All I wanted was to bring solutions and let the youth have access to education despite their family backgrounds.

Forced to be a mother to her younger siblings at the age of 16 in a village with few resources is what put Cassandra Ndlovu on her path to establishing Creseldah Educational Foundations.

“Growing up was tough,” she says. “I passed matric in 1999 and I didn’t even know I had to apply to attend a tertiary institution. This has influenced my journey deeply, and inspired me to advocate for the young ones, whom I refer to as young future leaders.”

Running for more than a decade, the foundation “has benefited many youth tremendously”. It’s like a dream come true for Ndlovu. The noble mission she set out on has, however, come with numerous challenges, the biggest one being a lack of funding. “A lack of resources and funds have always influenced [my work] and I had to initiate income-generating ideas to finance the programmes I do. But challenges are always there, and I always say they help us to be innovative.”

Raised in Justicia Trust, Mpumalanga, the 38-year-old is on her way to obtaining her BComm degree through Unisa. She has also won a slew of awards, and although she says she is “truly humbled by the recognition I am receiving for the visible work that I am doing”, Ndlovu says her greatest achievement is seeing the effect her work has on the youth. “For me, witnessing the graduation of my beneficiaries — youth who grew up in the poorest of the poor families — that is my greatest achievement.”

Ndlovu quotes the title of her 2012 book, Your background is not your future when dispensing advice to young men and women. “I would also say be courageous, find your talent and back it up with education. You might have gone through a lot but, as long as you still have life, anything is possible. You can achieve your dreams — just surround yourself with people who appreciate you and see greatness in you.”

— Carl Collison

Twitter: @creseldah