As a 16-year-old, Samkelisiwe Ndlazi realised that her family’s poverty would prevent her from pursuing further education due to restricted finances. Picture: Supplied
Samkelisiwe Ndlazi, 27, has had an academic career marked by success despite all circumstances. Ndlazi, a domestic worker, aspires to advance her education and change her family’s history.
The Unisa graduate hails from Stanger/ KwaDukuza, a small town north of Durban in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Her path to academic success was not straightforward. As a 16-year-old, she realised that her family’s poverty would prevent her from pursuing further education due to restricted finances. Her mother was a domestic worker and her father was a caretaker/gardener.
After witnessing her parents’ overwork, even during holidays, she resolved to contribute to the family’s finances. She aimed to overcome the cycle of poverty by obtaining higher education.
Ndlazi made a life-changing decision by enrolling in Unisa’s Foundation Phase Bachelor of Education programme.
Unisa’s open-distance eLearning enabled her to work and study simultaneously, making it her preferred university choice. Her relative, Khanyisile Mthethwa, persuaded her to join in the university.
In 2017, she began her degree with little funds and a strong resolve to achieve. Her father provided funding for her first year.
However, this stretch had a negative influence on their household’s income. In 2018, she started working as a construction cleaner. Ndlazi remained focused on her ambitions, dedicating all of her earnings to her tuition. Unlike her contemporaries, she chose to work and study.
In 2019, she received funds from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), making things easier for her.
She shared her achievement on TikTok with a video that now has over 300,000 views.
“As I was walking across the stage to receive my degree, I looked at my parents and the audience, and I could not help but feel a sense of gratitude for the journey that brought me to that moment,” said Ndlazi.
She added that, “I am still working as a domestic worker and grateful to have my job; at the same time, I am looking for opportunities in my field of study, and I am willing to relocate anywhere in the country to grab any opportunity.”
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