Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion

model’s size But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,The span of my hips,

The stride of my step, The curl of my lips.

I’m a womanPhenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

I walk into a roomJust as cool as you please,

And to a man,The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees. I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet.

I’m a womanPhenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered What they see in me.They try so muchBut they can’t touchMy inner mystery.When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see. I say,It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile,The ride of my breasts,The grace of my style.I’m a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That’s me.

Now you understandJust why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump aboutOr have to talk real loud. When you see me passing,It ought to make you proud.I say,It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need for my care. ’Cause I’m a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That’s me.

PhenomenalWoman

CREDITS

Programme Director - Zena RichardsProduction Consultant - Prince Eno Bassey

Editor - Stephanie Da Costa LeiteSub Editor - Landi Mashiloane Rakhee Naik Safiyyah Pahad Tebogo Fish

Design & Layout - Dare OluwasamniPhotography - The Photo Shop

- Maya Angelou

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The preamble of the South African constitution demands that the country’s public institutions simultaneously address the historical disparities bequeathed by apartheid and build a

collective national identity. This preamble serves as the foundation to Wits’ mandate of being simultaneously diverse and cosmopolitan, nationally responsive and globally competitive. One exemplar of this simultaneous commitment is Wits’ and the Carnegie Foundation’s partnership through the Bale Carnegie Scholarship Programme that is essentially managed through the Student Equity and Talent Management Unit (SETMU).

There needs to be an increase in the number of South Africans, particularly young black South Africans, accessing and succeeding at higher education. In particular, there needs to be a focus on scarce skills and professional qualifications in the fields of science, engineering and technology (SET). The Bale programme, initiated in 2007, promotes access to higher education in SET for academically talented black women from disadvantaged backgrounds. The scholarship provides financial, academic, social and psychological support to the selected candidates, throughout their studies up to honours level.

In 2007 and 2008, a total of 20 students were funded for their undergraduate degrees, with the majority

One of the fundamental responsibilities of higher education is to provide open and equal opportunities for students to learn, succeed, and positively contribute to their local, national, and global societies. Great strides are being made in increasing educational access, retention completion, and success. The Bale Scholarship funded by the Carnegie Foundation is an excellent showcase of our talent as we present the graduate destinations of the recipients.

After decades of attention to improving university access, attention has now turned to university completion. Consideration of university completion rates presents a stunning picture of stagnation, putting a damper on the appearance of progress and again raising questions about the factors that are operating to limit progress along the larger educational pipeline (Turner, 2004). Whereas university enrolment rates have increased over the past 20 years, university completion rates have generally not.

The demographic story in the graduate destinations magazine is of great consequence for the future of higher education. Through the implementation of the Bale scholarship programme, we have learned that the student pathway to university completion is long, dynamic, and responsive to both programme interventions as well as retractions. We have also

of the students achieving the degrees for which they were funded. Sixty-five percent went on to achieve Honours degrees and one student achieved her Masters. In 2011 and 2013, a total of 10 students were funded for their Honours degrees with all of the students achieving the degrees for which they were funded. Furthermore, 60% of these students are currently completing Masters degrees, and one is doing her doctorate.

The pages of this magazine and the reflections of the young women featured are testament to the hard work of the SETMU staff who play a pivotal role in selecting and supporting the candidates, and who maintain a fundamental belief in human potential. Most importantly, this magazine celebrates the achievements of all the talented young women who have excelled in the Bale Carnegie Scholarship Programme over the years and have gone on to secure prestigious placements in some of South Africa’s most desirable places of work.

Equitable access to quality education is key to transforming our society, and these young women have proven what can happen when talent is given the opportunity that it deserves. We thank the Carnegie Corporation of New York for their visionary support and we wish the graduates the very best in their continuing and distinguished careers.

learned that university completion is deeply linked to supportive educational interventions; mentoring and coaching and tracking of students’ academic and psycho-social wellbeing.

It is my hope that as the graduates share their scholarship experiences from their first year to the workplace, that various sectors interested in supporting the university completion agenda will take note of the aspects highlighted by each recipient of what contributed to their university completion agenda. The Student Equity and Talent Management Unit (SETMU) are able, given the complexity of research challenges, to isolate impacts of interventions on student outcomes and will thus continue to document and contribute to the field of educational policy research.

Best WishesZena

Foreword from the Vice-Chancellor

Graduate Destinations - Why this topic and why now?

Prof Adam Habib

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Ten ladies were sponsored for their undergraduate studies in this cohort, and seven of the ten 2007 scholarship recipients received their Bachelor’s degrees (70.0%). Two students are currently still studying towards their undergraduate degrees and one student failed to meet the minimum requirements of her undergraduate degree and was therefore academically excluded. Furthermore, six of the ten students went on to earn their Honours degrees (60.0%) and one student earned a Higher Diploma (10.0%). One student earned a Master’s degree in Architecture, and three students are currently completing their Master’s degrees in pharmaceutics (n = 2) and Computer Science (n = 1). Five of these graduates are working in various fields.

2007cohort

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It all started in the South of Johannesburg, in a township called Soweto. This is where I have lived all my life. It’s said that most families have a home somewhere outside of

Johannesburg, but I am a township girl through and through.

Having family all around Soweto saw me live in a couple of places. In nursery school I lived with my paternal grandparents. From there I lived with my maternal grandparents for the earlier part of my primary school career in a little Spanish inspired house, in the middle of Soweto. Thereafter I moved to the outskirts of Soweto, in an area that used to be a farming area called Protea Glen. This is where a good chunk of my schooling career memories live.

Later in my teenage years, a life changing experience happened to me. In the midst of all the confusion, heartache and mixed feelings, my main objective was to focus on my academics. I had found structure and comfort in my dreams. So instead of drowning in the heartache and broken home aura, I

Age: 26Degrees: Bachelor of Architectural Studies Bachelor of Architectural Studies with Honours Master of Architecture (Professional) Place of Work: The Creative Axis ArchitectsPosition held: Candidate Architect

realised that I was in charge of where I want to go, hence I decided to focus on the silver lining in the cloud.

This attitude adjustment really made me that much stronger, and the news that I had been selected to write an aptitude test in matric for a scholarship, was a shock. To be honest my confidence at the time was somewhere between zero to non-existent. Well, you should know then that, when the news came that I had been chosen as one of the recipients of the Bale scholarship, I was in shock and truly humbled and grateful for the blessing. To paint a picture: I had applied for engineering bursaries because I didn’t find architectural bursaries except for Bale, which was at the end of my list. However, it was Bale that really gave me the opportunity to line up my dreams and be in a position to be a black female architect. And so this is where my journey started with Bale and from there on I have never looked back.

The biggest lesson learnt, through Bale, is that of

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ownership. It is up to me to fish within the sea that is life and turn that oyster into a pearl. So as the hardships of architecture and the balancing of life and dreams grew, so did my support system. It was through these hardships that I realised that I have a family structure within this enclave of Wits, that I could go to, to seek advice and direction in dealing with these challenges. Bale was this family that constantly reminded me of that dream, a dream that I had held onto since that one architectural lesson in art class in 2005.

It was in 2007 that I started my journey with Bale and now in 2014, I must say that my shell was really cracked. I am the young woman that I am because of all the workshops with Colleen, the conversations with Zena on the 9th floor of Senate House and the multiple interactions within the Targeting Talent Programme that I have built up the skills that assist me in my profession, as a Candidate Architect today.

I will share a story from 2009, my third year, where I had one difficult course called Construction, which I struggled with for most of the year. It was through my new-found attitude and perseverance that I set myself the goal of passing the subject and graduating, that I had no choice because my bigger goal was to be walking on that stage with my Master’s degree in 2013. I had set the goal of completing my degree in record time in the beginning of my degree in 2007 and this is what made me take ownership of the challenge that was “construction”. And when I walked on that stage with my degree in 2010, I knew very well that the world is my oyster, this lesson was what kept me going, throughout my postgrad and today I still keep it in my top five lessons learnt and sustained.

In the workplace, I am constantly dealing with different people from all walks of life and my journey and the skills developed during the Targeting Talent Programme has really made me more independent and taught me to be a leader within this male dominated industry. To elaborate, I have learnt to take initiative when it comes to running projects, and this skill has been brewed by the scholarship, through the lessons of ownership, leadership and discipline.

I am absolutely grateful for the lessons learnt through Colleen’s workshops about selling yourself as a brand. Everywhere I go I made it known that I am a brand and everything that I do is true to me

and my dreams. I believe in selling out to my dreams and it is so because of what Bale has given me. If I had studied Engineering and not architecture only God knows where I would be, hence I live within the philosophy of ownership, in that case I cannot blame anyone for my path but myself.

Through my five years at Wits I had challenges as a black female architectural student, even with those challenges, I persevered and remembered that when I started I had said that I would complete my Masters within record time and that indeed happened. I had sold out to my dreams, and now I am getting closer to that dream of being a professional architect. One person I need to mention that greatly impacted my journey and constantly challenged me to grow was my mentor, Mpho Matsipa. She was a phenomenal woman that taught me the valuable lesson of ownership, especially in my Postgraduate years when I was dealing with the challenges of being a black female architectural student as she too had walked my journey.

Yes, there are more challenges that I have faced in the last two years in the workplace, but I continue to be strong and remember the lessons learnt within Bale. Another valuable lesson learnt is that when the going gets tough, one needs to have a mentor to account to for what you put forth, as an individual. Having a mentor is one of the ways I deal with the pressures of work and climbing that ladder.

If you are that young girl from Soweto or anywhere thinking that it’s never going to happen to you, then you are right. However, it’s when you change your attitude and are sold out to your dreams and you say that you are that architect that things start to change. Whatever thing in life you need, you have to work for it; after all, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. If you are that individual that wants to pursue the creative journey of being an architect, be prepared to work hard and push boundaries. It’s about passion more than anything else; hence I wake up every day to live my passion.

