TSHANZHE – Humbulani Ndou (45) has become the toast of Tshanzhe, a small isolated remote rural village east of Thengwe. Although he grew up in a very poor family, he defied poverty and became an educational torch bearer because he is the first person to obtain a university degree in the village.

Before obtaining a university degree, he became the first person to pass Grade 12 in the village, in 1983. He also became the first qualified teacher in the village after completing his teacher’s diploma in 1988. Today, he is the only person who holds a B.ED Hons degree in the small dusty village after the UNISA graduation ceremony on Saturday.

“It is all about commitment, hard work and effective time management,” said Ndou, a teacher at the local Luvhengo Secondary School.

Ndou salutes his aging mother, Muditambi (77), who sold traditional beer, snuff and firewood to pay for his school fees. “I grew up in a very difficult situation but I never gave up reading my books. I remember when I did piece jobs to buy one chicken which laid and hatched countless eggs. I took care of the chicks until they grew up and I sold the chickens. The money supplemented my mother’s small income which paid for my college fees. My study room was the mountain because there were no study facilities at home. I have always told myself that I will one day hold a university degree, regardless of my poor financial background.”

Ndou is married to Margaret and the couple has four kids.

As the third-born child in his home, Ndou started his primary education at Mafukani Primary School in 1969. Because there was no high school in his village, he proceeded to Tondalushaka Secondary school, about 65km away from his home, to continue with his education, in 1979.

“At times I used to risk my life by walking alone, barefooted, in the bushes for about 65km, herding for Tondalushaka Secondary School, because I was thirsty for education. Things became better when a good samaritan accommodated me and I only went home during weekends.”

After completing his Grade 12, Ndou worked as an unqualified teacher at his village school for two years. He went on to study for his Secondary Teachers Diploma (STD) at Makhado College of Education from 1986 to 1988, the first STD in the village. In 1993, he registered for a BA degree with Unisa which he completed in 1995, also the first degree in the village. He became the first village graduate to obtain a B.ED Hons. Degree during the Unisa graduation held at Mokopane on Saturday.

“I still want to put my village on the map and I will only stop studying when I lose my sight,” said Ndou, who has registered for a Master’s degree with Unisa.

The village traditional leader, Headman Thinandavha Netshanzhe, said he is proud of Ndou because he is building a good image of the village.

“Whenever we have problems, we rush straight to him for assistance. He assists us with all the correspondences of the village and he is the role model of the young and the old. I encourage young kids to emulate Ndou and study hard for the benefit of society.”