Orphan Fund bursary student Mzo completes Bachelors of Engineering Technology (Watch)

Tongaat resident Mzokuthula Zulu is two-thirds on the way to completing his lifelong dream of becoming a civil engineer.

A product of the Protec career enrichment programme and beneficiary of The North Coast Courier Orphan Fund‘s bursary programme, Mzo last year completed his Bachelors of Engineering Technology in Civil Engineering degree at the Durban University of Technology, something he said would have been impossible without the help of Protec and the Orphan Fund.

Protec is a programme promoting maths, science and technological literacy for pupils in grades 10, 11 and 12.

While some children grow up wanting to become doctors, lawyers, police officers or firefighters, Mzo has always dreamt of becoming a civil engineer and “bringing creative change to the world”.

Reality suggested his ambition would remain just that considering his mother’s meagre income as a domestic worker.

During his matric year, Mzo wanted to apply for financial aid to allow him to study at university.

Approaching Protec head Marion Takis, he shared his family’s plight and the unlikelihood of him ever raising sufficient funds to pay the university registration fees.

Takis inspected Mzo’s year-end matric results and was astounded by them.

She referred them to the Orphan Fund and it was agreed to support him by covering his registration fees, as well as a monthly stipend to help him through his four years of studies.

The help he received during his matric year at Protec, where he received first-hand knowledge of the inner-workings of companies such as Tongaat Hulett, solidified his decision to study civil engineering.

“Seeing what you design come to life is what I love most about civil engineering, a discipline which continues to change the world,” he said.

“We tend to focus on the technological aspects of it, but the physical component is crucial to ensure safety standards are met.”

Mzo said he was passionate about branching out into urban rehabilitation, hoping he could one day give back to communities by improving the quality of life in townships and rural areas.

Find out more about Mzo and his plans for the future by watching the interview with him.

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