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” Colin Powell

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I come from a small rural area called Tshisahulu situated about four kilometres from Thohoyandou town in Venda (Limpopo Province). I was raised by a single parent (mother), who is an

educator at the local school, and have two younger sisters. I did my primary schooling at Tshisahulu Primary School and thereafter went to Mbilwi Secondary School.

I still personally believe I am where I am today because of the Bale Scholarship. It felt like a home away from home during my tertiary days. The emotional, social and financial support I received throughout my years at Wits was impeccable.

I developed my confidence for speaking in English in front of people through the Bale scholarship workgroups. The Bale Scholarship gave me wings to fly as high as I want to in this life and I am forever grateful.

Age: 25Degree: Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Aeronautical)Place of Work: Armscor Studying: Master of Science in Engineering ManagementPosition held: Junior Project Manager

MalaudziFhulufhedzani

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I am currently doing my MSc in Engineering Management at the University of Pretoria.I was promoted from a Junior Engineer to Junior Project Manager after 14 months of employment.

Being a female engineer poses various challenges such as trust, as fellow male engineers do not easily trust in your abilities. Hence, I had to perform twice as much to gain that trust with tasks.

Aeronautical Engineering is a special field, very interesting and challenging at the same time. But if you aspire and have passion to pursue related fields you shall never regret the choice of becoming an Aeronautical Engineer.

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I am a 25-year-old Wits student, currently completing the 4th year of my Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. I hail from a little place called Mia’s Farm in Midrand, north of Johannesburg. I

am the only daughter of two educators, with very different areas of interest, but with a common purpose: to touch the minds of learners and develop greatness. My dad was a History and Geography teacher, while my mom is an educator in Mathematics and English. Their varying passions meant that I had a brilliant editor for all my English essays, a tutor for Mathematics and a constant source of fun, historical facts when all the homework was done. This diversity in knowledge granted me a mix of interests in my youth that eventually led to my interest in a vast array of intellectual stimulants at university.

I believe that Bale further empowered this idea of constant learning and of developing a life-long love for knowledge. Being surrounded by women willing to take on any challenge, especially an intellectual one, boosted my confidence and sense

Age: 25

Degrees: Bachelor of Science (Physiology and Medical Cell Biology) Bachelor of Science Honours (Pharmacology)Place of Work: SETMU (part-time) Studying: Master of Science in Medicine (Pharmaceutics)Positions Held: Administrative assistant (SETMU) and full-time Masters student at Wits University.

of camaraderie in the quest for knowledge. In addition, the Bale sisterhood was all about support and comfort when the studying became just a little too much. I completed my BSc in Medical Cell Biology and Physiology (2009) and dreamed of being a scientist that would change the world for the better. In order to do so, I continued in the field of Pharmacy, first completing my Honours degree in Pharmacology and then diving into my current course of Pharmaceutics. Throughout the course of my Masters, I’ve considered studying anthropology, psychology, education and even the patho-physiology of animals once I’m done. I do not think the doors have closed on those dreams, on the contrary, I believe that I am capable of much more should I put my mind to it. Time may not be at my disposal, but I do not wish to ever give up on educating myself in any field.

On a personal level, I have matured in many ways since the Bale programme granted me my “fairytale” education. I have found that I enjoy imparting knowledge almost as much as gaining it. I have discovered my love for science is no longer about

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being the best scientist in the world, but about nurturing it in the minds of children and watching them discover it for themselves. I have gone from being the perpetual singleton in my group of friends to being married and a content, happy wife. I have ignited the spiritual side of my life to the point that I feel as though I do not exist other than to attain the highest level of spiritual enlightenment. In all of this, Bale was the mould for the independent, strong-willed me; it was a recipe for developing social integration as well as a platform for self-reflection. I met women who faced situations that boggled my mind, shocked my soul and infuriated the warrior female inside me. I laughed with the funniest women I had ever met and cried with them when the world was no longer as kind to them as it had always been. I was faced with women who were proudly expressive and others who could never voice their opinion. I do believe that this is a true reflection of the generic pool of people one would meet at university. It provided a form of training in social interaction that one might never experience when coming to university due to human tendencies to stick to one’s known acquaintances and remain in that comfort zone.

The type of training afforded me through the Bale programme also added value to the various professional relationships that I have had with numerous university supervisors over the years. Dealing with authority requires a certain level of strength and self-confidence that can only be achieved once you believe in yourself and your abilities. There are few things as impressive as a woman that can stand her ground in her respective field and have the testimony of her work speak for itself. Bale afforded me the opportunity to reach that level by ensuring that I never settled for anything less than what I deserved.

When it comes to my experiences as a woman, particularly a Muslim woman at university, I have not yet experienced a subjective condescension by the opposite sex in any of the courses that I have pursued. Although I may not personally have experienced it, I have friends who have unfortunately been subjected to racial and sexist conduct in their daily lives. Their ability to overcome these incidents without hate and revenge is what inspires me. Being a Muslim woman and having grown up knowing my role in society, I finally know what it means to establish myself as such a woman. It means speaking out against anything and

everything that allows people to be disrespected, unappreciated, abused, disregarded or mistreated in any way. Watching the women I admire and call my friends deal with instances where they were treated in a less than acceptable manner made me want to be a fighter for the preservation of women’s rights, as it is in Islam and as it should be in the world. Bale provided that learning curve for me, opening my eyes to the real world and showing me what I need to do in order to make the world a better place. My road with Bale had many achievements along the way, some seemingly insignificant and some prestigious. In terms of academics, I achieved certificates of merit and first class for Introduction to Basic and Clinical Psychology I, Ancillary Mathematics and Statistics I, Introduction to Life Sciences I and Physiology III. I was invited to be a member of the Golden Key Honour Society and was appointed as class representative in my second year in Basic Molecular Biosciences. On a personal level, I was nominated for, participated in and graduated from the Common Purpose Navigator Course which recognizes potential leaders and nurtures leadership and teamwork skills. I got married to the love of my life during 2013 and consider this to be my greatest achievement yet. I started working part-time at the Student Equity and Talent Management Unit (SETMU) as an administrative assistant in February 2014 in order to pay for my studies, and have found it to be the leading cause for my change of heart and re-direction into the field of education. I have dreams of changing the face of education in South Africa. I see South African children from all backgrounds attaining the same kind of promising future that I look toward. I dream of being their guide, their female knight in shining armour, because too many South African children throw away their dreams to

settle for vacant realities. I also dream of having six children, and teaching them everything under the sun, from science to painting, from hiking to learning the Quraan. I balance lab-work, working at SETMU and wifely business every day and enjoy every moment of it. My combined love for all three spheres of my current circumstances convince me that there is a lot more to my future than staying in a single field for the rest of my life. There are many fields of interest that I am willing to explore in the future.

I would encourage anyone who has ever dreamt of being a scientist to thoroughly research their field of choice in order to make an informed decision. Science is not as simple as it used to be, as there are many more options available. It requires learners

to undertake personal investigation which should include asking as many people as possible. Feasible career options need to be carefully considered when applying, as you don’t want to be unemployed at the end of an eight year studying career. However, bear in mind that some things, especially science, are almost never in your control, and the best you can do is plan well for where you dream to be and work really hard to get there.

Thanks to the Almighty for blessing me with all that I have, for my parents, my brothers, my beloved husband, my friends and for Bale and its numerous opportunities and life lessons. I am eternally grateful!

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I was born and raised in Soweto, Gauteng. I grew up with both my parents and two younger sisters. Being a part of the Bale scholarship was a blessing for many reasons. Firstly, my parents did not have

to worry about my financial or educational needs since the scholarship took care of everything. This allowed my parents to focus on taking care of my sisters. Secondly, Bale helped a lot in developing and grooming me to become the woman that I am today.

A high priority of the scholarship was teaching us to be holistic individuals. All the workshops that were set up for us helped with self-reflection and an easier adjustment to varsity life. The sessions with my mentor and coach, both assigned to me by the scholarship, did not only assist me in focusing on my studies but also in planning my career path. It was actually through my coach that I found out that Wits even had a Business Intelligence department.

The impact that Bale had on my personal growth also included strengthening my leadership and philanthropic skills through involvement in the

Age: 26 Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Mathematical techniques Bachelor of Science Honours in Computer SciencePlace of Work: Business Intelligence Services (Wits University) Studying: Master of Science in Computer SciencePositions Held: Business Intelligence Support Engineer

Targeting Talent Programme and Golden thread initiative. To this day I continue to support initiatives that make a difference in the lives of young people. One memory that I always look back on is that of a hiking trip we went on in 2008. It was a long hike, the sun was blazing and we were carrying really heavy bags but there was no turning back. It taught me an important life lesson: The journey is not always going to be easy but you have to keep going. That helped me through my first two degrees and has been especially helpful in the constant juggling of family, work and my Master’s degree. There were many other lessons learnt during the Bale journey and priceless moments that go with them.

In terms of my career, I started off at work with little knowledge of the Business Intelligence systems and tools. However, I have definitely found my feet and I have managed to integrate my work with my masters’ research. My achievements in the past couple of years include having two papers accepted for presentation in conferences in India (2013) and Ireland (2014). Information technology is a male dominated area, but my work environment thus

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far has been very supportive. I have had no major issues with work or my colleagues. I think the struggle in my area is the initial breakthrough. It’s harder for females to be trusted with being capable of doing the work. My advice firstly to any female thinking of a career in the area of Computer Science or Business Intelligence would be: don’t wait for people to be comfortable with you to do the work, take the initiative and make your own mark. And to everyone else, it’s all about trying different ways; you may not get it right the first time, but don’t let that stop you.

