Jabulani Mokeoena from Orange Farm was one of the Afrika Tikkun beneficiaries who was selected to go to Germany in Septmeber. Jabulani tells us about it.
Jabulani has been part of Arekopaneng Centre since he was in Grade 4 in 2006. “My passion for athletics begun when I did my first race and I was given R20.00 for finishing the race. From there I never stopped. I knew I wanted to be an athlete. When I was 16 years old, I did the Pick n’ Pay race but I did not qualify to go to Germany because I was too young“ he said. Jabu then did the race again a year later; he won and with his time, qualified to go to Germany.
He describes his experience in Germany as very informative, exceptional and proud moment for him and his family. “It was my first time boarding a plane“ he added. “We had a race on Saturday. I completed a 7.5km race in 36 min and 2 seconds” he proudly said. Besides doing athletics they visited “Repair and Replace “, where they learnt how to fix a windscreen. They also job shadowed at a Customer Contact Centre Where they were exposed to the world of customer care.
My biggest highlight was being taught how to conduct and market myself and being motivated to follow my dream and not to give up in life, to always do things passionately “he added. Besides athletics, Jabu is part of the Student Representative Council. He is also doing arts and drama and enjoys motivating peers.” I would like to study culinary arts after matric because I am passionate about food and cooking. I would like to bring change to my family and make my grandmother and siblings proud and always strive to be the best that I can be” he concluded.
I would like to thank Synthesis Software Technologies for being one of the sponsors of this incredible opportunity. Without companies such as Synthesis, getting to Germany and participating in the race would still be a dream and not a reality.
