To Russia with love from Mpumalanga
● The four months they spent camping at an Mpumalanga school, sleeping on the floor and washing in a basin, have brought sweet rewards for two former pupils.
Akani Sikwili, 18, and Emmanuel Mashaba, 19, will leave for Russia this month to study medicine at the Tambov State University.
For Sikwili, this is the realisation of a dream he has had since Grade 5, when his mother encouraged him to study medicine so he could help treat his grandmother’s poor eyesight.
He will be joined by Mashaba, who was so devastated by the death of his mother, Merlina, that he almost quit school after Grade 11.
Fully subsidised
They are among 44 students whose medical studies will be fully subsidised by the Mpumalanga education department to the tune of R124.3-million over seven years.
The department has also awarded bursaries to 37 other students to study civil engineering, veterinary sciences, information technology and aviation in Russia at a cost of R87.1-million.
Sikwili, Mashaba and 14 others camped out at their school in the village of Acornhoek to prepare for the matric exams last year. They hit the books for up to 22 hours a day. The pair also burnt the midnight oil holding group discussions and helping each other with their studies.
‘Closer to my dream’
Both produced top results and they are now giving something back. Since January, Mashaba and Sikwili have offered extra tuition in maths and science to matric pupils for two hours a day, six days a week.
“I am a step closer towards reaching my dream to become a doctor. I am really very happy,” said Sikwili, whose mother, Promise Manzini, 35, works as a part-time general assistant in Johannesburg. She was “a source of inspiration” and his “hero”, said Sikwili.
After failing Grade 11 at Mahashe Secondary, Sikwili moved to Moses Mnisi High School in Acornhoek at the start of 2016. His life was turned around. “I was bunking lessons at Mahashe Secondary because of my friends’ bad influence,” he said.
His sister, Privilege Makhubela, said that after he failed Grade 11, she encouraged him to drop maths and science, but he refused.
‘Proud of me now’
“He surprised us with his Grade 11 results. When I heard he was accepted to study medicine, I screamed with joy,” she said.
The pupils had borrowed a cellphone from maths teacher Thembinkosi Bulunga to apply online to study medicine at Stellenbosch University and the University of the Free State.
Mashaba said that the death of his mother had almost made him give up on school. “I hope she is proud of me now,” he said.
He obtained 75% in maths and 70% for science in the matric exams.
“I’m over the moon that I have been awarded a bursary,” he said.
Mpumalanga education MEC Sibusiso Malaza said the bursaries were a “mission to empower its citizens through education”.