Charmaine Mabuza Scholarship Foundation was my answered prayer I had made to God.