Good Morning Angels New Year’s Edition: Violet’s first year nursing tuition fees covered

BACKGROUND: Violet Mbongwe finished her matric at the Phoenix High School in Vereeniging last year, as both Valedictorian and top achiever in English, Afrikaans, and Life Science. She is a bright, hardworking, impressive young lady with her eyes firmly on a better future for herself and her family.

As the youngest of her domestic worker mom Joyce’s nine children, Violet knows financial hardship - especially after her mom lost her job due to the COVID-19 lockdown last year. Her mom and friends supported Violet to study and finish her final year of school with flying colours. She studied up to nine hours a day to make sure that her marks will take her to University to study a degree in nursing.

Violet was 11 when her brother was seriously hurt in an accident. This was a traumatic time for her close, devoted family, as he spent over four months in hospital: “… we still managed to keep our hopes high and that is because of the nurses. It was their kindness, sympathy and compassion that allowed us to stay hopeful through it all". And this is when Violet decided she wanted to become a nurse. Now, she is on the verge of starting her studies at the University of Pretoria to fulfil her dream, but all she needs is financial backing to realise her potential to become the best nurse she can be. 

REQUEST FOR: Violet Zanele Mbongwe 

ANGEL: Dave Arnold representing Sabat Batteries, our Good Morning Angels New Year’s Edition Bursary Sponsors  

SPONSORING: From their Bursary Fund, Sabat Batteries will sponsor Violet’s first year tuition fees of R62,400 to study at the University of Pretoria!

ORIGINAL REQUEST:

To GMA and SABAT Batteries 

I was 11 years old when I first realised that I wanted to become a nurse. My older brother had just been involved in a tragic accident, he suffered severe head trauma and lost complete vision in his left eye. On top of that he spent three months in the Intensive Care Unit and then a month in general care. And although this whole experience was an emotional rollercoaster for our whole family, we still managed to keep our hopes high and that is because of the nurses. It was their kindness, sympathy and compassion that allowed us to stay hopeful through it all. Being able to see the level of satisfaction that those nurses felt from selflessly helping him and the other patients inspired my interest in nursing. I knew from then that my destiny was to help make a change in people’s lives, just like the nurses helped change my brothers. 

My name is Violet Mbongwe, I am 18 years old and this is my story...

I didn’t grow up very privileged, my mom has been a domestic worker her whole life and in 2020 she lost her job due to the pandemic. This created a huge financial burden on us since there was no form of income. But despite the financial challenges that 2020 bought our family, my mom did her best so that I could have the opportunity of going to school. I am proud to say that I completed my matric in 2020 at Phoenix High Vereeniging as both Valedictorian and top achiever in English, Afrikaans and Life Science. My plan is to obtain a bachelor degree in Nursing Science [BCur] at the University of Pretoria where i have received conditional acceptance. I have also been accepted into the only all-female medical residence on the Prinshof Campus. To make my dream of becoming a nurse a reality I need help paying my tuition and residence fees.

I know that if I receive one of the five bursaries, I would be set for life. Not only will it give me the opportunity to make my mom and family proud but it would also give me the opportunity to make a direct impact in other people’s lives. As a hardworking, problem solver, empathetic and caring person I believe that I can be an asset to the public healthcare system in South Africa. 

Thank you for taking the time to read over my letter. 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Violet Zanele Mbongwe 

Image credit: Jacaranda FM