Toast the Dr Lavhelanis of this world

In our world, news is often full of depressing stories such as the electricity blackouts, corruption, crime and carnage on the roads.

But, as the cliché goes, amidst the doom and gloom there is always a ray of sunshine.

Yesterday we brought you the story of Dr Nyawasedza Phellecy Lavhelani, who overcame the odds to pursue her studies and became the first in her family to get an education. She has never looked back since, moving from being a typist to being a notable academic at the University of Venda.

Lavhelani is a long-serving staff member and now lecturer in the faculty of management, law and commerce at Univen, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The 56-year-old mother’s tenacity and resilience in the face of adversity is not only admirable but also inspirational. She obtained a PhD in public administration in 2017 and holds two Master’s degrees that she attained while juggling work and motherhood.

Her destiny was firmly in her hands as she took advantage of scholarships the university offered to its staff members. Her story is one of the rare narratives that must be embraced by everyone who aspires to change their lives for the better.

We should encourage youth who drop out of school because of circumstances such as poverty to follow her example. What Lavhelani has achieved should be the norm rather than exception given our socio-economic problems.

Perhaps we should also call on many institutions of learning to provide more support for those like Lavhelani who are determined to change their lives and break the cycle of poverty in their homes.

Education remains one of the most important tools we have to transform our society and empower our communities. Without education, many of the problems the country faces today, including crime, will simply persist, causing irreparable damage to the economy.

It is in this context that we ought to view Lavhelani’s passion for learning as inspiring and her achievements as worthy of celebrating.

If we want a better future we must sow the seeds of inspiration today and when it comes to creating a better life, nothing has as positive an impact as education.