South African Woman Builds House with University Allowance, Mzansi Cheers: "Super Proud of You"

• A South African woman shared a viral TikTok video showcasing her house construction, funded by her tertiary allowance
• Social media users were impressed by her financial discipline and long-term vision, with many calling her a "true inspiration"
• The story sparked a national conversation about financial literacy and wise spending, with others asking for her budgeting tips

A young South African woman has caused a stir online after sharing a video showing the progress of a house she is reportedly building all thanks to her tertiary allowance.

Woman builds house with tertiary allowance funds

The short video, which has since gone viral on TikTok, was posted by the young lady herself under the handle @lamageba00 on 15 June 2025.

@lamageba00 documented the various stages of construction, from the foundation being laid to the brickwork rising steadily. In the caption, the woman hints that she has been using the funds from her school allowance to finance the project. She proudly shows off the structure, which appears to be a decent-sized home under construction.

Taking to her TikTok, she simply said the following:

"Someone will still wear Gentle Magic sneakers."

Mzansi users were left both inspired and stunned, with many applauding her financial discipline and vision.

Others, however, expressed concern over how she managed to stretch a limited student budget to fund a construction project, with a few questioning if she may have received additional financial support. Nevertheless, the general consensus was admiration for her determination and foresight.

In a time when many students struggle with budgeting or are criticised for spending allowances irresponsibly, @lamageba00's story stands out as a rare example of long-term thinking. Social media users have dubbed her a “true inspiration,” and some even asked for tips on how she managed to save and plan her finances so effectively.

Whether the full cost of the house was covered solely by the allowance or not, the young woman’s journey has sparked a broader conversation in South Africa about financial literacy, wise spending, and turning small opportunities into long-term gains.

Take a look at the video below:

Mzansi reacts to woman's NSFAS home

People had diverse reactions to the post about the home. Most people inquired about specific aspects of the place.

Whatever said:

"Wow, all the best lapho yami ngayibhubhudla."

Rencia75 expressed:

"Ebonine sekmele schaze emakhaya manje kut yethu ibhekaphi congratulations."

Lungelo Nyamatane

"Super proud of you, sana."

Summer Raii commented:

"Congratulations, gorgeous. Super proud of you, stranger."

Common sense wrote:

"We need thousands of yous like that."

Mxo@03 shared:

"I think you're also tutoring anyway, congratulations."

Mamthiyane stated:

"Congratulations, mama if I can ask, how much did the bricks cost you? Including cement."

People show off home built with NSFAS allowance

• Briefly News reported that one woman went on social media to share that she managed to build her mother a house with the funds she received from NSFAS. She posted a picture of the home on her X/Twitter account @TwaRSA26.
• A young lady has posted images of her shack in a popular online group where many people share interior décor tips and tricks. In her post, the sis noted that she used part of her NSFAS funds to make herself a home, with her abode neat, presentable, and clean.
• One woman saved all her NISFAS university funding and put it towards building her mother a house, while others used theirs to party.

Source: Briefly News