In January 2016 I was finally accepted to enrol at the University of the Western Cape to do a BA course. The sun was very hot the whole week and I was there every day to check and be updated about my application. One Friday when I was sick of being on campus every day, not knowing if they would take me in or not, I just went straight to the Faculty of Arts with tears all over my face.

I couldn’t speak, not one word. There was this coloured lady who was working there. She was very nice and asked my details. I gave them to her on a piece of paper. This lady said, “Why are crying because everything is fine here. You should be applying for NSFAS.”

I could not believe what I was hearing. I stood up and asked what she just told me. She repeated it. I was very happy. I walked out of that office and went straight to the NSFAS offices, then I went home. When I got home I got some money to buy airtime so that I could call my mother to share the news, because she was still in the Eastern Cape. It was the start of a new future.

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Tell us: What great news have you been told by a stranger?