Every once in a while someone comes along into your life that forces you to examine your own, examine the way you relate to other people, the way you pay it forward, the way you appreciate every little thing that comes your way. Unathi is one of those people. She started as a volunteer in 2009 at the Makhaza branch and very quickly integrated herself into every little inch of everything we do, a walking embodiment of all the values we as Ikamvanites hold in our hearts and try live by every day.
So quickly did she become part of the branch and as the head of two programs, we never thought of the possibility of ever losing her to the corportate world!
Unathi and Torie
“My name is Unathi Smile, joined Ikamva Youth in 2009 as a volunteer. The main subjects I tutored were Maths, Accounting, Business Economics and Economics. I started tutoring the younger grades especially the grade 10s. I matriculated in 2006 from Harry Gwala Secondary; in 2010 I graduated in ND: Management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. In 2012 I graduated in Btech: Quality from the same institution. In between studying, I maintained volunteering at Ikamva and I tutored the older grades. In 2011 I tutored intensely which resulted in me becoming a coach in a computer program called Khan Academy. This did not end there I became the director of the Khan Academy program.
Capitec Bank hosted Competency Tests during the March school holidays to help IkamvaYouth develop a benchmark for which we can compare results, which I also took part in. In a matter of 3 weeks I received a phone call from the bank for an interview. Right after the interview I waited for full two weeks and heard the news I have wanted to hear, I had passed the interview!
The experience I have gained from working with the kids and the knowledge I have gained from studying for 5 years made me the leader I am today.”
So today is Unathi’s first day at her new job! And while we are very sad at Makhaza not to have her around everyday, this is the whole reason why we do what we do – people paying it forward in their lives, pulling themselves and each other out of povery. Unathi we know you will be a HUGE success at Capitec, and they will love you as much as we do!
Chilling with the boys
Lloyd Lungu