Khuselwa Mxatule did not grow up with a clear idea of what she wanted to become. Born in Indwe and raised in Port Elizabeth as the second of seven children, she had a more immediate ambition: to escape poverty.At Walmer High School, Mxatule excelled in maths and science. In 2005, her science teacher, Mr Langeveldt, selected her to attend a science winter school at the then-Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. It was the first time she saw the possibilities that lay beyond matric.When she was offered a bursary to study mechanical engineering, she accepted it. She failed her first semester. Her principal, Lunga Dyani, had played an important role in opening another door. When an opportunity arose to nominate one more matriculant from the school for a scholarship intended for choir members, he put Mxatule's name forward, although she was not in the choir. The scholarship gave her the space to change direction. She left engineering and studied psychology. Development programmes had been part of Mxatule's life since high school, shaping her path and influencing her decision to move into youth development and education after her first degree. Her career has since been marked by discovery and pivots, leading to a master's in monitoring and evaluation, a role as Merl manager at the Global Campaign for Education and, now, her position as assistant director of impact and learning at the Trevor Noah Foundation.At the foundation, Mxatule sets up and oversees systems that guide impact management, strategic planning and operational alignment, while leading people across several departments. When the organisation evolved into a grant-making organisation, she established an impact management strategy, systems and tools to reflect the change and guided teams in putting them into practice.What she values most is seeing the difference the work makes to learners, educators, schools and partner organisations. She is equally proud of investing her skills in the kind of work that helped shape her journey.Her advice to young women beginning their careers: they may not always know where they are heading but every step deserves effort and dedication. Away from work, she spends time outdoors with her family, hiking or binge-watching a light-hearted series.