Tholinhlanhla Thwala, 21, Ingwavuma
I dream of becoming a…
I dream of becoming a CEO for an HIV/AIDS organisation.
I’m living it now by…
I am living it now by being an HIV/AIDS peer educator and helping the local HIV/AIDS Officer (voluntary).
I’m going to do it with…
I am going to do it by completing a junior degree in Bachelor of Social Sciences and further my studies by obtaining an HIV/AIDS Management Honours degree.
I believe I am a leader and role model because…
I believe I am a leader and role model because I do HIV/AIDS tests public to encourage other students to do likewise, I tell them the importance of knowing their status and thus has increased the number of students testing on campus. Students do approach me concerning health issues and sometimes ask me to accompany them while going for HIV/AIDS test.
I believe I have a positive, ‘never give up’ attitude because…
I believe I have a positive, ‘never give up’ attitude because I have faced challenges when students were not willing to partake in health campaigns and workshops, but still I kept on emphasising the importance of those campaigns. I came up with an idea that the university must make them compulsory so that students should attend them and today the campaigns are success.
I believe the only way to success is through…
I believe the only way to success is through working smart and doing what you are really passionate about so that you do not give up when trials come your way.
I have overcome the following challenges…
I have overcome the following challenges: changing the status quo in my family – no one had ever finished Grade 12 and furthered their studies (I broke that record), parental death (both my parents died but i did not take that as an obstacle for pursuing my dreams) and financial crisis (I struggle a lot with finances but I still believe education will change that however, it is also a struggle to obtain that education without financial support).
View Tholly’s video on “Why she should be the next Future Star”
Go to the Future Stars Awards page