A determined mom from Hanover Park, who refused to give up on her dream of finishing school, has now matriculated with a Bachelor’s Pass.
Following months of hard work Abdah Shabodien, 35, received top honours at the graduation ceremony hosted by the Hopeful Leaders Night School.
The initiative – started by single mom and community activist Yumna Alexander – was first launched in Manenberg in 2020 with the aim of equipping parents who were unable to complete their matric due to socio-economic issues.
Abdah says after leaving school in Grade 11 due to negative influences, she always regretted not finishing matric.
She went to work as a junior ticketing assistant for her father, who runs a hajj company, but later moved on to work as a senior ticketing assistant elsewhere.
As a result of the pandemic, she lost her job and found the night school on social media.
“It was hard and I also felt like giving up,” Abdah says.
“It was a struggle to find people to look after my children while I was at class but I pushed through and always remembered Yumna’s words about not making excuses.
“On the day I wrote my last exam, my fiancé Fawaaz Essack was waiting for me and proposed.
She adds: “When we arrived at the ceremony last week, I waited for them to call my name and became worried when all the people went up.
“I couldn’t believe it when Yumna announced the Bachelor’s Pass.”
This year, Yumna and her team partnered with Crystal High School and opened a second night school.
She says tears flowed at the ceremony last week as parents lined up to receive their results.
“At the Hanover Park school, 80% of our students are doing three subjects this year and three next year,” says Yumna.
“Of those who completed this year, we had 20 who passed.
“In Manenberg, we achieved a 70% pass rate with three diplomas and seven higher certificates.
“It was overwhelming to see how proud the parents were.
“As a mom, I knew completing matric was the first step to a better life for me and my children and when I started this project, I wanted to help other parents.”
For more information follow Hopeful Leaders Night School on Facebook.
monique.duval@inl.co.za