“From Selling Clothes to Owning My First Car”: Woman Shares Personal Success Story Despite Loss

• A young South African woman shared her inspiring journey from finishing matric in 2017 to buying her first car in 2024
• The determined graduate had to hustle by selling clothes and Herbalife products to support herself through university, even after failing her final year in 2020, due to personal challenges
• Her success story shows remarkable resilience as she went on to complete her PGCE in 2023 and secured a permanent job

A young woman's journey from student to successful graduate has inspired many on social media. Content creator @nechesblog_ shared a touching video in May of a young woman's journey from 2017 to 2025. The post shows how the woman overcame significant challenges to achieve her dreams.

The story begins in 2017 when she completed matric, excited about starting university. However, life became challenging in 2018, leading her to join the Thusanani Foundation. By 2019, she was experiencing her "happiest moment" after receiving an NSFAS bursary, but this joy was cut short when she lost her mother.

In 2020, she struggled to cope without her mother's support. To make ends meet while studying, she began selling clothes and Herbalife products. Despite her efforts, the emotional toll proved too great, and she failed her final year at university.

Refusing to give up, she repeated her final year in 2021 and even became an SRC member. Her persistence paid off in 2022 when she graduated with her first degree and registered for a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education). While celebrating this milestone, she expressed how much she wished her mother could have witnessed her achievement.

Watch the Facebook reel here.

Educational journey and career success

The PGCE the woman pursued is a professional teaching qualification designed for graduates interested in teaching as a career. This one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme prepares teachers for the Senior Phase (grades 7-9) and Further Education and Training (grades 10-12) phases of schooling.

By completing this qualification, she positioned herself for a career as a secondary school teacher trained to teach one FET subject and at least one SP subject. The programme includes courses in educational theory, subject methodologies, teaching experience, and language proficiency.

Her educational investment yielded results when she graduated from her PGCE programme in 2023 and secured a permanent job. She described this period as a time when she was blessed enough to see God, highlighting the spiritual significance of her accomplishments.

The highest point of her journey came in 2024 when she purchased her first car from Hatfield Motors in Pretoria, describing it as her baby. By 2025, she expresses contentment and gratitude for her good health, showing how far she has come from her days of struggle.

Social media reactions to the story

@nurse_grace001 commented:

"Real growth... Congratulations ❤️"

@rajilah cheered:

"Congratulations 🎊"

@makhosinomhlekhoza praised:

"Halala baby girl… God is awesome!"

@monegisello celebrated:

"Congratulations 🎊 You made it 🤗🤗"

3 other people achieving success

• Briefly News recently reported on Lynn Dennison, who moved to China with her young daughter despite warnings from friends and family that she wouldn't manage.
• A determined South African woman chose a career in the police force instead of pursuing higher education, sharing her inspiring journey on TikTok.
• Multi-talented influencer Ayanda Thabethe announced a remarkable personal and academic achievement on social media.

Source: Briefly News