We all have desires to break away from our current situations and to leave a mark. Well, that was me; a girl from Emdeni, a place where failure is the order of the day and success is just a myth. I only had one vision in mind which was to turn the myth into a reality. At that time, I had no clue how I was going to achieve my dream. The only thing I had at my disposal was an urge to avoid failure.

One day on my way to school I saw a billboard from the University of Johannesburg which encouraged possible candidates to apply and avoid disappointments. After seeing that billboard I knew that was an answer to how I was going to make the myth my reality. The striking colour of orange in the University of Johannesburg logo spoke volumes to me, that colour provided an airbag for my future; it symbolized a new dawn and a future reimagined.

I spent my entire matric year knowing that I was a step closer to my vision. I thrived to break boundaries and become my ancestor’s wildest dream. I knew that Emdeni for me possessed a different narrative. A narrative of change and growth. All I knew was ‘ngiyaphambili’ (I am going forward and backwards was not an option).

My first year at the University of Johannesburg was my first step in changing the narrative although it was the most difficult time in my life. The streets of Emdeni were a constant reminder of the task at hand. I went into my second year knowing very well my capabilities and awaiting a new dawn. I found myself constantly revisiting and challenging the possibilities of my narrative of perseverance.

My third year was a groundbreaking journey as it provided me with a window of opportunity to cast away my ancestral spell. Finishing my degree and having the opportunity to further study for a BA Hons in Politics and International Relations was a testimony of the power of affirming success in your life. Today, I sit with a degree in Public Management and Governance and a BA Hons in Politics and International Relations. Well, a success story for some, but for me the real success was my first walk into the University of Johannesburg. From that point on I knew that was my breaking of a new dawn. Those doors cast away my generational curse and changed the narrative. The echoes of orange were a symbol of the significant footprint that a girl from Emdeni was about to mark.

Emdeni was designed to be a systematic prison for my ancestors. It is a place where crime is the norm and success was the only punishable offense. But for me, those crude houses and the dusty streets gave me a platform on which to build my dreams. The break of a new dawn possessed the gift of light and a beginning of an era. It has provided me with the power to ignite change and uncover endless possibilities. It was indeed a journey of perseverance and conquering obstacles.