Good advice by top achiever

“I had managed to pass my Grade 12 with flying colours because I knew what I wanted in life. I had a vision of not just finishing my matric, but to do so in a satisfactory fashion.”

A first year BSc Applied Mathematics student at the University of Cape Town, Maduvhahafani Mukwevho (17), was speaking to Limpopo Mirror shortly after being awarded a laptop during the Redeeming Showers of Grace Christian Church International's award ceremony that was recently held at Tshitereke village.

A resident of Makonde village and former pupil of Tshivhase Secondary School, Maduvhahafani said she was glad that she had achieved her initial dream of passing matric and entering university. “Now the ball is in my court to work harder and make myself and my parents happy,” she said. “I believe in God, focus and hard work.”

Maduvhahafani's mother, Ms Patricia Mashamba, shared with Limpopo Mirror her daughter's secret to achieving good results that ensured that she was the best performer in the Tshinane Circuit with a mark of 1 629.

“She surprised me when she handed me her cellphone and told me that she wanted to focus on her studying, and she continued to do exactly that whenever she wanted to study seriously,” Mashamba said. “She had no friends at all who would have led her to loitering in the streets while she should have been studying. She had refrained from watching TV all the time. As her parents, her father and I are the pillars of her strength and we were always there for her to ensure that she got the best of support that she needed.”

Meanwhile, Unconditional Lugaga (17) of Emmanuel Christian School in Louis Trichardt was awarded a laptop and tablet for being the top achiever in the Zout-East Circuit. She came to the event accompanied by her parents, Ms Joyce and Mr Emmanuel Lugaga, and her educator, Mr Fortune Mahunye.

The church's pastor, Dr Lennox Nemukula, said the church had established the awards in 2015 with the adoption of six circuits, but now they had adopted 32 circuits. “We distributed 70 tablets and 33 laptops to deserving learners and teachers,” Nemukula said. “We aim to motivate pupils and educators to work harder and produce good results, so that we'll have an educated and prosperous society.”

Date:09 February 2020

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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