International student broke barriers & now celebrates her success
International student broke barriers & now celebrates her success
International student: Ms Nirela Pambo
Qhawekazi Memani
Her plans were to come to South Africa, to be more specific, Vanderbijlpark to further her studies at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) with objectives and dreams of obtaining a Diploma and pursue a PhD in her field of study then leave to serve her country once qualified. Little did Nirela Pambo from Angola know that the journey will not be a smooth one.
Nirela says that in her first year she ‘smooth sailed’, she passed all her subjects. However, in her second year of studying, she encountered financial problems that caused her to lose concentration and led to her failing her subjects due to the high levels of stress. The root cause of her money issues was the economy in her home country of Angola. This resulted in her and many others like her getting their visas blocked. Most of her peers from her country gave up because of this issue.
She now stands proud as she was conferred with a Diploma in Logistics on 10 April. She said it is only through the help of her Head of Department (HOD) that provided a mentorship programme for her, her lecturers and her supportive dad that her dream has now become a reality.
“Even though you are going through difficult moments never lose hope. There’s always someone up there waiting to assist you, God. Stick to your objectives and surround yourself with focused people you will attain your goals,” she said.