For Anathi Bam, joining the Roedean Academy was about more than academic opportunities.

It helped her discover her strengths, build confidence, and see a future beyond the challenges she faced at home and school. The Barnato Park High School matric learner, originally from Ntibane in Engcobo in the Eastern Cape, joined the academy after passing its entrance test.

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What began as an exciting opportunity soon became an important part of her high school journey. Through the academy, Anathi gained access to educational resources, data for studying, information technology lessons, and swimming lessons.

In Grade 12, learners also received laptops and phones to assist with their studies. However, it was the academy’s opportunities beyond the classroom that left a lasting impression on Anathi.

A Grade 11 camp helped Anathi recognise her leadership abilities and problem-solving skills, changing how she viewed herself and what she could achieve. She also learnt the importance of teamwork, and realised that education was not about competing against others, but about becoming a better version of herself.

Her time at the academy was not without challenges. Since electricity was cut off in her building in 2023, studying at night has been difficult, while personal loss, including the death of her grandmother in January last year, affected her emotional well-being and school performance.

Academy administrator Caroline Green offered therapy sessions during this difficult period, while Anathi’s mother bought rechargeable lights to help her continue studying at home.

Anathi credits her mother, a single parent who has consistently encouraged her education, for allowing her to choose her own subjects and career path.

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Although she once dreamed of becoming a doctor, her interests have evolved as she has learnt more about the potential of technology in healthcare.

After matric, she hopes to study biotechnology or computer science, with the long-term ambition of combining technology and medicine.

Reflecting on her journey, Anathi said she was proud of overcoming challenges she once thought she could not survive. Her advice to younger learners facing similar circumstances is to persevere, even when their goals seem out of reach.

“The road to achieving your goals is never straightforward,” she said. “It is a roller coaster that can make you feel like giving up, but hold on because, at the end, the rainbow will be visible after that crazy storm.”

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