Courageous teacher back at alma mater
After losing his mom, M’sane man drew on help of eight women to excel
For the last three years of his schooling career, Melikhaya Tshantshi of Mdantsane depended on neighbours for food after his mother died.
Tshantshi considered giving up, but persevered with his studies, and on Wednesday returned to his alma mater as a qualified maths teacher.
Tshantshi, 26, a BSC mathematics graduate, reported for duty at Masixole High School in NU13. His mother died in 2010 and he was forced to rely on generous neighbours for food. Tshantshi was in Grade 10 at the time.
His fate changed when a group of eight East London women came together and assisted him with food, clothes and other necessities as well as emotional support.
“My mother passed away in 2010 and I was left to live alone. It was difficult and I wanted to quit school and go back to my mother’s village where I would have family.
“I was fortunate when my English teacher in Grade 10 introduced me to a group of her church friends who were willing to assist me,” he recalled.
“They fed, clothed and took care of all my needs. I went from having no mother to having eight of them.”
Motivated by their support, Tshantshi passed his matric with flying colours and then enrolled at Rhodes University.
“I did well in high school and passed matric with distinctions in maths and physics through their help. They assisted me in applying for university and getting a bursary as well.
“I will always be grateful to them for helping me. Had it not been for their support in all aspects, I would not be here today.
“I love maths and I decided to pursue a post graduate degree in education after completing my BSC,” he said. “I was happy when I heard that my former high school was looking for a maths teacher.”
One of Tshantshi’s “eight mothers”, Chwayita Manzini, said they had to help when they heard his plight.
Before supporting Tshantshi, the eight do-gooders had adopted a creche in Duncan Village.
“We decided we wanted a more sustainable project and so we asked our friend to identify a learner we could help. So she told us of a learner who had recently lost his mother and he was living alone. That is how we met Melikhaya.
“We basically became his parents and we helped him through high school. He passed matric well with two distinctions in mathematics and physics and went to study a BSC majoring in maths at Rhodes University.”
Manzini said the group wanted to register an NPO, but that took too long.
“We felt it would be a waste of time to wait until we were registered in order to help people,” she said.
“We are humbled by the fact that our prayers were heard. He did not disappoint us. The pressure from the tertiary institutions can break students. He kept his focus and we are motivated to do more because of his achievement.”
Tshantshi said he was hopeful his pupils would be inspired by his story.
“It is divine intervention that I am back teaching at my old school. I believe it will bring hope to the young minds that I will be teaching and also teach them that you may have a bad start in life but it doesn’t have to end bad,” he said...
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