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I have lived most of my life in Newclair, in the west side of Johannesburg. This area comprises mainly of Coloured and Malay occupants. However, I attended Mondeor High School in the south of Johannesburg. My

parents sent me to a school outside my area, in order to avoid the common problems experienced in our area and the schools in the area, problems such as teenage drug abuse and pregnancy.

The scholarship was one of my biggest blessings as my family would have struggled to afford the extensive fees for tertiary education. Bale has blessed my family with their first university graduate member. Not only has my personal goal and my immediate family’s goal been achieved through the assistance of Bale, but now I also act as a role model to all my younger family members. My younger cousins are always asking me questions about tertiary education, and I find them exploring and investigating careers that I never even knew existed. Zena and the SETMU team gave us insight to a world that I was not used to. We had many

Age: 26

Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Honours inclusive)

Place of Work: MPA Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd

Positions Held: Graduate Engineer- Assistant Engineer on projects & Project Engineer

excursions to the theatre, hikes, safaris and of course the beauty spa’s. We took part in the mentoring of young students in the “Targeting Talent Programme”, and ultimately learnt the blessing of always giving back.

Today I still find myself partaking and enjoying charity activities and organising youth developing programmes within my company.Bale’s focus was not only on the academic grooming, they even provided soft skill courses that taught us how to work with different personality types, stress and time management and the advantages of positive thinking. All of which I believe is most essential to survive in the corporate world than just qualifications. I use these skills daily to manage difficult contractors, impress clients, manage my projects efficiently and still enjoy the comforts of life such as family time, spirituality and relaxing.

My communication and spirit has made me one apart in the company, thus my CEO and supervisor have always chosen me to investigate new opportunities,

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manage internal programmes and have sent me to many functions to use my networking skills and market the company. My ability to work easily with different personality types has allowed me to work in different departments, and under different supervisors, thus I am one of the few young engineers who has developed skills in different civil engineering fields such as water and sanitation, storm water and roads, traffic and, eventually finding my passion in structural engineering.

Civil engineering is still a white male dominated field, which is changing drastically. As a young coloured female engineer, the work environment is

always forcing me to prove myself. However, the skills learnt within Bale have assisted me on many occasions, and in my ambition to be successful. The concept of having a career mentor was introduced to me by Bale, and today I have surrounded myself with successful female engineers as mentors, and they are constantly advising, teaching and supporting me.

Everything today is about technology, no matter the career. If you are interested in anything, explore the new trends, technology and information. Always being ahead of the game is definitely a skill recognised by all.

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I was born at Zola Clinic in Soweto, and grew up in Dobsonville ext 3. I’m the third of four siblings (two older brothers and one younger sister) and I’ve always loved learning and always imagined myself with several degrees.

Bale has given me the biggest boost in my academic life. It gave me the confidence that I needed to go after my dreams without having to worry about where I’d get tuition fees or my next meal. Because all my financial needs were taken care of, I could concentrate fully on my studies while enriching my varsity experience by joining social clubs and engaging with people that would grow my views of the world. Through the multiple workshops that Bale offered I was able to develop not only the skills I need to advance in my career, but also the skills that would benefit me personally. In addition, I know that when I’ve completed my studies, I will not have any loans that I will have to repay and this is something that many young black professionals cannot say for themselves.

Age: 26

Degrees: Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry & Cell Biology and Human Physiology) Bachelor of Science Honours (Pharmacology)

Studying: Master of Science in Medicine (Pharmaceutics)

Furthermore, Bale has enforced the spirit of giving back, especially if one has been privileged like the Bale recipients have been. Privilege is one of those things that many people possess, however, they fail to recognise or refuse to acknowledge it. It becomes only about one’s hard work and dedication without conceding the huge role that privilege played in obtaining ones goals. If hard work and dedication were the only things needed to produce success stories, then many more black women would have clawed themselves out of poverty a long time ago. I for one am very much aware of my privilege, not always, but most of the time. This drives me to want to do something for other black women, so that they too can realise their dreams. Bale gave me a chance. And even when the hunt for finding the job that will kick-start my career seems hopeless, I remember a time when securing funding seemed hopeless and Zena gave me that call to give me a chance. I then have hope that there will be a company out there that feels they too can give me that chance.

Postgraduate studies have been very challenging and seeing the end of the tunnel feels like the biggest

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achievement. However, more specifically, I have presented a poster of my Masters research at the Wits 5th Cross-Faculty Graduate Symposium and have a review paper and research article in the process of being published. I have been awarded the GDARD bursary by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for two consecutive years to complete my Master’s degree. Moreover, developing and formulating a novel drug delivery system, however frustrating and demanding it may have been, has to top the list of my achievements in my Master’s degree.

One of the things I have noticed whilst completing my Master’s degree is that although there are a large number of female students in pharmaceutics, the people that are in positions of power (i.e. senior lecturers, supervisors, directors of programmes, etc) are mostly male. I have also noticed that there aren’t any black people in positions of power. It raises the

question of transformation. Transformation may only be occurring at the student level, but little is being done to make sure that black people [women] are given the opportunity to hold managerial positions. Maybe the current group of students will change all of that.

To anyone interested in being a pharmaceutical scientist: This type of work needs a lot of love and passion for those times when experiments don’t work and you feel like giving up. If there is no passion it’s easy to just throw in the towel when things don’t go your way. There also needs to be thorough research done prior to choosing to work in this field to make sure that it is truly what one wants to do. Pharmaceutics is very lab intensive and it therefore requires someone who loves working in the labs and running all kinds of experiments through trouble-shooting or otherwise. It’s all about the love of science.

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In this cohort, one student had her scholarship terminated as she did not meet the minimum requirements of her degree in the first year of study. Of the remaining students, seven achieved their Bachelor’s degrees (70.0%). One student is currently continuing her studies towards her undergraduate degree and one student failed to meet the minimum requirements of her undergraduate degree and was therefore academically excluded. Seven of these students went on to achieve their Honours degrees (70.0%). One student is currently completing her Master’s degree in Forensics (due to complete at the end of 2014), and five of these students are currently working in their respective fields.

2008cohort

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I grew up in the sub-tropical climate and abundant sunshine of Nelspruit, weather that grooms the growth of citrus and subtropical fruits. My childhood memories have always included lush

covered hills and valleys as well as the beautiful nature that attracts tourists from all over the country and the world. In many ways my birth place has nurtured parts of my personality traits which are being sensitive, caring and always keen on giving. I knew that with these traits and my eagerness to thrive on challenges that, I wanted to further my studies at tertiary level. I believe that knowledge and education is part of a set of keys that opens doors to opportunity and success.

The Carnegie ‘Bale’ scholarship recognised my passion to learn and financially allowed me to study in the field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. It equipped me with tools that made me dominate this field and mentor young black women who share my dreams, thus making a difference in the lives of young South Africans.

Age: 24 Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in Biochemistry and Cell Biology International Brewing DiplomaPlace of Work: South African Breweries (SAB), Rosslyn Production Positions Held: A Brewing Technical Trainee, acted as Yeast Specialist, currently acting as a Brewing Team Leader

The programme further blessed me with a network of unique and defined young women who share the same life passions as I do; women that display their intelligence, with passion and humility, in the fields of science and engineering. We not only shared memorable moments in mountain climbing, tea parties and paintball, but it encompassed laughter and tears from university hardships and successes. This group of women has initiatives in higher education, but one sentimental lesson learnt from the experiences in the programme, is being a Bale Lady. This lady is one who is well-mannered, considerate and sets high standards of proper behaviour. Her morals and strongly driven goals place her at the forefront in her profession or art. As hardworking and diligent as she may seem, she attracts people through her friendly and elegant nature. I cannot help but say that this was a priceless opportunity.

I came into tertiary education naïve and left with maturity, strength and determination to succeed. Bale gave me a concrete foundation that was exposed through a number of graduate interviews which

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landed me at the South African Breweries (SAB).

SAB has supported my progressive development, through individual responsibility and autonomy. It offered an international and multicultural working climate which is conducive to my creativity, innovation and the development of my personality. The company gave me responsibility at an early stage in my career, and opportunities of fast development. I came into the company with high standards for myself and with the mindset to produce quality outputs. This has resulted in my many accomplishments such as completing my Diploma in brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (UK). I have further been allocated in roles such as yeast specialist and team leader which involves managing people and controlling a complex technological process of brewing alcoholic beverages. Being a brewer involves the sophisticated art of mixing the most quality of ingredients together, to make a bottled poetic drink. There is a high degree of complexity. It not only requires one to be patient, dedicated and a perfectionist, but requires knowledge of fashion and culture. These are skills I already had, as a Bale Lady.

It has been an interesting journey thus far and it is only the beginning. Bale has made many of my dreams a clear reality. As part of a group of science pioneers, my advice to anybody interested in the field of science is that plans are flexible and are influenced by environmental factors and experiences. Further words I want to share, which my mother told me, is when you understand yourself and your passions, all else falls into place.

I knew that I was a curious soul that thrived on the challenges in mind-boggling activities and concepts. My passion for enhancing lives and thriving to excel introduced me to Biochemistry. It taught me the complex chemical processes within and relating to living organisms, problem-solving, research and analytical skills. This knowledge is also the secret to the making of good beer, and with pubs, restaurants and hotels being at the forefront of the leisure industry, I smile coming to work knowing that I entertain and provide refreshment to millions of consumers.

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I am Mantjetjere Mothapo, 24 years old and graduated with a BSc in Chemical Engineering. Last year I was a junior Process Engineer at Aveng Water based in Woodmead,

Johannesburg from January until December and was unfortunately retrenched. I am currently working as a Production Supervisor (from February 2014) for Aveng Water at Optimum Water Reclamation Plant in Mpumalanga, Pullenshope.I grew up in a village called Ga-Molepo, Ga- Mmarobo in Limpopo Province with both my parents and my two younger brothers.

