Independence, hard work and perseverance
By Nangamso Ngoma, LEAP (Langa) matriculant in 2006 and University of Cape Town graduate
I am Nangamso Ngoma, born and bred in the dusty streets of Sada. A small village located on the outskirts of Queenstown. As a young girl, I grew up very shy and quiet but in that silence lay a dream. A dream to make a person out of the little fragile girl I was.
The story of my success began when I was still at a very tender age, through the kiddie toys and educational quizzes that my older brother bought for me. They gave me the edge to excel. I attended primary school in my village and when time came for high school; my parents decided I should move to Cape Town to receive a better education and for more opportunities. This was a very emotional transition in my life because it meant I would have to go and be by myself in a foreign land.
When I arrived in Cape Town, I was struggling to find a school with a culture that accommodated my personality. The first week came to an end with no luck. The following week my brother was advised by a family friend who was a teacher in Langa to go and attempt LEAP Science and Maths School in Pinelands. We proceeded to the school and in an instant my search came to an end. The LEAP community welcomed me with great warmth; right there and then I felt at home.
LEAP has got a rich culture that complemented my personality and I took that in my stride. The commitment and support the staff give to students is extraordinary. Not only do they focus on educational excellence but they socially develop their students. It is through their outstanding dedication that I found myself at the gates of one of the most prestigious universities in Africa, the University of Cape Town. To my alma mata thank you for instilling in me the importance of independence, hard work and perseverance. In December 2011 I graduated with a Honours degree in Business Science and I am currently busy with the my Business Science degree majoring in accounting. LEAP is indeed a school of excellence and a stepping stone to greater endeavors for those who have been given the privilege of being a part of its community.
