Bursary helps student achieve her dream
For many children from rural areas, going to university is an almost unobtainable dream. However, thanks to the Rural Education Access Programme (REAP) bursary, Imagine Scholar's matriculant, Portia Ngwenya, recently started studying dentistry at the University of Pretoria.
KAMHLUSHWA – The REAP bursary allows pupils from rural communities across South Africa to gain access to tertiary education and it helped Portia Ngwenya take the first step to realising her dream. She hopes to become a dentist and work in her community.
The former Imagine Scholar member said it is a supportive programme as the students attend motivation sessions. It also covers all necessary expenses such as books, tuition fees, accommodation, laptop, stipend and meals until the students complete their degrees.
The 21-year-old is the 11th of 14 siblings, and the first to get the opportunity to further her studies.
Ngwenya said Imagine Scholar changed her life and allowed her to make new friends who challenged her to get outside of her comfort zone, and to start thinking of how to change her situation. She is fascinated by how South Africans embrace diversity. This helped her develop an interest in the challenges the youth faces, and how she can join initiatives in hopes of giving them a helping hand.
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The determined and optimistic young woman was introduced to the Imagine Scholar programme by her teacher. Ngwenya applied for the bursary and after a rigorous selection process, was chosen to be a part of the programme in 2014.
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She first wanted to become a social worker but realised that dentistry would suit her better, and would allow her to be creative with her hands. Her community also has a shortage of dentists and other health-care professionals. She hopes to help close that gap after graduating by working at a public hospital.
Portia wants to be an inspiration to young people who have the ambition to become dentists but do not have anyone encouraging them to follow their dreams.
Although she would like to travel during the holidays, she is determined to make a change in her home province. ” I always tell myself that for my community to be a better place, I should be the one initiating change not pretending as if nothing is wrong, and expecting other people to do so.”
