How education became the key to success for a young KZN woman
Image: Supplied
For Tracy Nyongwana, success didn't come by chance, but it was crafted through discipline, strategy, and an unshakeable belief in the power of education.
At just 23 years old, the process engineer in training at Sasol, has completed two degrees in five years - a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Applied Chemistry Engineering degree at Wits University. But behind the milestones is a young woman who learned early that success demands intentional choices.
'I didn't have to be the smartest,' Nyongwana said. 'I just had to be willing to learn, ask questions, believe, and keep showing up.'
Raised in a disadvantaged household in Verulam, north of Durban, Nyongwana made the decision in high school that she would change her life through education, even before knowing if she'd ever afford university.
Her turning point came in Grade 9, when she fought to qualify for a German-sponsored scholarship to attend school at Sacred Heart Secondary School.
This meant managing long days packed with chores like cooking, cleaning, and caring for siblings, before she could sit down to study until 3am. 'It was exhausting, but the scholarship opportunity motivated me to push through,' she said.
Nyongwana's academic record soared, and with it came new influences that shaped her thinking.
She also received help from non-profit organisation PROTEC which provides education support primarily to disadvantaged learners and teachers in STEM-gateway subjects – Maths, Technology and Science – as well as English.
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Nyongwana said that at PROTEC, she was inspired by alumni who had walked a similar path. 'Their stories taught me that my background doesn't define me,' she said, 'and I could become an independent, smart, and career-driven individual.'
She added that she adopted a strategic mindset at university. 'I didn't focus much on making friends for fun,' she said. 'Instead, I built partnerships and intentional relationships centered around academic growth.'
She actively sought out older students in her programme who were doing well and turned them into informal mentors. 'I'd ask questions like: 'What helped you pass? What would you do differently? What were your hardest modules?' That hunger to learn from others was a game-changer for me.'
She admitted that even with a clear plan, there were tough moments. What carried her through was humility and faith. 'I intentionally made myself small at every table I sat at, which allowed me to learn, absorb, and grow,' she said. 'And I don't believe I could've done it without God.'
Nyongwana said finding mentors was invaluable to her. It was a mentor who first told her about the Sasol bursary, which was an opportunity she hadn't known existed. 'She even helped me prepare for the interviews,' Nyongwana said.
'When I finally received that Sasol bursary in 2022, something inside me shifted. I could see the light. I was on the path. I was 'becoming that girl', the woman I had dreamed of becoming.
'The inspiration my mentors gave me now fuels my desire to pour into someone else's cup,' she said.
Today, she mentors students who remind her of where she once stood determined, but uncertain.
Her current focus is on becoming the best engineer she can be. 'I'm not rushing the process,' she said. Long-term, she's eyeing a future in leadership, perhaps through mining or business. 'I genuinely believe I'm being prepared for something greater, something bigger than just a job title.
'Whatever path I take, one thing I know for sure is that I want to 'be that girl', the one who broke the cycle, the one who rose despite the odds, the one who stayed humble, worked hard, and walked in faith.'
THE MERCURY
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