From the bottom-up for Sipho
Sipho wishes to pour his efforts out for the growth of the company, which had given him the privilege to brighten his future
Ever read one of those inspirational stories and just felt so touched?
Well, here’s one about a young Estcourt resident, Sipho Shezi (24).
He grew up surrounded by poverty and a lack of opportunities.Despite the losses, hardship and challenges, Sipho held his head up, dusted himself off after every fall and pushed through.
His determination got him places. After losing both his parents before turning four-years-old, his grandparents took him in.
At the age of 12 he lost his grandparents as well, his aunt then took on the responsibility of raising him.
Shortly after his grandparents’ passing, he was shot in the chest and spent about three weeks in hospital.
The Tugela Ferry born young man then moved to Loskop and joined Mpumelelo High School in 2009 and matriculated with outstanding results in 2011.
Sipho worked extremely hard and this paid off when he was among the first group of students who received the Nestlé South Africa scholarship to study for a post-matric qualification at University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus in 2012, after Nestlé South Africa adopted his school Mpumelelo High School in November 2011.
“My future didn’t seem bright; I had fallen into a mental trap assuming that nothing is possible for people with a background like mine. I had developed a deep feeling of inferiority and inadequacy until the day I met with Nestlé,” said Sipho.
Sipho found his journey to be very challenging, both at home and at school.Sipho attended a few of his classes under a tree, and managed to excel in his science studies with a few textbooks and no laboratory while schooling.
The Adopting A-School Initiative by Nestlé allowed Sipho to be a living testimony that through education all challenges associated with our communities can be eradicated.
“The initiative really changed my life and hundreds of others I believe, sometimes I feel like there are not enough words to help me say thank to Nestlé for what they had done for us,” said Sipho.
A few years later Sipho graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Genetics.
Sipho is now employed at Nestlé as a junior analyst in the microbiology lab; he is very familiar with everything thanks to vacation work at the lab.
Sipho wishes to pour his efforts out for the growth of the company, which had given him the privilege to brighten his future, which had once appeared as dull.
The moral of Sipho’s story is never to give up!
