Grade 11 pupils from Harry Gwala High School listened attentively as different guest speakers shared their life and academic experiences at a career fair organised by Khayelitsha Fashion Week and the SABC Foundation on August Friday 6.
Founder of Khayelitsha Fashion Week, Bongani Matenjwa, said they wanted to motivate the pupils to dream big and be fearless about their dreams.
He said it was important that they bring all the necessary knowledge and information to pupils so that they would be able to make wise and informed career choices.
It added that it was also important that those who had made it share their stories – and the challenges they had overcome – with the pupils.
He said sometimes life’s challenges demotivated the pupils and through such platforms they wanted to urge them not allow any obstacles to be a stumbling block in their education.
“We want to encourage pupils to focus on their studies and learn about careers they would like to pursue.
“It is important that we start by offering the pupils information about different careers while they were still doing Grade 11 so that by the time they reach matric they have a sense of idea on what they want to do,” he said.
Nasiphi Wani, who runs her own law firm, Nasiphi Wani attorneys, said as a student in the Eastern Cape, she had never thought that one day she would run her own firm, and that coming from a poor family had motivated her to focus on her education and improve life for her family.
And, she said, not even falling pregnant in Grade 11 deterred her from her academic ambitious.
“Your background does not define your future. You are what you think you are. You must always think positive about yourself and surround yourself with people who inspire and encourage you,” she said.
School principal, Ngcinisile Mlungu, welcomed programmes such as the career fair which help pupils make informed choices and that pupils should know that current challenges do not need to keep them from realising their dreams.
Grade 11 pupil, Lindokuhle Makayi, said she has learnt a lot from the career fair and she wants to purse a law degree.