For as long as she could remember, Bongi had dreamt of going to university. She always imagined herself sitting in the big lecture halls. She saw herself in the university’s great library, running her fingers along the spines of the books. She could even imagine herself studying with a group of friends or just hanging out. In her dreams, everyone was always happy and excited about their new adventure.

Bongi believed it was everybody’s dream; who wouldn’t want that? But her biggest motivation was her grandmother, Nana. She had seen Bongi through the worst times. They had grieved together when Bongi’s mother had been tragically killed in a road accident a few years before. Nana had been her rock, but she struggled to support Bongi on her SASSA grant. Bongi wanted, more than anything, to give Nana a good life. She wanted to give her rest. But to do that, Bongi needed to provide for both of them. She needed to study and get a good job.

Bongi had counted on getting high enough marks in Matric to get a scholarship. But, after months of studying, taking extra classes, and refusing party invites because she had essays to write, after all that hard work, she hadn’t done as well as she had expected in her June exams. She wondered if her marks would even get her a provisional acceptance, and there was no way she would be getting the scholarships she had depended on.

What’s more, her Nana had fallen ill in the winter weather with a cold that had turned into pneumonia. When Bongi should have been applying to university, she was nursing her granny. There was no money for the medications that she needed, or for food.

Hey chommie, did you get your application in? Todays the last day.

That was the WhatsApp from her friend Andiswa. Bongi’s heart started beating faster. How could it be now? How could she get her application in and get money they needed so badly? Her life was a mess.

But she had to try. She needed money for Nana’s meds. And she needed to find a place where she could scan documents and send in her varsity application. There was only one thing she could do now, and that was to borrow money. She hated the thought as she knew how they had struggled the last time they had taken out a loan — how the loan shark had threatened them. But there was nowhere else to turn.

She would do both things. She would take her June certificate and the documents needed to apply for a loan and head for town. She had heard of a loan company in the centre, EezyLoans!, where the interest was low. When she had got some cash, she would find an internet shop and apply to university.

But in the town centre, she walked up and down the streets. She had no map, and people looked at her like she was crazy when she asked for directions. “Never heard of it,” said one person. “There’s no such street,” said another.

She sunk to the ground on a dirty street corner, litter strewn around her, her head in her hands.

“Can I help you?”

She looked up to see a tall man holding out his hand to her. He pulled her to her feet.

“Why don’t you come inside and tell me all about it? A pretty young lady like you should not be in tears.” It was then that she saw the sign over the door: EezyLoans!. So she had been on the right street after all. It was called Watson, not Weston, she realised. She felt a surge of relief as the man ushered her into his office.

“So, why are you so distressed? Tell me everything,” he smiled. Just his friendly face made her burst into tears again.

He handed her tissues, and when she had stopped crying, Bongi told him everything.

Tell us: do you think this man will help Bongi with her problems?