Growing up in a low-income household, financial stability couldn’t be taken for granted; it’s something we strive towards. From a young age, I understood that my education was the clearest path to success for my family.

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If I became a Chartered Account (South Africa) (CA(SA)), I knew we could one day live comfortably and with dignity.

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The grind was real: While studying, I worked at Woolworths to help fund my studies. The long hours after lectures were exhausting, but  necessary. Also, I worked on a chicken farm after school to assist with home expenses. On the many days as I balanced work, studies, and family responsibilities, the pressure felt overwhelming. But I knew giving up was never an option. Failure meant returning to the financial uncertainty, something I was trying so hard to escape.

For anyone walking a similar path, I want you to know this: the sleepless nights, the deep-seated fears, and the moments of doubt do not mean you are failing. They are a sign that you are stretching beyond your circumstances. Progress does not always look impressive on the surface. Sometimes, it looks like simply showing up again and again.

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When everything in you wants to stop: keep going!

The challenges began earlier than my tertiary education. Even in my younger years, there were hurdles that shaped my determination. I grew up with simple dreams: living in a house that truly felt like ours, having reliable transport, and being able to move freely without worrying about affordability - symbols of progress, not luxury.

If your dreams feel “too small” to others, hold onto them anyway.

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Stability is powerful.

Security changes families.

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And breaking generational cycles? That’s going to start with you, with goals that look ordinary to the world but mean everything to you.

This journey to CA(SA) was lonely - I faced the difficulties of a demanding profession. There were moments of self-doubt, financial strain, and sheer exhaustion. But each hurdle reinforced why I started. The qualification was a ‘by the way’. Truthfully? I was working toward a better life for my family and myself.

To those who feel like they don’t belong in professional spaces because of their background: you do. Your background is the kind of resilience the professional space looks towards. Life skills developed through hardship will carry you further than you realise: the determination, and the grit. Today, as a CA(SA) working as an Audit Manager at Accensis, I am living the reality I once only imagined.

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I can provide.

Move forward with confidence.

And enjoy the stability that once felt out of reach.  

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I am living proof that where you start does not define where you end.

Yes, I had the talent alone, but success is also about this unshakable belief: your circumstances do not get the final say. Becoming a CA(SA) I am today has given my family  comfort, security, and the future I had hoped for while I was growing up.

And yet, the journey did not end with becoming a CA(SA).

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It’s only just beginning. The qualification was the foundation. What comes next is about growth, impact, and creating opportunities not only for myself, but for others who are still finding their way.

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