New podcast episode: Finding the Right Words
The audio diary of a South African teen with university dreams
17-year-old Nonhlanhla Mashabana’s love of words started in Grade 3 when she discovered she could spell better than most of her peers. Her teacher encouraged her to enter spelling bees, and she eventually worked her way up to national competitions. It was exciting and nerve-wracking for a shy student like Nonhlanhla, but she says it also gave her a sense of purpose.
Now in her final year of high school, Nonhlanhla faces a new challenge: getting into university. She has been forced to pull out of the spelling bee competitions she loves to focus on her studies, university applications, and finding the funding to make her dream a reality. As a Radio Workshop youth reporter, Nonhlanhla spent three months recording audio diaries that reveal how it feels to be on the cusp of an uncertain future.
“I've been looking for words to describe how I've been feeling lately… I came across this word, tumultuous. It's T-U-M-U-L-T-U-O-U S.”
Growing up in Ezinambeni, an informal settlement in Emalahleni, Nonhlanhla finds herself at the center of a problem facing many South African students: how to navigate an unequal society and a broken education system. While Nonhlanhla may be a top achiever, she still has a lot to figure out on her own—what to study, where to study, and most of all, how to pay for it all.
“University applications opened today. I am panicking. I'm panicking every time I open the university websites. I just start shaking.”
Nonhlanhla is not alone in her challenges. In South Africa, only 4% of students who begin Grade 1 complete university. We'll keep track of Nonhlanhla's progress over the coming year. Look out for an update in upcoming episodes.
Your support ensures that these important local stories reach a global audience.
With gratitude,
Yumna Martin, Board Chair
Linda Barnett, Chair, Radio Workshop US
Emmanuelle Parr, Chair, Radio Workshop UK