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Ofhani Shaun Mandiwana is from a small village called Mapate
in Limpopo, South Africa. Ofhani describes it as a place where “horrific
crimes” happen often, and where he “grew up believing that due to the sheer
magnitude of the injustice, there was nothing he could do about it except to
focus on getting an education which would increase [his] chances of putting
bread on the table for [his] family in the future…nothing more.”
With this mindset, Ofhani secured a Davis Scholarship and
pursued an education at the College of Idaho. Amidst a list of accomplishments
that include, but are not limited to, being President of the International
Student Organization and an active member of both the Delegation for the Model
UN and the College of Idaho’s Enactus Chapter, Ofhani’s view of education
shifted. He has adopted the belief of the late Nkosi Johnson who died of
HIV+/AIDS at the tender age of 12... “learn, earn, and return.”
For Ofhani, his education gave him both the tools necessary
for articulating the needs of those who could not do so themselves and the
network within which he could exercise these skills.
This is not to say things always worked out the way Ofhani
hoped they would! He wrote to many different organizations before he was
successful in finding someone who would help him on his mission to “....impart
the young learners of [Vhutshilo Mountain School] with computer skills and life
lessons that will enable them to live active and positive lives.” As a result
of his tireless efforts, Ofhani played an essential role in the the donation of
10 computers and hard drives by the HP Foundation to the Vhutshilo Mountain
School (VMS).
With the donation of these computers, Ofhani hopes to
“encourage the community to rise up through education and get young learners to
“give back” via the spirit of Ubuntu, meaning ‘I am because we are.’ ”
Perseverance has allowed Ofhani to take leaps and bounds on
his mission to give back. He continues to learn, earn, and return to the
communities he cares about through his personal successes. Next, Ofhani hopes
to pursue his master’s degree in International Business while living in a busy
city like Boston, New York, or Seattle.
Hope for Limpopo is so grateful to have Ofhani as a friend
and an integral part of the organization. We are eager to see how he will
continue to change the world.