Bale impacted me personally by opening my mind to the idea of ploughing back to my community after my studies. As part of ploughing back I started mentoring the matric learners from two different high schools in my village and the surrounding one. I basically help the learners with CV writing and application processes for tertiary institutions. This year I had set up a fund raising scheme where I raised money to help the top 10 matric learners with the form application fee to one university of their choice.

Age: 24 Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Chemical) Place of Work: Aveng Water at Optimum Water Reclamation PlantPositions Held: Production Supervisor

Bale has also helped me build my self-esteem and be confident with the woman I am, appreciate the smaller things in life and the importance of sharing. But the most important gift I got from Bale is a kick-start to my career.

The Bale experience which helps me a lot in my workplace are the leadership programmes and workshops we had with programmes like TTP and LEAD. This is very important to me as they have exposed me to dealing with and leading people of different cultural backgrounds, conflict management, listening skills and most importantly team work. I currently have 14 people reporting directly to me at work and I also form part of the Interview panel for Operations (all thanks to the CV writing and Interview workshop we had organised by Bale).

My experience in the workplace as a young female production supervisor was not that good initially. This was because not only did I come with very little experience but because I am younger than the people reporting to me plus it is a male dominated company with females only forming about 20%. But this

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helped me to push myself and work hard to prove that my gender and age has nothing to do with my job descriptions. My advice to people wishing to join this field of work is that they need to believe in themselves first, be willing to work hard; associate themselves with positive thinkers and most importantly respect everyone you work with and continue to learn.

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I’m from Ga-Ramokgopa, a village in Limpopo Province. I was born and bred there. I completed high school at Sefoloko Secondary School.

Bale has contributed a lot to my growth professionally, academically and socially. I had tutors for almost every subject in my first year. The tutoring sessions helped catch-up with lectures and do better in my exams. I had mentors whom have helped me deal with all kind of challenges. The mentoring sessions helped me to quickly adjust to varsity life. Our mentors were not just any random people; they were experienced employees of the university and had a lot of knowledge about Wits and the students at the university. Bale has taught me how to be a mentor, how to give back to the community and how to be a leader. I also made friends within the Bale group.

When I was in the Bale programme I participated in a lot of workshops and volunteer programmes that built my confidence. I knew the “what and what not” to do in a work place before I even joined.

Age: 24Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in Computational and Applied Mathematics Certificate in Bank Credit LearnershipPlace of Work: FirstRand Bank Currently registered as a candidate of the CFA Institute to become a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter holderPositions Held: Quantitative Analyst responsible for modelling and validating risk exposed to the bank.

Through the workshops I learned what to expect in a workplace and when I did eventually join the corporate world it was exactly how it was explained in the workshops. Some of the values I learnt were to respect my employer, have integrity and be assertive to get to where I want to be. I have faced challenges at work, it was not easy, but I definitely managed to get out of every tough situation without giving up, all thanks to the fact that I was prepared for such situations.

Just to mention a few of the workshops I’ve been to, we had the CV and Interview workshops. It sounded crazy in the beginning when I was requested to attend these workshops, but to my surprise I did not know how important a CV was, how the first 60 seconds in an interview were vital to get you the job. The most important part about the workshops was that we had to attend them together, so you can be able to compare yourself to the rest of the group.

An example where I was faced with a challenge and my Bale experience came in to rescue, was when I had noticed that my first job did not fit my character

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and I was initially scared to let my manager know. Then I just had to build up my confidence and I had a meeting with my manager about how I felt about my current position and what I would like to do. I communicated all of this with a sense of gratitude for the opportunities I was offered. My manager took it well and helped me get another role. It was still not what I wanted, but that did not stop me from trying other alternatives. I then moved to another company to do what I love without burning bridges with my previous employer.

An achievement that I am proud of is that my Honours project got published last year in one of the Applied Mathematics journals. Our honours class was a small class with four females and eight males. I did not experience any sort of discrimination and we all got the support we needed. In the corporate place it is still a challenge to actually raise a point that would make a difference as a female compared to males, but the industry is slowly changing; the number of lady Quantitative Analysts is growing.

Advice I would give to anyone interested or aspiring to be in my field of work would be to:Get good marks, it will be easier to get the exact job you want or think you want at that point. Good marks also help in getting into the company you

would like to join. It’s never too late to get good grades, even your final year grades counts and can still save you if your perfomance were dismal first two years as an undergraduate.

Learn the basics of programming and if you’re from a pure science field like me, start learning about the financial market and risk.

Quantitative Analysts are employed in almost every field, the biggest one being the banking industry. Even in the banking industry, there is a wide variety of things you can do as a Quantitative Analyst, it’s better to find out now what you’re interested in to avoid job hopping a lot. And to do that you need to network with the Quantitative Analysts Alumni of Wits. Yes money is important, but don’t make it decide your destiny because you may end up being miserable.

If you don’t get a job offer that you wanted, don’t give up; try other companies, other opportunities and keep up the positive spirit. Offer to help with anything and you will get there. Lastly, furthering your studies is the best option, because furthering your studies will widen your opportunities and give you more options.

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I’m a 25 year old Forensic Science Masters candidate born and raised in Soweto; a cluster of townships south-west of Johannesburg, the economic hub of South Africa. The south western townships (Soweto) were the

brain child of the apartheid regime designed for the segregation and oppression of the black people residing in Johannesburg. I look back on this statement and can say with great irony that I am proud to have come from one of these townships. Very little was expected from the residents of Soweto but looking around today I can proudly say that my generation is writing up a whole new chapter in the book of Sowetans.

The Bale scholarship was a Wits initiative funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York aimed at supporting women in Science and Engineering. These fields are notoriously white male dominated and this scholarship aimed to increase the number of black women within fields that have a gross underrepresentation of this demographic. As a recipient of the Bale scholarship I was able to graduate, in minimum time, with a Bachelor of

Age: 25

Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology and Zoology Bachelor of Science Honours in Ecology and Environmental Conservation

Studying: Master of Science in Medicine (Forensic Science)

Science degree in human physiology and zoology. In my fourth and final year with the scholarship I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Ecology and Environmental Conservation.

A lot of the time undergraduates are burdened with financial and personal problems that they themselves struggle to deal with. The support we received from Bale was able to relieve a lot, if not all, of these pressures which I believe resulted in all of our success. We went from first year all the way through to fourth year with the scholarship providing us with tuition, funding for textbooks and a stipend that helped me buy a laptop that would come to assist me with my scientific reports and assignments. The way in which the scholarship was structured allowed us, as its recipients, to forge a family through which many of us, the ladies in the second cohort, found sisters, mentors and role models in the ladies from the first cohort. I believe that even before we had graduated we had already created a rich, multidisciplinary and highly invaluable network amongst ourselves by just being a part of

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this scholarship. We have been more than privileged to have been part of this initiative and I don’t even think the words “thank you” could ever begin to express the extent of our gratitude.

A lot of the personal and professional skills I acquired as a teenager growing into a young adult were brought about by the workshops we attended as Bale students. These included self-esteem workshops, CV writing as well as job interview workshops. As an undergraduate these skills were able to put me a step above the rest in assisting me to apply for my postgraduate studies and I believe they will be invaluable when the time comes to trudge my way through the job market. I remember as a first year student having to write a letter to my 21 year old self in one of these workshops. My letter cited all the things I had planned to achieve by that age and even though I was in a completely different field of study at the time, I remember telling my 21 year old self that I would be on the road to becoming a forensic scientist by that age. And as prophecies go, here I am (not quite 21) making my way on that very road as a forensic science masters candidate.

When it comes to mapping out a career I generally believe that whichever discipline an individual chooses to follow should be underpinned by an initial passion and love for the field, however, I am of the view that over and above passion, the forensic sciences require someone who has a strong sense of character and is willing to be a mouthpiece for those who have demised and are consequently unable to speak for themselves. I believe that the country benefits greatly from services rendered by members within this field however it can only be handled by a select few. The forensic sciences have been greatly misrepresented and romanticised in a lot of the television series’ and I do believe that prior to joining the discipline a lot of these myths need to be dispelled, a lot of research needs to go into making the decision to join this discipline.

I hope this will serve as a letter to my 30 year old self who will by then be a highly proficient member of the scientific community with sufficient valuable experience, skills and knowledge to help her make positive contributions within the forensic sciences. She will be a highly skilled expert within a field that has been classed as a scarce skill with very few experts in South Africa (and as prophecies go…)

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I was born in a small village called ka-Nkuzana. I moved back and forth between ka-Nkuzana and Waterval but eventually moved to Waterval when I started the second grade at the local primary school because it was closer

to my mom’s work. I attended Lemana High School and matriculated there.

Starting university knowing that I had financial backing was a huge relief. I saw how some of my classmates struggled and that really showed me what a blessing being a part of Bale was. There was always a comforting cushion throughout all the challenges that I faced in university because there was support and family away from home.

On a personal level, being part of Bale helped me make friends quicker and connect; and some of those friendships are strong even to this day. We would help each other when we had difficulties and be there for the celebrations. Through the workshops and even interactions in the group activities we would have, I became exposed to many new ideas, some of which challenged my own and some of which

Age: 23

Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Civil)

Place of Work: Muteo Consulting – Polokwane

Positions Held: Civil Engineer

shaped me into a more confident young woman who was figuring out her path in life. I also learnt the importance of individuality and self-value and how that plays a role in every sphere of one’s life. From the beginning, the overall message that I got from being a part of Bale was that “Someone believes in me”, and so I had to believe in myself too. I also learnt the importance of committing to the end. Every day is a new chance for something to go wrong or for us to fail, but the need to finish what I set out to do became cemented when I thought of how much it took to get to where I am, how many people came together to make all of it possible, the whole community of everyone who has ever impacted my life in any positive way. A lesson I will live with till the end.

