Lerato's Journey With Bokamoso

I remember walking through the gates of the Wits University, and feeling this rush of excitement run through my body, and simply proclaiming to myself, “wow, I had actually made it into Accounting Science. As I looked over my shoulder , I could feel the joy that filled my mother as well, when she gleefully said to me “Usebenzile Ntwana wami”. Williams once said “It takes a community to raise a Child". Through Bokamoso Trust and the Lombard company I have come to fully understand what Williams meant with that statement. So, I stand here, hoping to show you all how this has been my schooling journey thus far. As I reflect on my journey, I am grateful to the different contributors who have lent a helping hand, whether it be financially or in a mentorship manner, in my life. In 2009 , the Bokamoso trust took me under its wing and paved the way to my future. A pathway that I could never have imagined as a child raised by a single mother of 3. Also a pathway that has now, 13 years later, seen me, Lerato Natasha Ncube, matriculate from one of the Top schools in Gauteng. In the process of writing this speech, I slowly came to the realization that words cannot fully express my gratitude. The ‘village’, the Bokamoso Trust and others, have built for me has truly changed more than just my education. It has aided in me growing a back-bone to face a society that sees children like me as lost causes in life. Simply put, it has gifted my with hope. I recall the first time I met the Lombard family, I could barely manage to hold my nerves the night before, because the interview-process has always been nerve wracking for me . But the Lombard family was so welcoming and friendly, that I even forgot I was being interviewed. It is through this family that I am able to say that I am the first in my family to attend university. I mean, being able to just focus on school and not have any financial issues ,has been the greatest gift I have received . So to the community that has raised me , I would like to say thank you. Thank you for believing in me enough to invest in my future. I hope that those who come after me will be able to tell the same story of how organisations such as Bokamoso Trust and The Lombard company Family were able to change their futures .