Restoring self-belief in dreams of law

THE YOUTH IS THE BACKBONE OF ANY COUNTRY. IF THE BACKBONE ISN’T SUPPORTED, THE COUNTRY WILL BE PARALYSED WE ARE ABLE TO EMBRACE THE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES SA HAS TO OFFER

IN 2011 I started my high school career at Ocean View Secondary School.

I was always regarded as an average learner, and therefore I perceived myself as average. As my high school career continued I began to do something very important. I started to believe in myself. This self-belief ignited a fire within me. I began to work hard and achieved better marks.

However, this fire was dampened when I was diagnosed with lupus in 2012. Shortly after my diagnosis, my self-belief dissipated. I lacked focus. I didn’t believe in myself.

With all the negativity surrounding my community and my personal life at the time, I decided to take a stand, and take ownership of my life.

I was determined to achieve my goal regardless of my circumstances. As a little girl I always knew I wanted to become a lawyer, however, I didn’t consider the fact that my father was the only breadwinner in my family.

In 2015 I was accepted to study law at UWC. Even though I was accepted on paper, I had already accepted the fact that I could not study because my family couldn’t bear the financial responsibility. In 2016 I was perplexed when I got a call from the Blue Collar Foundation saying that I was the first recipient of the J Nevis bursary.

My dream was now a reality again. A bursary might not seem like a big deal to many people, however, young students living in poverty-stricken communities and townships see any type of financial assistance as something much more important than just money. It is an opportunity that paves the way to break the poverty cycle. It empowers the youth. It provides the means for a better life and future.

Many young individuals come from communities that don’t believe in them or their goals, thus these young individuals don’t believe in themselves. I was privileged enough to find a foundation that believed in me. People who barely know me wanted what is best for me, wanted me to become someone and empowered me through education.

Being a young South African today is exciting – we are a goal-driven, ambitious generation striving to be successful and pave the way for the future. We are enriched with endless opportunities and are able to embrace the countless possibilities that our country has to offer.

However, as young South Africans, there are still many obstacles in our paths. It is therefore important for us to remain headstrong while tackling these challenges and focus on the end goal.

With that being said, we need to continuously reflect on these obstacles and work towards building a nation that the future youth can be proud of.

If we compare the lives of young South Africans today, to that of a young South African prior to 1994, we see that these obstacles are minute but we need to continue to strive to do and be better as a whole.

The youth is the backbone of any country. If the backbone of the country isn’t supported correctly, the country itself will become paralysed. The country will become stagnant and won’t move forward. Today I’d like to say thank you to the Blue Collar Foundation for helping me make the right choice and for providing me with the correct tools and continuous support.

Savannah Jade Marney is a 20-year-old from Ocean View and is currently studying at UWC towards my LLB law degree