After completing university in 2013, I started working for a multi-disciplinary (Civil, Electrical and Mechanical) consulting firm in Polokwane. The work environment for me was very different from university, but I quickly adjusted. It is largely male dominated, and sometimes one really needs to put in more effort to be heard. One thing I like about it

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being multi-disciplinary is that I get to learn things that are not in my Civil Engineering field, but are a part of the project, which helps me to analyse and plan better as I start to approach my work from a holistic view. Working in a team is part of my daily work and I had to learn to not get left behind and go as far as I can lead. I am now working towards registering as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

My advice to anyone aspiring to be a Civil Engineer is that they must be open minded and quick to learn, and have a heart to serve because the bigger picture is not the client funding the project but the communities that are going to use those buildings, roads, bridges and water. Time management is also very critical because you will always have at least five projects running at the same time.

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Greetings...I do hope that this letter finds everyone well. Now from all my Bale sisters I do believe that I am the only one that veered off the road a little. It was

with my Biological Sciences Honours degree in tow, that I stood in the audition lines for 10 hours with over 6000 hopefuls from just the Gauteng province to try our luck at being the next SABC Sports Presenter winner. All this happened mid-2013 and after a rigorous and strenuous audition process I was announced the sole winner of the provincial search and then went head-to-head with the winners from the other provinces that make up South Africa, it was then that I became the first ever winner of the nationwide SABC Sports Presenter Search and the roller coaster ride began.

Through this platform I have interviewed honourable ministers and influential people in the sporting fraternity, I took my first ever eight day international trip to Brazil to report on the events there and regularly find myself travelling within South Africa for various high profile events. I was thrown into the

Age: 24

Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences Bachelor of Science Honours in Animal Plant and Environmental Sciences (Cryopreservation)

Place of Work: South African Broadcasting Corporations (Sport)

Position Held: Presenter

deep end where I had to co-anchor shows that amass over two million viewers and my biggest task of late was co-anchoring a four hour Commonwealth Games live show that took place in Scotland. I have been with the broadcaster for a year and still feel deeply blessed. I know what it truly means to wake up every day and not feel like I am going to work because of the passion that I have for what I do. It actually does not feel like work, in fact I call it ‘funployment’.

I truly do hope to grow in the broadcasting field and gain credibility as a sportscaster across different media and various sporting codes from the big4 of rugby, cricket, swimming and soccer to all the so-called ‘Cinderella’ sports- hockey, tennis, Paralympic sports etc. Long term goals include presenting from the 2016 Rio Olympics, 2015 Morocco AFCON games and anchoring my own live studio show. I will be concentrating on strengthening my brand in the New Year and a few projects that I would love to see take off. It was in our first year of study that Ms Zena Richards emphasized and re-iterated ‘TAKE SPACE’ and ‘Be Present’

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and my quest is to do just that and make a mark in broadcasting and take my rightful space. Being 24, female and mother to my two year old son, SJ in such a male-dominated industry brings its own challenges into the mix, but I’ve never opted for the easy route in anything and do believe that success stems from lots of difficulties and failures coupled with an optimistic attitude.

I am eternally grateful to the Bale Scholarship for the holistic approach it presented us as the graduates. It is through their teachings and belief in us that we are able to step into this world with a fair amount of confidence in ourselves. I have been asked whether I will ever use my degrees and my response is that a Science degree at Wits is largely about research and

perfecting that skill so as to substantiate ones’ point. Those are the same philosophies that I apply in my work. Great amount of detail goes into researching and knowing your subject matter so as to convince the millions of audiences at home that you are a credible presenter. Thank you Bale for everything, I wish all my Bale sisters the best of luck and success in their respective fields and truly believe that through this scholarship we will make a mark nationally, continentally and eventually globally. Always remember that it WILL hurt, it WILL take time, it WILL require dedication and sacrifice but it WILL be worth it in the end.

Love, Xoli Zondo

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This cohort consisted of two students who were funded for their Honours Degrees. Both students achieved their Honours degrees in the faculty of Science. One student achieved her Master’s degree and is currently completing her PhD. The second student is currently completing her Master’s degree.

2011cohort

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I spent most of my childhood in Tsakane, a township in Ekurhuleni East and am the first born of three with two siblings, my late brother Sibusiso and my baby brother Themba. From very humble beginnings, my

mother Betty Twala who earns a living as a domestic worker and the late Bhekizizwe Masina, who was a non-skilled labourer at an engineering firm, continue to be the motivation behind all I do. Like most South African stories, the early journey of my life developed away from my parents, I spent my toddler years in Orange Farm, Vereeniging with my aunt who helped me learn how to read and write (she was a preschool teacher). She was very supportive and I could read by age 7, this was a big milestone because when I came to live with my parents and started first grade, I seemed a bit more advanced. I went to primary school in Michael Zulu Primary, a public no-fee paying school that was about three kilometres from home.

Both my parents worked six to seven days a week, so I learnt to be independent from an early age. However, very little could prepare me for

Age: 27Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology Bachelor of Science Honours Currently completing a Master of Science in Medicine (Pharmaceutics)Place of Work: African School for ExcellencePositions Held: Founder and Chief Business Development Officer H

high school! By the time I got to seventh grade, I was among the top students and my parents had hopes of sending me to a good school. The best school they could afford to send me to at the time was Buhlebemfundo Secondary, also a local non-fee paying school but this one was just over six kilometres from home and was known in the community for good matric results and management. Whilst it meant I got about three hours of cardio every day with the walks to school, I had a great experience and found my passion for science by the end of the ninth grade.

In 2004 I was selected to be part of the early Star-schools Math, English and Science Saturday program in Ekurhuleni East College. This was a very important achievement that heavily influenced my secondary school experience. The content was always covered well in advance compared to my high school and by grade 10 I had started tutoring my peers and by the end of 11th grade and all of 12th grade I would teach some of my math and science classes. Whilst it meant I could grasp and have a comprehensive understanding of content, it

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also meant my weekdays had to start around 3:00 am for me to prepare for class, study and do homework. I couldn’t do that during the day because I had to help manage our household and had sangomas as neighbours who can be very noisy and distracting in the late evening. Looking back, it was during my high school years that I learnt to be resilient and resourceful. I had my first weekend job at age 16 to help me commute to and from Ekurhuleni East College on Saturday and be able to help out my parents where possible.

I completed my matric exams after a traumatic loss of one of my brothers, Sibusiso, knowing that the buck to help change my family status and hope for Themba and the rest of the family rested upon me. I embarked on the academic journey in 2007 at Wits and I continue to grow and develop as an aspiring academic to date.

My experience with Bale started a bit later compared to most of the other young women. I got the scholarship in 2010 during my BSc honours year. Without the support of the scholarship and the appointed coach, I do not think I would have made it through that year. It was a very tough year academically and personally. I lost my father, aunt and grandmother in less than two months and still had to sit through exams and complete my research project. Zena was very supportive and helped me get the necessary support structures in place and I was able to successfully complete my honours and qualify for my MSc. Through the help of my coach, I was also able to re-define myself and reset my goals after having lost the cornerstone to my life and one of the main motivatiors of persevering through adverse disparities.

There are a lot of interpersonal skills I gained during my coaching sessions that helped me comprehend and begin to appreciate the importance of self-branding professional relationships and setting clear boundaries that allow for me to live passionately and happily. Whilst I still continue to develop and grow in this area, I do think the Bale coaching sessions and the network of young women with a similar mind-set were extremely useful and equipped me with a “toolbox” for my professional life. It was also during these sessions that I started setting more realistic goals and milestones for both my personal and professional life. For me, the Bale year was a year of self-discovery and beginnings of the journey to self-mastery.

I am currently writing up my MSc and working on research papers for submission to internationally recognised scientific journals. I was also one of the recipients of the Postgrad Local Merit Award (2011) and the NRF Scarce Skills Scholarship (2012). Furthermore, I have co-founded the African School for Excellence, a non-profit organisation aimed at revolutionising the face of modern education and, in so doing, providing greater access to world-class education to everyone. Our inaugural campus launched in Tsakane in January 2013 and is continually growing with a student body of little under 200 students and a staff compliment of 21 permanently employed members. I also recently got nominated for the Imbokodo award in KwaTsaDuza from KwaTsaDuza Community Development Forum to celebrate transformational female leaders in the community.

I find that the workplace can get a bit lonely as a young professional and it helps a great deal to have a network of young women who share similar experiences and in most cases clearly understand your thought process. Young black women in science are a very small minority of the workforce outside academia and research and development. I do think that the system by design is still very exclusive and undermines women (especially young black women) a great deal.

I advise that anyone interested in my field should set clear goals from the onset, whilst leaving ample room for flexibility as the timeline is not always in your control. There must always be a bigger picture that will help pull you through challenging times. I think mainstream science is a realm of endless possibilities! The skill-set you learn along the way is transferable and I strongly recommend that you go up to postgraduate level.

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I am Tiisetso Lephoto, a 25 year old young lady, born and raised in Meadowlands, Soweto. By the age of 20 I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Genetics and Microbiology at Wits University. In 2010 I enrolled for

an honours degree in Genetics and Developmental Biology in the same institution. I remember early in 2010 I was briefly interviewed by the lovely Mrs Zena Richards and a day later I was awarded a Bale scholarship which greatly impacted positively on my life. Bale exposed me to exciting opportunities which still resonate in my heart. I was assigned a wonderful life coach who always motivated me every time we met for a session. We also attended citizenship and interview skills workshops which immensely helped me to develop great communication skills and confidence. As my passion for science grew, I decided to pursue my Master of Science degree (Masters/MSc) in Biotechnology and Microbiology in 2011 and now I am currently a 2nd year Doctoral (PhD) student specializing in Nematology and biological control of problematic insects in South Africa.

