Joseph from the Hammanskraal Ububtu club gets into MEDUNSA - well done!

Today I had the pleasure of sitting in front of a young man that must be one of the most heart warming stories of the New Year. Last year when leaders Quest was in Hammanskraal many of you were too, there was a very short young man called Joseph who was at kghapamadi High school when we went there. He is a member of our Ubuntu club that we have been running in the school since 1997. Josephs sister was also a member of the same Ubuntu club before him. Georgina is currently going into her second year of studying chemical engineering.

Joseph lives with his Father, Grandmother and 3 siblings. His father is a taxi driver and the sole bread winner. Jospehs younger sister is now also a member of the Ubuntu Club. They live in Bosplaas, an area that very often has no electricity and last year there were times where the water was off for months at a time. Bosplaas houses some of the most desolate people in the Hammanskraal area and is considered a rural area. Jospeh walked 5 km to school in the morning and 5 km back in the afternoon, through all weather and all holidays. His  Grade 10 and 11 school years were disrupted by the world cup soccer and teachers stikes and Kghapamadi was not different.

On Friday I received a jubilant call from Joseph telling me he had passed his Matric with 4 distinctions. These 4 distinctions were for Life orientation, Biology, Mathematics and Science. Many of you have been to Kghapamadi High school and seen the school which is a very unassuming building, lack of colour, lack of equipment and some dedicated teachers. Joseph through his determination led his class of 29 pupils with another Ubuntu member, each afternoon and every day during school holidays they came together, walking miles to the school from all directions. Joseph provided his time and his knowledge to ensuring that every member of the class participated in all events at the school, every extra lesson he stood up and gave his school mates, encouraging them to be dedicated and change their futures.

Every single person in Josephs class, all 29 pupils passed their Matric this year. The school received a 84,5 % pass rate. Josephs dream is to study Medicine, on Saturday Joseph completed the bench mark exam for entrance into Medunsa which is a medical university. Joseph has already approached the financial department to try and get a bursary, they have said that if he is accepted they will fund him but he has to pay R5 000 for the application fee. I personally pledge R1 000 towards this fee, I believe in Joseph. I request that we all stand together and help this young man.

Zain Halle –  Gauteng North

Support Joseph and others like him to achieve their potential !