At an age when many slow down, 70-year-old Mantoa Mabel Mphambo has achieved something remarkable, earning a Bachelor of Divinity after a long and painful journey marked by illness, loss, and renewal.
Her story is not just about a qualification from the University of the Free State (UFS). It is about faith, resilience and starting over when life takes an unexpected turn.
Mphambo admits the moment still does not feel real. “It’s still a surprise to me, I don’t believe that I’m done with the degree based on my experiences,” she said.
For most of her life, she was a teacher in Verkeerdevlei, a small town in the Free State, where she was born. Teaching was more than a job, it was part of who she was.
But everything changed when her health began to decline. One day, while standing in front of her class, she realised something was seriously wrong.
“I realised that I don’t remember anything that I prepared, I had to read sentence by sentence. I couldn’t understand even a single sentence,” she said.
She was later diagnosed with depression. Her condition affected her memory and ability to function, ultimately forcing her to leave the profession she loved after being declared medically unfit in 2021.
The emotional toll was heavy. “It was bad. I felt very bad. I became a laughing stock,” she said.
At her lowest point, she considered ending her life. “I felt like taking all the tablets, but when I was holding them, I could see my children in front of me, then I dropped those pills,” said Mphambo.
It was that moment, thinking about her children, that changed her decision. Her recovery, she said, was rooted in faith.
Despite losing her confidence and memory, she held onto her belief that her life still had purpose. That belief shaped everything that followed.
After recovering, she felt called to ministry and joined a church, where she was eventually ordained as a pastor. But questions remained.
A turning point came when she watched a television broadcast showing a pastor encouraging harmful behaviour in the name of faith. “I felt like, let me go to the university and find the truth and learn about God,” she said.
In 2019, at the age of 63, she walked into UFS to inquire about studying. She had planned to do a higher certificate, mindful of her age and finances.
Instead, she was accepted into a five-year Bachelor of Divinity programme.
Funded by NSFAS, she began her studies in 2020. University life brought new challenges. She often found herself isolated among younger students.
“Sometimes they don’t want you in their groups … I studied alone, on my own, at home,” she said.
At home, her responsibilities were just as demanding. She cared for her elderly mother and her younger sister, all while trying to keep up with assignments and exams.
Her mother became her quiet pillar of strength. But the journey was not smooth. During her third year, her memory problems returned during a test.
With support from her lecturers, she was given another chance and continued.
In 2024, she faced another setback when her mother became seriously ill. Mphambo paused her studies to care for her full-time.
She stayed by her side until she passed away in December that year. Despite the loss, she returned to complete her final module and succeeded.
Her graduation day last week was emotional, not only because of her achievement but also because of everything she had overcome. “I felt like it’s a dream come true,” she said.
Now, Mphambo. wants her story to inspire others. “I think that it’s never too late as long as there’s breath in you, it’s never too late,” she said.
Mphambo has already enrolled for a Master’s degree. − TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.