Age: 25

Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Microbiology Bachelor of Science Honours in Genetics and Developmental Biology Master of Science in Biotechnology and Microbiology

Studying: Doctor of Philosophy

I am a member of the Golden key international honour society, One Young World Ambassador and a Brightest Young Minds delegate. This year I received a Biotech Fundi award for best young researcher in science, another award for best upcoming young researcher in science from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2013, I was awarded second best in Africa at The Falling Walls Lab conference.

I am the founder of an NGO called Yes We Are Moving which promotes wellness and health in our communities and in various student campuses. I also founded a personal training company called TiiMoves which offers nutritional advice and physical training packages.

I am also passionate about encouraging the youth to participate in activities and initiatives which will stimulate their level of thinking and reasoning. This is accomplished through tutoring high school learners, rendering motivational talks and mentorship at the Katleho Pele Education (NGO) in Soweto of which I am the secretary and I tutor

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Life Sciences and English. Every Sunday evening, I dedicate myself to tutor 1st year students in the Wits Res Life programme and I truly enjoy sharing the knowledge :)

I think the youth has greater power and energy to bring positive change in our society. With correct mentorship and guidance this energy can be channelled properly into developing an excelling generation of young leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and certainly a generation driven by success and positive transformation.

One of my main ambitions is to continue to uplift young people, promote positivity and emphasise the importance and benefits of education. Thank you so much to Bale for believing in me in 2010, thank you for the scholarship which empowered me.

Kind regards

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The 2013 cohort consisted of eight students from the faculty of Science who were funded for their Honours Degrees. All these students achieved their Honours degrees for which they were funded. In 2014, four of these students started their Master’s degrees full time, one student started her Master’s part-time and four of these students started working.

2013cohort

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My name is Boipelo Mothupi. I am 22 years of age and was born and bred in the North West Province in a small village called Dinokana in Zeerust. My mom passed

away when I was six years old and I was raised by my aunt and her husband. I went to Keobusitse Primary School (grade 1-6), Dinokana Junior Secondary School (grade 7-9) and Ramatu High School (grade 10-12). I completed Matric in 2009 and I was the best learner in my school with six distinctions. I was inspired by my passion for health, hygiene, how microorganisms can be advantageous and disadvantageous in our everyday lives and the chemistry of life to study Microbiology and Biochemistry. The University of the Witwatersrand awarded me with the Wits Entrance Scholarship and I registered for my first year of study in 2010.

Throughout my entire undergraduate studies I used NSFAS as I neither got a bursary nor a scholarship. I completed my BSc degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry in 2012 and graduated on the 26th of March 2013. I further completed my BSc Honours

Age: 22Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Biochemistry Bachelor of Science Honours in Microbiology and Biotechnology

Studying: Master of Science by Dissertation in Microbiology and Biotechnology

degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry in 2013 and graduated on the 31st of March 2014. I am currently pursuing a Master of Science Dissertation degree in Microbiology and Biotechnology and I am a Laboratory and Teaching Assistant for Microbiology final year students under the Wits school of Molecular and Cell Biology.

Being awarded with the Bale Scholarship was a dream come true. It made all my hard work feel appreciated, as I had never held any bursary or scholarship prior to my postgraduate studies. It impacted my life remarkably in most areas of my life- personally, academically and professionally. The Bale Scholarship not only cared about paying the fees but it cared about transforming us into better individuals who are resilient, can face the world, and excel in the workplace. The Sunday meetings Bale had organized for us with our ‘’mommy’’ -Mrs Colleen Amanda McLintock- were the best life changing moments. Prior to the Bale Scholarship award, I used to stress over things for long and didn’t know how to manage stress. I never knew how to say NO to most people especially

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my colleagues in the lab, I wasn’t taking care of my health the way I should have, I was not open to feedback, and was not team spirited. My CV/résumé was not professional, and I didn’t know how to search for jobs or what to expect from interviews. After the meetings with ‘mommy’ I have been transformed into a resilient individual who can manage stress very well and can say NO. I exercise and drink water and I am very health conscious. I am open to feedback and I am more confident of my skills and myself in general. I had always applied for jobs using my CV that wasn’t impressive, and I was never successful. I have recently drafted my CV using the guidelines I got from Colleen and I am being called for interviews. The Bale Scholarship is the best thing that ever happened to me. Bale gave me an opportunity to facilitate motivation, encouragement and leadership by being a Residential Assistant (RA) on the Targeting Talent Programme. Being an RA equipped me with various skills such as leadership, time management, communication skills, team work and problem resolution skills which have made me a better individual in my profession. I still love being an RA and would do it anytime or any day. The Bale Scholarship has inspired me to give back to the community.

I have been giving motivation to grade 12 learners of Ramatu High school since 2010 and post the Bale scholarship award, I recruited four students from different varsities who went to the same high school as me and together we give motivational speeches to grade 12s. We give them insight on how to apply to university, do career counselling and make students aware of the bursaries and scholarships that are available. I am ready to show the world what Bale ancestors are made up of and I am ready to thrive through the challenges in the corporate world.

I have been awarded the National Research Foundation Scholarship (NRF) as well as the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) bursary to pursue my MSc this year. My experiences as a female in my postgraduate studies is that as a young black female of 22 years, some of the final year students are older than me, some are the same age as me, and some are younger and most of them are inspired by young black postgraduate students including myself. The advice I’d give to anyone interested or aspiring to be in my field of work is to have a passion for the biological sciences (everyone excels remarkably when they do what they love and love what they do), to know that it is not easy but it is possible and that nothing beats hard work and determination.

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I was born and raised in a disadvantaged community, Thohoyandou Muledane Block J (Limpopo Province). We are six in the family, my dad, mom, little sister (Claire), who is doing her 3rd year at

Tswane University of Technology, young brother (Tertious), who is in grade 8 and Tshimangadzo my youngest brother, who is in grade 4. Being the firstborn child has always been something I cherish because it gives me motivation knowing that my siblings are following in my footsteps. I love my family to bits and I thank God for them. I come from a needy background, where my parents have been trying since my schooling years and admission at Wits in terms of payments but I must admit it has taken its toll on the family. Against all odds, I matriculated at Mbilwi Secondary School during the year 2009. I then joined the University of the Witwatersrand in 2010, and graduated in record time for my BSc Degree in Microbiology and Genetics in 2012. I then completed my BSc Honours degree majoring in Microbiology and Biotechnology in 2013. It was not a rosy road but I reached the

Age: 22 Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Microbiology & Biotechnology; Genetics Bachelor of Science Honours in Microbiology and BiotechnologyPlace of Work: Fresh Earth Gluten Free Bake House Positions Held: Food Safety Officer

destination. I have to admit I got the strength from my parents who believed in me and gave me the courage to overcome challenges along the way.Being a Bale lady was really a blessing to me. I received this scholarship at a time where my parents were really struggling financially (paying loans they made for my junior degree). The scholarship has shaped me to the woman I am today. I have to admit that the workshops with Colleen intensively helped me, for example, if it wasn’t for Colleen who taught me how to present myself to companies, I am 100% sure I wouldn’t have made it to my current company. Before I got my current job, I faced a lot of rejection but I didn’t act negatively on it because I learnt from one of the workshops to be a resilient person. Being part of TTP also boosted my self-confidence and made me a responsible leader because I used to lead the kids during the course of the programme. Zena always encouraged us to work as a team and that has really helped me to be a good team player and to work in a team environment. All these skills I am able to transfer to the work environment. I met a lot of sisters with different personalities within the Bale family and the bond will always be there. Even

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though I am no longer part of the scholarship, I am and will always be a Bale lady. I am proud to be a product of Bale! Through Bale I completed my BSc Honours degree in Microbiology and Biotechnology in record time. I enjoyed my project and I have to admit I miss working in the lab and doing experiments. I gained independent research experience and more knowledge on scientific writing skills. I am currently working at Fresh Earth Gluten Free Bake House in Booysens as a Food Safety Officer. The company produces and sells Gluten free products such as muffins, breads, rusks, cakes, nut butters, granola etc. My job is to ensure that all products dispatched meet the quality standards as per specifications. I manage the laboratory testing programme and organise food safety meetings and reviews. I am responsible for the implementation, maintenance and improvement of the Fresh Earth Gluten Free Bake House’s Food Safety System. I am also responsible for audits, complaints and corrective action’s system management and staff training. It’s been eight months now. Within that period I have been appointed as the Food Safety Team Leader and Internal Pest control officer. I also went for GMP and HACCP as well as FSSC training at Swift Silkier and was deemed competent by FoodBev SETA. I run all the audits and I recently got my company to be FSSC 22000 certified through SABS. It is the first Gluten Free Company in South Africa to be FSSC 22000 certified. Now after eight months I consider the experience in this industry as a big achievement and a vital step in my career. In light of the achievements above, I am blessed with a brand new car #smiles but the rest is still under construction. I work in a male dominated company and I am the youngest one in management. So being a young lady and managing people on a daily basis is a really challenging job. But with all the lessons I learnt through the Bale workshops, I can boldly say I am coping in all respects. In this kind of environment, men are assumed to be competent until proven otherwise, whereas a woman is assumed to be incompetent until she proves otherwise. Being able to prove myself in the world as being an intelligent and capable woman is one of the many things that inspire me to work in this kind of environment. The other thing that inspires me to be an intelligent and powerful woman is being able to follow in the footsteps of my Dad, who is currently studying for a Masters in Public and Development Management at Wits and my Mom, who is currently busy with her Doctorate in African Languages at the University

of Limpopo (Turfloop). I also give thanks to my fiancée Lufuno who has also equipped me to be a bold woman, he is always there during the darkest moments of my life, and he is the reason I wake up every day with a smile which outshines everyone at work. I always believe that I am surrounded by inspiration wherever I go. My job has really opened doors for me to network with different people. I love what I do, I truly do and would like to grow within the industry and be an auditor in a few years down the line. I have a passion for travelling and being an auditor will give me the platform to travel the world. To start my own company is a goal which will be a story for another day #winks. I would like to contribute to my community by educating the youth about the importance of education. I would like to start an initiative which will generate funding for students who come from previously disadvantaged circumstances. This will be in the form of procuring sponsorship from different companies to facilitate fundraising events and for donations. I always believed in my parents saying “Have the courage to take the road less-travelled and the talent and passion to make it a success” and that has shaped me to be the lady I am today. Working in a Food Industry is a really challenging but exciting job. Anyone who wants to follow this area or field must have the ability to think out of the box and search for opportunities around. It’s not easy to get a job straight after varsity, it needs patience and determination. I went to a lot of interviews and didn’t succeed but I didn’t give up. One will face rejection but that’s something that shall pass. Networking is the key to be exposed to different industries. If you feel like giving up, think why you held on for so long. The field is time-consuming, one must be prepared to walk extra miles. What I have realised is that most people want to gain jobs and not experience, but I say gain experience not jobs, because all the while you’ll be learning something new and building transferable skills. If you want to take this career path to get thanks, then know that you are doing it for the wrong reasons, so I would advise all to do something because you love it and not for recognition. Also never forget where you come from because your family will always be there for you no matter what. Never limit yourself, just like me –I’m just a young short lady from a disadvantaged community with a mammoth mission to fulfil.So that’s my journey – the short version. At least up until this point. As I said, the rest is still under construction #smiles

