In a country where the percentage of children growing up without a present father is extremely high, one Durban teenager has thanked his dad for doing all he could to help him acquire decent education.
Khanya Mlongo, a 2023 matriculant at Durban-based private school Hilton College, has recently received the opportunity of a lifetime to complete his tertiary education at the prestigious Yale University in the United States of America.
Here, he will go on to fulfil his passion of studying economics. Khanya’s top priority is helping Africa realise its potential in the financial world.
“Africa is booming with potential but requires people who understand financial markets to unlock that potential.”
The proud pupil boasts several leadership qualities and has attended numerous vacational learning programmes as seen on his LinkedIn profile, and was also the deputy head boy at the boys’ school.
Taking to his school’s social media account, the 18-year-old expressed his excitement concerning the opportunity and thanked his father, who went above and beyond to make this possible.
“First, I thank God for this opportunity. All I have achieved is due to his generosity and grace in my life more than due to my own merit. It was Christ who blessed me with a father who worked hard to send me to Hilton, with teachers who regularly went above and beyond the call of duty, and with friends who believed in me when I doubted myself,” said Khanya.
He later also extended his appreciation to others working behind the scenes, some of which include his house masters and admin staff for creating a hostile environment for every boy to feel comfortable and realise their potential.
“Yale is a dream come true! But I will always miss Hilton and cherish the memories I made there,” he concluded.
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While his academic year at Yale officially kicks off in August, he is eager to get himself some experience by doing internships or other learning experiences in the meantime.