FunDza interviewed 10 Fantastic FunDza Fanz! Meet Letlhogonolo.
Letlhogonolo Doleza’s story is one of inspiration and growth in the face of hardship. Despite the realities of crime and unemployment in his community, Letlhogonolo, 22, is reflecting on the learnings he finds in books and applying them to the world around him.
One of five – a tough start
Letlhogonolo is from a small village in the North West. Looking back at his childhood, Letlhogonolo describes it as having been tough. He is the eldest of five – four boys and one girl – all raised by their single mother. Letlhogonolo speaks of his mother as being “a strong woman.”
Growing up, the boys were very aware that things were difficult for their mother and that she tried as best she could. “My mom tried everything to raise us [in a way] to make sure we don”t have to worry about anything. Our situation at home was so very difficult.”
Living in the village also meant that Letlhogonolo’s access to books was limited. The village did not have a library and people did not have books in their homes. “[Reading] wasn’t part of my life until I got to know about FunDza.”
Despite all this, the five brothers all attended school and had big dreams for the future. “I dreamt of becoming a lawyer because I wanted to help people find justice.”
A keen interest in justice
Currently living in a town in the North West, Letlhogonolo still has a keen interest in crime and justice. He recently completed a course on FunDza called Act it Out. Letlhogonolo found this course particularly meaningful as it touched on many of the social issues that he is exposed to on a daily basis. One issue that this course dealt with was rape. “Where I come from, there was a girl in the village who was raped, but she struggled to find justice.” The course helped Letlhogonolo become more aware of the difficulties surrounding rape.
Despite the town being an area with high levels of violent crime, moving there has been a positive step for Letlhogonolo. He explains that he is now surrounded by people who encourage him daily and support him to find work.
LIfe in the North West
While he is not working, Letlhogonolo uses his love for soccer to help his community. As a young boy, soccer helped Letlhogonolo “escape” the worries of daily life. “Every day after school I played soccer. It was an escape – it gave me peace of mind. If it wasn’t for soccer, my home situation could have affected my studies.” Knowing the positive impact that having soccer as a hobby had on his own life, Letlhogonolo now uses the sport to be able to reach and mentor other young boys faced with similar issues. “I encourage the youngsters to play soccer. Things like this help these kids stay away from things like drugs,” he explains.
His advice to other youth is to “seek help when things get too much, do not rush to grow and stay open-minded to the views and opinions of others.” A lesson he says he has learnt from reading.
Letlhogonolo now has access to libraries, which he uses to find books to broaden his reading skills and knowledge. The last book he read was called The Power Of Purpose, which focuses on overcoming insurmountable challenges in life. “This was an exceptionally motivational book. It speaks to all people yet has a specific message for each reader,” he reflects. “The message I got was that I need to broaden my personal vision and open new doors to build a life with purpose.”
We asked Letlhogonolo:
Why do you like reading on FunDza?
I love FunDza because they provide us with courses that are enjoyable and educational.
When is your favourite time to read on FunDza?
Ten In the morning and at midnight.
What’s your favourite thing to read on FunDza?
Blogs
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time besides reading on FunDza?
Learning about investments
To read about the nine other Fanastic FunDza Fanz, click here.
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