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I was born and bred in Mankweng Turfloop, a township 31 km outside Polokwane. I am the 5th child out of my six siblings that my parents have been blessed to have. My journey with

learning began at Pula-Madibogo Primary School, which was a five minute walk from home. It was only in my 3rd grade of being in that particular school that my parents decided it was time I joined a school with people who look and speak differently from me. Being a part of that school opened my mind to the reality of diversity. I was from a Christian background to be enrolled into a fairly predominant Muslim school. Through that occurrence I saw a life different from my own and I soon adapted to the change.

I did my entire schooling (both primary and high school) at Taxila Combined School in Polokwane. Soon after I matriculated, I enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand, where I did my Bachelor of Science in Computational and Applied Mathematics which I later completed my Honours degree with.

Age: 24Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in Computational and Applied MathematicsPlace of Work: Rand Merchant BankPosition Held: Financial Rates Analyst

Currently, I am a Financial Rates Analyst at Rand Merchant Bank. My experience thus far has been remarkable. I had preconceived ideas of what work would be like specifically the banking industry of which I thought of it as cut-throat and very intimidating. However, to my surprise, I have learnt that there was a different vibe that promotes growth with a steep learning curve.

The industry I chose to be in is very male dominated and as a woman, we sometimes, if not always, feel the need to overplay our part especially if the playground is dominated by the male species. That we have to put in twice the effort to be as good, but for me, I have a strong believe in myself and what my brain can do for me as opposed to the outer physical definition of myself defining my capabilities. This for me always eliminates the thought of wanting to overplay or put my best stiletto forward because I am “just” a woman. However in due course, I do believe that women will be as dominant as our counterparts.

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If there is something valuable that I could hold on to that I can confidently say I learnt from the programme is the ability to say “NO” without feeling as horrible, negotiating my time and availability to others as well as ‘eating the frog’.

With the kind of work I do, many requests and tasks that are scheduled and asked of me to do, may at times become very hard to say no to from my colleagues especially since I have only been here for nine months. I am still in the process of understanding the business as a whole and fitting into the world of work, and that perhaps saying no might make people have a different perception of me. However, when I do think about my future, I realise that I cannot always and openly avail myself because this may end up opening a window for people to give me their work to do which may delay me to do my own task hence result in me starting to feel unnecessary pressures. In implementing the “NO technique” I call it; I can properly plan my time

and tasks accordingly, allowing me to ‘eat all the frogs’ as planned.

The advice that I would give anyone who is interested in joining the industry is to always have an inquiring mind and a genuine interest in financial markets and the desire to know how and what drives the economy that sustains the world we live in now. Not forgetting the most important one; you must always believe in yourself and your abilities.

This is one of my best quotes that give me a constant reminder to always feed my mind with because indeed what you put in is what you get out:

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny” -Lao Tzu

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My name is Lee-Anne Soobramoney. I am currently pursuing my MSc degree in the field of Molecular and Cell Biology. I am formally from Port Shepstone which is

also known as the South Coast within the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province.

I have been a Witsie for almost five years. My journey at Wits has been an exceedingly fruitful one. The experiences which I have encountered at this institution has truly molded and shaped my character in a personal and professional way. The most frequent challenge that I was faced with was the financial one. During my undergraduate BSc degree, I did not have scholarships or bursaries. Furthermore, I lived at a catering residence. When I look back at those three years, I am simply in awe. It has been truly God’s unmerited favour over my life which kept me and strengthened me during those three years. By his grace, I completed my BSc degree being one of the top achieving students in Microbiology and Biotechnology. This milestone thereafter paved my path for the pursuit of an

Age: 22Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in Microbiology and BiotechnologyStudying: Master of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology

Honours degree.

The year 2013 commenced and I had started the year without funding for tuition and accommodation. I had applied for funding but I was rejected by the bursaries which were offered by the university. It was during the month of June when my head of school sent out an e-mail which stated that applications were open for the Bale scholarship. My expectation of the scholarship encompassed one particular need which was finance. To my amazement, the scholarship exceeded my expectation. I had the privilege of meeting other young women who were diligently aspiring towards their honours degrees in science and engineering. It did not take much time for strong bonds to be built between the ladies who had merited the scholarship. We had become a supportive framework for each other.

As the remaining parts of the year unfolded, I attended various workshops. During those sessions, I gained a tremendous amount of awareness about myself with regards to poor thought patterns that

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were developed as well as the various areas in my life which contributed to a significant amount of stress. I was definitely challenged when hearing the truth about my character and very willing to make the appropriate lifestyle changes. I am now well able to identify moments when my body is responding to stress and know when to give myself a chance to recuperate. Meaningful lessons were also learnt during the career workshops which entailed job searching and interviews. These sessions helped me to understand the manner in which job interviews are conducted as well as how to intelligently answer the questions which are posed by the interviewer. I strongly feel that such exposure has established a good foundation with regards to preparing for future job interviews. The last workshop dealt with the issue of self-esteem. I learnt that the way we view ourselves makes a weighty impact on how others treat us. This lesson is the one that I hold onto very dearly especially during my post-graduate degree. During the session, I have also understood the importance of learning to say “no” to people when such a response is required.

I am currently a part of a research lab that comprises

of eight females and we are all supervised by Professor Vincent Gray. I do not recall a time of ever being undermined as a female in my areas of research. However, this does not exclude one from being undermined by individuals of the same gender. I personally believe that it always comes down to one’s character and not necessarily ones gender. As a female, I do not feel restricted in research. My limits and boundaries are always pushed in terms of research delivery and output. I believe that as a woman, it is important to exert an extent of assertiveness especially when working with other researchers but still maintaining an open mind at the same time.

I would like to encourage all aspiring microbiologists to always hold fast to your dreams and goals. Never give up especially when research takes the unexpected route. Always remember that science is a selfless field and we are here to help and keep advancing the world we live in today. Never forget to give thanks to God for all your achievements and keep humble when He elevates you onto a high platform.

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My name is Masala Nedzungani, I was born and raised in a small village called Vhufuli in Limpopo. The village is on the outskirts of Thohoyandou. I

am the fifth born and have six siblings. I started school at Tshadzume Primary School where I completed grades one and two, then went on to Gooldville Mission School from grade three to seven. From there, I then went on to Tshivhase Secondary School from grade eight to twelve. I furthered my tertiary education at the University of the Witwatersrand where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology. Then I went on to do Honours specialising in Microbiology and Biotechnology. I am now an intern at Publicis Group – Health Care advertising (training as an Account Executive).

I am very grateful for the Bale scholarship, if it wasn’t for it, I would never have completed my honours degree. The scholarship did not only help me financially but also socially, emotionally, spiritually and physically. During the course of the

Age: 25 Degrees: Bachelor of Science (Microbiology and Biochemistry) Bachelor of Science with Honours in Microbiology and BiotechnologyPlace of Work: Publicis Group (Department - Health Care Advertising)Positions Held: Junior Account Executive (internship)

sponsorship, I have learned how to be resilient, and improved my self-esteem, and well-being. An individual needs to be healthy, have good level of self-esteem and excellent people skills on a daily basis. Working with people from different backgrounds can be challenging and stressful especially when working towards tight deadlines. However, an individual needs to be resilient in all situations. Things may not always go according to plan and may lead to conflict between colleagues. Being resilient is crucial in order to maintain healthy working relationships and to deliver on time. In addition one needs to be accommodative, respectful and patient towards their colleagues and persistent in every task they perform.

An individual in the work place must also possess good planning skills. Planning ahead gives an outline of how to tackle tasks more effectively and efficiently. As an intern, I am still in the learning curve of how things are done and what procedures and protocols are to be used, thus mistakes can happen very often. But I have learnt that it’s up to me to be able to pick myself up after being knocked

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down. I have been shouted at by my boss for doing some things incorrectly, but I did not sulk and mourn for the rest of the week. I pulled myself together having learnt from my mistakes. I am still an intern but I believe that with the knowledge that I have accumulated throughout my studies, I can achieve anything and I am looking forward to a successful career.

I have noted that the work environment is quite different from varsity and the early days of work are quite stressful as you try to adjust yourself from the life of a student to life in the work place. However, as time passes you get used to the routine. Since I started working, I have learnt that one needs to work hard to be successful. As a junior, I have realised that there are many lessons to be learned and one can never say that they have learnt enough. Learning occurs on a daily basis and each day has its own lessons to be learnt, but it’s all in the hands of an individual to decide how they approach each of these lessons. Nevertheless, perseverance, determination and a positive attitude towards each channelled courses really makes a difference on an individual to deliver constructive results. Lastly, I have learned

that the work environment is very competitive, furthermore one needs to put in the extra effort to prove themselves to their employers for future promotions and to be recognised as the best in the business.

