Actuarial scientist sells veggies for a living
Ngobese sells veggies to realise dream to help
An actuarial science graduate has decided to continue selling vegetables in the streets while he continues to develop his mathematics tutoring programme aimed at helping public school pupils. Tsietsi Ngobese, 24, of Katlehong in Ekurhuleni, graduated with a degree in actuarial sciences from the University of Free State a month ago. Speaking to Sowetan yesterday at his vegetable stall, which is his only source of income, Ngobese said developing his programme called WeSolveX was more important to him than taking up a corporate job. “Taking that office job and that high paying salary would have made a huge difference for me. But I would have been part of those scared to go back to their communities,” he said. Ngobese has been tutoring mathematics at township schools for the past five years. He said he was currently working with a team of 45 people but hoped to rope in more graduates to assist. “I want to figure out how best I can apply the knowledge I have acquired to assist the community and the nation.” Ngobese insists on wearing a formal suit while selling at the stall he refers to as his headquarters. The first-born of five children, said he started selling sweets at school and delivering vegetables to people’s homes with a wheelbarrow when he was still in primary school. Ngobese pursued his university studies after completing Grade 12 with four distinctions in mathematics, physical science, geography and life orientation at the Mpontseng secondary school in 2012. He received a bursary to pay for his tuition but his vegetables business paid for accommodation. Ngobese failed his first mathematics tests at varsity, which made him realise he had a very limited understanding of the subject. “It was tough; many people I was studying with gave up and took up different courses.” He said that inspired him to start tutoring mathematics. “As we were tutoring these learners we realised that they were experiencing the same problems [as me earlier].” Ngobese embarked on a journey to research and develop a mathematics teaching model which could resolve problems experienced by pupils through the help of academics and other graduates. He believes his qualification will help his WeSolveX programme as it is about analysing the current situation to avert future problems.