UNISA Cum Laude Graduate Begs at Traffic Lights to Feed 3 Children After 18 Months Without Work

• A 47-year-old UNISA Cum Laude graduate with a BA in Criminology and Psychology has spent 18 months searching for work without success
• The KwaZulu-Natal mother stands at traffic lights with a cardboard sign asking motorists only for food to feed her three children
• Non-profit Pay It Forward revealed the woman was once given mouldy bread, which she toasted after cutting away the mould so her children could eat

KWAZULU-NATAL — A 47-year-old mother who graduated cum laude from the University of South Africa (UNISA) has resorted to standing at traffic lights with a cardboard sign, asking passing motorists for food to sustain her three children after 18 months of fruitless job searching.

According to IOL, the woman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Psychology, which she obtained in 2006, and has supplemented her qualifications with a desktop publishing course and several certificate programmes. She had been working towards a Social Welfare degree before financial hardship forced her to abandon her studies.

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KZN non-profit shares her story

Pay It Forward (PIF), a KwaZulu-Natal-based non-profit organisation, brought the mother's situation to public attention, stating that she had exhausted every avenue available to her in pursuit of employment. PIF noted that the woman specifically asks motorists for food rather than money or luxury items.

The organisation described the daily reality she faces as often brutal. While some motorists respond with generosity, others throw food from moving car windows. On one recent occasion, she received a loaf of mouldy bread. Rather than discard it, she cut away the mould and toasted what remained so her children would have something to eat.

PIF calls for empathy over judgement

PIF disclosed that the organisation had known the woman for several years, though the full extent of her circumstances only became clear recently. Staff recalled that she had previously approached them asking only for cardboard to make a sign, unaware at the time of the hardship that lay ahead.

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The organisation urged members of the public to respond to her situation with compassion rather than judgement, emphasising that financial ruin can descend on anyone with little warning. PIF added that the mother's primary goals remain securing employment, maintaining a roof over her family's heads, and ensuring her children are fed.

Her story has drawn attention to the widening gap between academic achievement and economic opportunity in South Africa, where graduate unemployment remains a significant and persistent challenge.

Graduate's emotional post resonates with SA

In a related article, Briefly News reported on Tshilidzi Morwasehla, a South African woman who celebrated her graduation from the University of South Africa (UNISA) at the age of 40. Her inspiring journey showcases the challenges faced by many adult learners and serves as a powerful reminder that perseverance can lead to significant achievements, irrespective of age.

Source: Briefly News