Science is fun and I’m very proud to have graduated in this field. There are lots of opportunities out there for people who are willing to work hard, be innovative and make a difference in the world, especially young women. However, the science field is very diverse so one needs to have an idea of where they want to be after graduation. I would advise any young woman who has a vivid mind and the love for science to definitely pursue a career in this field. Lastly, I make a call to all the young women out there to definitely consider joining the science field as there seems to be a shortage of qualified women. Health Care Advertising in South Africa is still in its infancy and needs qualified young women with a scientific background to strengthen and build further on this established foundation. So many drugs get approved to be marketed legally but never drive enough sales due to the shortage of people with scientific knowledge to spread the word about how effective these drugs are and how they work, thus that’s where scientific knowledge is required.

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I am from Mpumalanga. I was born in Nelspruit and was raised in a small town called Kanyamazane. I grew up living with my mom and dad, and my two sisters.

Personally, I think Bale impacted me in a very positive way. Firstly, I didn’t have to worry about school fees and not getting my Honours results at the end of the year. It gave me peace of mind to be able to focus on my project and my courses and not worry about rent and buying electricity. Secondly, the scholarship programme provided us with a mentor, Colleen McLintock, who taught us certain life skills on how to go about living our lives as students, especially during the time of job searching and work.

Professionally, Bale has also impacted our lives in a very significant way. The weekend meetings with Colleen taught us the importance of your résumé and how to brand ourselves to the people looking to hire us so that we’re able to stand out from the thousand other applicants. She also taught us how to carry ourselves professionally when dealing with your

Age: 23Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in Ecology, Environment & ConservationStudying: Master of Science in Animal Plant & Environmental Science

colleagues, and how to react, rather than responding. These are all the skills that I have applied to my life and my career during job applications, which have given me the confidence to be able to express myself when meeting with other professionals at conferences. I am currently doing my Master’s by dissertation and in that I attend a lot of conferences where I have learned to act like a brand and be able to approach and speak to other professionals without being nervous.

This year I was very fortunate to be one of the students awarded with the NRF Grantholder’s Bursary, which has helped me in paying for my fees and also allows me to fund the operational costs for my field work during my MSc. And thanks to the skills I learnt from the scholarship, I have attended a few conferences where I was able to network with other professionals and be able to grow in my field of work.

In my field of work that I am studying for, I have realised that it is very difficult being a female, and not only being a female, but being a female of

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colour. Firstly, my field is very dominated by males and only a few women have been recognized for the work they do as Environmental Scientists. As a young black female postgraduate student, I have had to work 10 times as much as everyone else in my class to earn the recognition that I have now. And in the beginning it’s always a challenge to get people to believe in you when everyone seems like they doubt you or what you’re doing because it’s not a popular field and others just don’t understand, which sometimes makes you doubt yourself as well. Until you get over those challenges and find yourself doing your MSc at Wits and sitting in the same room with acclaimed/admired scientists and you realise how much potential you actually have. It’s these experiences and challenges that motivate me to work harder.

I would encourage anyone interested or aspiring to be in my field to go for it and to be prepared to work hard. Being an Environmentalist can be very challenging but also very rewarding knowing the difference that you could make and the role that we play when protecting our resources and finding sustainable solutions that can benefit everyone. It also comes with a lot of traveling so that’s an additional bonus that makes me love my work.

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Zama spent most of her childhood years at KwaMsane, a small township in northern Kwazulu-Natal, with her parents, five siblings and extended family. Growing up in a township

exposed her to an environment that was heavily influenced by alcohol and drugs, but that did not hinder her vision of becoming somebody one day. Sharing a household with five siblings and extended family put financial strain on her parents because not only did they have to be parents and provide for their immediate children but they often had to support some relatives as well. At times there would be two or three children in high school or at university at the same time, but that did not change her parents’ views on education.

“I owe everything I am to my parents who valued education above everything and would have given everything for all six of their children to grow up in a happy, stable and healthy environment” she says. Her love for Earth Sciences was revealed in 2009 when she attended a careers day conference held at the University of Kwazulu-Natal (hosted by

Age: 22Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in GeologyStudying: Master of Science in Geology

a number of South African mining companies), dealing primarily with women in engineering and science. At that conference she was introduced to geology, particularly mining geology. Being accepted into a university was not a problem as her marks were well above the required amount for her geology programme at Wits University; the problem was getting a company that believed in her enough to provide her with financial assistance for her studies, and Bale came to the rescue.

“What really separates Bale from other scholarships is that it provides the academic support, social support and development skills that are so needed by today’s youth”. The programme has not only helped a group of talented ladies financially, but it has helped them identify who they are as individuals. It has aided them in developing crucial workplace skills and most importantly to be resilient. As one of the few females who are pursuing careers in the mining industry she emphasizes how challenging it is at times. She recalls an incident in her honours year when she was in the boardroom of

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one of South Africa’s largest coal producers and out of the twenty four seats around the table only four were occupied by women, including her. Although majority of top positions in the mining industry are still occupied by men, I believe that women are getting there.

“My advice to anyone who would like to pursue a career in geology or any mining related field is, impossible is nothing. Nothing worth having will ever be easy to obtain. Working hard for now to live the life you want and deserve in the future is worth it”.

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I grew up in Limpopo province in a very remote village called Tshedza found in Nzhelele side of Venda. My career or my love for science began when I went to a little private school which was started by Indians. It was the only

successful private school near my home. With only one parent working and not being the only child, things were not very easy for me. My mother is an educator who struggled to give us the best education and the best life of all. Today I can say proudly say thank you mum and dad for all the support. After passing my matric in 2009 I enrolled at Wits in 2010 and began to study towards a Microbiology and Biochemistry degree which I obtained in 2013.

My story is a bit unique and different; I probably needed Bale more than anyone else in the programme, not just in terms of the funding but in terms of the support and workshops that were held every month. I found out I was pregnant just a few weeks after I was given the opportunity to become a Bale student. This was the hardest thing I went through, but when I started talking to people especially the Bale students I began to accept the

Age: 24 Degrees: Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Honours in Biochemistry and Cell Biology Place of Work: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and studying a Master of SciencePosition Held: Protein Technology Intern and MSc student

mistake that I had made and learnt to live without letting it hold me back.

The workshops with Colleen were very helpful in terms of the way I handled stress in my honours year and the stress I had after having the baby. I had so much going on in my life, looking back; I would not have survived my honours year if it was not for the stress resilience workshops. The Bale group and staff were very supportive and I found myself being the happiest mom this year all thanks to Bale. The last workshops with all the Bale ‘ancestors’ was very inspiring for me. When I saw all those Bale graduates I saw myself in a few years’ time, with no limits, I dreamt of the day when I would walk into my office as a very young lady.

Professionally I do not know how to thank the Bale scholarship and/or the scholarship programme. I remember I wanted to deregister at Wits just before I heard that there was a scholarship. I was so stressed out that week because my mum could not get the loan for me to study further as my sister was also doing her first year at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan

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University. I had no choice but to deregister and go into the job market and give my sister a chance. Bale for me was like an angel that came to rescue me and give me an opportunity to follow my dreams.

After finishing my honours degree I stayed at home to look after the baby for 8 months and during this time I was running my own business, “the business of becoming employed”. It was not easy for me but having attended the stress resilience workshops, I used each and every technique just to try and be happy about my situation. I was applying for jobs and graduate programmes every day and I was doing this though the internet using the Bale money that I had saved from last year. Without this money from the Bale scholarship I would not be where I am today, I was covered financially for several months and emotionally forever. The job search workshop was one of the best workshops that worked for me, of all the companies that I applied to 90% responded to me with interviews. Since I was in Limpopo I attended lots of telephonic interviews and video calling interviews which were very successful for me. I chose CSIR because I saw a bigger opportunity, my dream was not to go and work anywhere but I love research and I am willing to study further to become a research scientist and this is the company that will do it for me.

Today Bale has helped me deal with office politics, stress in the workplace and at home and it has helped me search my way into my career. The journey began with the Carnegie scholarship which helped me build a very strong foundation for myself and my career.

I came to CSIR as an intern, and little did I know that they offer opportunities to study and obtain postgraduate degree. I was given five projects which I must start working on and finish within a year. Two

weeks after I started working my manager came to me and said that I was overqualified to be an intern and he asked me if would like to be an MSc student with a monthly salary and university fees paid in full. This was the biggest opportunity for me I did not even think for moment. Two weeks into the company and already I am being promoted, being given a chance to work and also to study for FREE. Today I am an MSc student at UP but I am working at CSIR as an intern.

I must say that I am a bit lucky in this department because many of our staff members are females and I have not had problems when it comes to gender. Molecular Biology is for everyone, but lately only females are interested in doing it. It is very inspiring to work with both genders as it creates diversity in the workplace (there are less politics when it’s mixed genders).

Molecular Biology is a very interesting field that requires lots of work and lots of studying each and every time. One needs to keep up with the published articles and the knowledge of both science and business. What inspires me here at CSIR is that it is not just about doing research but it’s research that must benefit the country and its people and this is what must keep you going at the end of the day, you must have a product to present to people. This career is for people who want to research for development and want to be part of ground breaking research. It is very exciting because you get to be in the lab and do different things every day; you are not stuck doing the same thing every day. Each day that passes is an opportunity for you to learn new things and grow beyond your powerful mind.

Student Equity and Talent Management Unit (SETMU)Emthonjeni Centre, East Campus

University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgTel: 011 717 8665

http://www.wits.ac.za/aboutwits/2955/studentequity.html