Education
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PPS Insurance And Wits University
Website
“If you have the courage to begin, then you have the courage to succeed,” says Ziyabukwa Nyala, 24, a community builder who helps underprivileged children with their academic endeavours. After being a community engagement leader at her alma mater, Rhodes University, Ziyabukwa became a graduate intern tutor as well as an MCom student at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is also an advisor for PPS Insurance. She works with small advisory businesses to help them with the challenges they face running a small business. Ziyabukwa comes up with innovative solutions to help their businesses achieve their goals. She also does office visits to help the businesses hands-on. “I really enjoy my role because it gives me joy when the businesses are doing well and growing and employing more people, thus helping with the country’s current unemployment crisis,” she says. Ziyabukwa says learning new skills and sharing these as knowledge is power and will open more doors of opportunities. She encourages others to be motivated to help people who are less fortunate and make a positive impact on their lives. She led a partnership with Amakhala game reserve to teach learners environmental awareness and identify students struggling with schoolwork to sign up for a “backup” initiative.
- BCom (Rhodes University)
- BCom Honours (Rhodes)
- Enrolled for MCom in economics (Wits)
- Community engagement achievement certificates from Rhodes University
- Student leader (two years)
I learned how to swim when I was eight years old. Although it was scary at first, as time went by I learned the basics, and by age 11, I was swimming for my school’s league team. This memory taught me that if you have the courage to begin, then you have the courage to succeed.
I would tell my younger self not to be afraid to try new things, take risks, and put herself out there for opportunities. I would also tell her that dreams do come true and you can become whatever you put you’re mind to (The world is your oyster).
In five years I would like South Africa to be a country where there are opportunities for everyone and everyone is happy to live in. I would like for it to be a stronger and more inclusive economy where everyone is included in the mainstream economy. I would like for it to be a country that is free of corruption. I would also like for our country to have solved the energy crisis even if it is not fully solved since we know it may take years but to at least see that there are steps that have been taken to solve it and that it is partially solved, and maybe shifting towards greener energies which will not only benefit us but will also benefit the environment. Having solved the energy crisis, businesses will be productive again thus leading to the creation of employment. Investing in infrastructure will also help with the creation of employment as well. When more people are employed this means that more people are paying taxes thus the government has more to invest back into the economy.