Alumni of the Tertiary Fund

Affectionate Mtakwande - Schools and Tertiary Fund Beneficiary - Now a Social Worker

“My mother is my role model”, said Affectionate Thandeka Mtakwende.

Now a qualified social worker who graduated with a Bachelor in Social Work, she said life was very difficult when she was growing up. “I grew up in absolute poverty. I barely had school uniform and sometimes had to walk to school barefoot as my mother worked as a domestic worker and had to provide for my other three cousins with whom I grew up in an extended family setting in my grandparents household”.

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Nozipho Mhlongo - Tertiary Fund Beneficiary - BSc Geography & Environmental Management

It is always comforting to know that there are people who are there to shine the light when you are facing dark and tough times in your life.

Nozipho Sinobuhle Mhlongo is one of many young people who experienced trying times financially when she needed to pursue a career at university. Fortunately for her, the Hillcrest Advice Bureau and Bursary Fund (HABandBF) organisation was there to lend a helping hand when she needed financial assistance with her studies, and gave her an opportunity to her dream of becoming a qualified university graduate.

She studied Bachelor of Social Science in Geography and Environmental Management, Higher Certificate in Supply Chain Management and Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurship. She said, before she became one of the students who are sponsored by HABandBF, she had to work three jobs in order to finance her studies and graduated in the year 2018 at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN).

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Sthabiso Phungula - Tertiary Fund Beneficiary - Now Enrolled Nurse

41 year old Sthabiso Percival Phungula from Embo, near Hillcrest has Polio and got disabled on his left lower limb at the age of six, but, he did not let that get in the way of his success.

After going through so much challenging circumstances in his life, like being in need of financial support to finance his studies, he now works as an enrolled nurse at the Hillcrest Provincial Hospital in Hillcrest.

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Nkasimulu Mhlophe - Now A Truck Business Owner

“I am very grateful to the Hillcrest Advice Bureau and Bursary Fund Organisation for all the support they provided to me during my years of studying. They provided me with financial support as well as life skills. I owe most of my success to them”, said Mhlophe.

Mhlophe is now a proud owner of a successful Logistics Company called Ngcingweni Projects PTY LTD. He owns two trucks, which he uses to transport commodities such as coal, chrome and manganese, just to mention a few, from the Durban harbour to warehouses in Durban and from the warehouses to the harbour, for imports and exports purposes.click on the link to read Nkasimulu's story

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 Bonga Bhengu - Now an Educator at Laboure Primary School

Bachelor of Education graduate Bonga Comfort Bhengu said in order to be successful in life, one has to be a kind of person who is dedicated, determined and disciplined, amongst other qualities.

38 year old Bhengu lives in KwaNgcolosi a rural area near Hillcrest, Durban-South Africa. Both his parents passed away when he was between the ages of 20 and 25. He is a sole breadwinner in his family and is survived by three siblings, one of whom is disabled.

“I would like to thank the Hillcrest Advice Bureau and Bursary Fund Organisation for supporting me throughout my studies. I would like to extend further my gratitude to Chairperson of HABandBF Mrs Tanya Harvey and the entire team and also various stakeholders who contribute donations to ensure that we receive education”.

Read the 2022 Profile on Bonga here

Read the 2016 Profile on Bonga here