Failing is not the end: Her programme gives matric learners a second chance

In South Africa, a matric certificate for students who have passed their last year of high school is what opens the doors to adulthood and employment. But every year, thousands of students fail – not from a lack of trying or competency, but as a result of their desperate circumstances. In 1996, Sandiswa Gwele was one of these unfortunate students. “I felt it was the end of my future,” she says. “I felt frustrated and hopeless, but thank goodness my family was there to support me to gain my confidence back.” With the encouragement of her loved ones, Gwele made a second successful attempt at obtaining her matric certificate. “I knew that I had a responsibility to change my life and have a better future compared to my parents,” she says. For Gwele, failing matric was not the end of the road but rather a redirection that pointed her to her life’s purpose. Today, she’s a leader in community development and youth empowerment who is paving the way for youth to succeed.

In 2019, Gwele began Ukhanyo Foundation, a second-chance programme situated in Phillipi for learners who had failed matric. In many South African townships where poverty abounds, the odds are often stacked against learners – from understaffed and under-resourced schools to not having the funds for textbooks, stationery, or extra tuition. Additionally, learners sometimes share a small home with extended family members, meaning that a dedicated workspace, free of noise and distraction, is a luxury. With these additional hurdles, completing high school is not a given. And for those who re-attempt the final exams, the possibility of passing dwindles as it’s estimated that over 250 000 learners rewrite outside of the official schooling system without any tutors or textbooks, leaving them even more vulnerable than before. “I saw the need to intervene and support those who didn't pass matric because the research was showing those who are courageous are rewriting but they’re failing again,” Gwele says. “My initiative gives these learners a second chance to succeed in South Africa.”

With Ukhanyo, they now have access to the support and resources needed to take on their exams again – and pass. “We have three pillars: academic support, self-development, and career pathways,” Gwele explains. Through career expos and life coaching sessions, she’s instilling both practical skills and self-confidence in learners. This impact goes further than their schooling. ”We connect them with opportunities during their matric and beyond,” Gwele says. “We’re giving them the tools to be resilient so even if they face challenges they still have the drive to continue working on themselves.”

Since starting in 2019, Gwele has empowered over 200 learners. “Many of our graduates went on to study further and some are even starting their own businesses,” she says. Yet despite the success of her programme, one of the challenges Gwele faces is students losing hope upon failing and not having the confidence to even try again. Her efforts include encouraging youth to first believe in what they’re capable of. “To all the young people feeling that they're not good enough, never underestimate the power in you and the potential that you have to break the cycle of poverty, change your current circumstances, and achieve great things in life,” she says. In sharing her personal experience, Gwele is exemplifying our ability to pick ourselves up after failure and uplift others along the way.