From grief to graduation: aunt sacrifices to send niece to college after sister passes away
Celiwe Mntambo is the sister of the late Goodness Mntambo, who is recognised for fulfilling her promise to provide a good education for her niece after Goodness's passing in 2021.
Picture: Pexels
CapeTalk's John Maytham speaks to Celiwe Mntambo, the sister of the late Goodness Mntambo, who made a promise to give her kids a good education before passing away.
Listen below:
Celiwe Mntambo from Clayville, Olifantsfontein, is the sister of the late Goodness Mntambo, who is recognised for fulfilling her sister's promise to provide a good education for her niece after Goodness's passing in 2021.
Weeks before Goodness' passing, her youngest daughter was scheduled to start college. When she died Goodness' sister Celiwe made her dream a reality.
Celiwe, who worked as a receptionist at the time, was also on a learnership at a local software development firm when she lost her sister.
She earned a modest stipend each month and raised funds by selling snacks to students on the side of the road to ensure that her niece, Nompilo, could complete her tertiary education... which she did!
Nompilo recently graduated with a National Senior Certificate in Human Resource Management from the Ekurhuleni West TVET College.
"It was a very sad thing but we told ourselves that we had to keep on going... we couldn't dwell on it. That's why Nompilo decided to step forward and go to college and study... I had to step in."
- Celiwe Mntambo
"Yes, it was hard [to find the money]... Nompilo applied for NSFAS which NSFAS didn't approve. I had to use my stipend which wasn't much... I had to divide it between tuition fees, pay rent and buy food... I had to move and find another room for myself so I had to pay for two rooms... I had to buy Nompilo food, I had to buy myself food, transport for myself, for Nompilo... but I did it with that little money I got..."
- Celiwe Mntambo
"It wasn't much but it was helping..."
- Celiwe Mntambo
Celiwe is also in the process of an apprenticeship to be an electrician which is on pause as she will only be able to complete it once her niece finishes her studies.
"Right now, she's still searching for an internship so she can obtain her diploma, then I can continue..."
- Celiwe Mntambo
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the conversation.