Waka Waka!
New graduates speak of their struggles and the higher learning opportunities they’ve had without leaving Africa, thanks to a private Malaysian varsity that has made inroads into the continent
These African graduates have the spirit and spunk to drive the continent towards greater development and progress.
THE year 2008 was truly a difficult one for Mohlomi Goerge Tladi. A journey back home in Lesotho after a basketball practice landed him in hospital.
Tladi, then 17, was in a critical condition, while his friends who were in the same vehicle escaped with minor injuries in the accident. It occured in a mountainous region of Lesotho.
To make things worse, his father died did of f a attack, a week after the accident.
“I guess my dad was very worried about my condition too. Every part of my body was not okay except my right leg. “It was a horrific accident. It took me six months to recover and I went back to school after that just to complete my fifth form exams.
“Somehow, I passed my exams and did well,” said Tladi.
He managed to enrol at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology’s campus in Lesotho, thanks to a government scholarship to pursue his passion – architecture.
But trouble soon followed some three years later.
“It was the impact of the accident and soon, the medical problems began to surface. Tladi had blurred vision on tthe left eye.
“There was somme damage to the nerves and he eventually lost his vision in both eyes.
It was a dark, devastating period for him, but Tladi realised that it was pointless wallowing is self pity. He had to move on and start all over again.
He learnt Braillee but surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult for him.
“There was a force within ... pushing me to get back to school.”
“While I was glad for being able to communicate inn Braille, I wasn’t able to pursue architecture anymore.
“I was initially disappointed but that didn’t stop me from converting my passion in the art and design of buildings into another craft – writing.
Tladi decided to pursue an Associate Degree in Journalism and Media at the Limkokwing Univversity of Creative Technology in Botswana since its campus had a special needs unit to cater to studentss with disabilities.
What’s more, Tladi was given a scholarship to continue his studies.
“I am impressed with the facilities provided for the disabled at the campus. It has furniture and equipment for users witth different needs and the staff members at the university have also been well trained to assist students with different needs.
In fact, I was able to record my lectures and convert them into Braille and everything has worked out well for me,” said the 27-year- old, who was one of six special needs students who received his scroll last month at the varsity’s graduation ceremony located in Gaborone, the nation’s capital. A total of 950 students graduated at the event. Tladi was also among the few graduates selected to address at the ceremony..
“Limkokwing University gave me a second chance and here I am.
“I made it. I am proud to be a graduate of this university for it gave me an opportunity to live my dream,” said Tladi who celebrated his birthday a few days before the event.
Tshepo Happy Maphanyane, 36, took a three-year break from her career in the media to further pursue her BA (Hons) in Broadcasting and Journalism.
Despite being in the media industry, Maphanyane said she always felt the need to have proper paper qualifications.
Taken up by the campus environment after attending a graduation ceremony some years ago, the journalist decided to sign up for the course.
“I compiled my previous work in the industry and applied. When I received the offer, it all happened so quickly ... I had to resign from my job.
“I knew I had to step up because paper qualification gives you so much more confidence,” she added.
Maphanyane juggled between her studies and part-time jobs, hosting two radio shows and writing a weekly column in Botswana’s biggest newspaper – The Voice.
But it has been worth all the sweat and pain, she quipped.
“You see, a graduate is not a job seeker but rather an opportunity creator. I am more confident of my capabilities and have managed to grow my network beyond my familiar settings.
“Though I have had my share of success (being in the media), my time at Limkokwing exposed me to otherwise near impossible outcomes,” said the proud graduate.
In the same continent, a week after after Tladi and Maphanyane received their scrolls, the Limkokwing University campus at Swaziland also created its own history by having two Queens from its royal household graduating together.
The two Queens, Inkhosikati Make LaMotsa and Inkhosikati
Make Lambikiza graduated with an associate degree in Graphic Design, a relatively new industry in the country.
They received their scrolls from Datin Nikki Lugun, the university’s corporate communications director.
LaMotsa and Lambikiza also received special awards from the varsity.
LaMotsa received the “Leadership in Creativity” award while Lambikiza received the “Leadership in Design Innovation” award for their skills, abilities to provide inspiration for Swazi women.
The queens are the wives of King Mswati III, the King of Swaziland, who also graced the ceremony together with his other wives.
The campus here saw a total of 828 Swazi students receiving their scrolls, witnessed by guests from the royal household, government, industry captains and families of the 2017 graduating class.
The Malaysian Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Southern African Development Committee (SADC) and Limkokwing University’s founder and president Tan Sri Lim Li Kok Wing thanked the King for his invitation to set up the campus in Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland.
In an interview, Lim said that the university has helped retain talents in countries in the African continent.
Apar from Botswana and Swaziland, the university also has campuses in Sierra Leone and Lesotho. These nations are losing talents as many of their graduates are going overse as to study, Lim ad dded that having g the university in the four countri ies kept the graduates “at home”.
Lim also said that he e was proud in bring- ing and promoting the university, a Malaysian brand, to the African continent.
“A lot of people are looking to us for leadership and support.”
In the Botswana campus alone, Lim said more than 14,000 graduates had helped fulfil the needs of the market and industries there since the Limkokwing campus begun operations in 2007.
He said the graduates had the means to lead in the digital and creative industries as drivers of sustainable economic opportunities. “Graduates over the years have penetreated into almost every industry in Botswana and its surrounding countries.
“The local media industry, for example, is filled with graduates who are holding top positions in managing the industry,” he said. Similarly in Swaziland, some 3,000 graduates have responded to the needs of the industry in the Kingdom, with many who hahave embraced technological innovation and spurred the growth of knowledge-based industries to create new opportunities since the campus was set up in 2011.
Aside from providing for the needs of these nations, the University also has a steady pool of alumni who return to share their knowledge with the current students. Former police officer Mothusi Jowawa, 33, left the force to pursue his Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and Journalism in the Botswana campus in 2007 and graduated five yeaars later. Whiile studying, he started writing for a local newspaper annd continued to do so after his graduation until 2016. Jowawa is now a lecturer, having joined the varsity’s communications faculty, two months ago.
“It is always good to be at the campus, the energy, the ambience and the organisational behaviour ... all of which give you something to think about every day.
“I look forward to standing in front of a classroom of students looking up to me as I share my knowledge ... it feels good,” he said.
Lecturer Nothando Masuku, 31, completed her associate degree in International Tourism at the Swaziland campus In 2013.
She is among the few who continued her honours degree at the varsity’s Cyberjaya campus. Currently, Masuku is a lecturer in the business faculty at the Swaziland campus. She uses her wealth of experience and knowledge from Malaysia to help her students.
“Malaysia provided me with one of the best internships at the human resources department of a company in Cyberjaya.
“I learnt a lot and I hope to make a difference through my students and to add value to the industry here in Swaziland,” said Masuku.