I am a young energetic female from South Africa, I was born in a small town on the South Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal in a low to middle income household with three other siblings.

My mother raised us from the age of 6, as my Father who worked in a factory nearby, passed away due to a work accident.

My siblings and I attended a local public school and at the age of 8 I was told I had learning problems and couldn't concentrate in class. Despite the need for special attention and one-on-one education, the lack of funds and distance from a special needs school, meant that I had to attend a mainstream school. The aftermath of my father passing away left our household with the lack of extra educational resources that was needed in my first few years of schooling and a result, I failed Grade 3, and was told I would not fit into mainstream schooling and that I would need to be homeschooled.

I would leave school confused not sure about anything that was said to me. I could not understand what my teachers wanted from me and failed to give them what they wanted, I felt as if learning was impossible.

My grandmother at the time moved in to help at home where she took on the role of teaching me to read, write and introduced me to books and the beauty of nature. She was the one who taught me that 'you can't stop bad things from happening to you, but you can choose what to do with what you have'. She took me to the library after school and on the weekends she introduced my siblings and I to the creatures in the tidal pools along the beach.

I began to attend the local library book launches where a librarian, Anna invited me to her story class, my grandmother encouraged me to go, this is where I discovered my interest in reading and my ability to learn from books.

I became fascinated with science when I was in high school but my lack of math talents compromised my science ability and I was advised not to carry on with Math core but do the easier math when it came to choosing my subjects.

Needless to say, I put time aside, early mornings and late nights to improve my math skills and was able to apply for a BSc in Marine Biology due to impressive math marks in my final school year. Later I graduated with an Honours in Oceanography at the University of Cape Town.

My education story, has taken some twists and turns but I've recently graduated with my PGCE teaching Degree, as I've returned to my original and early ignited passion; learning.

I want to inspire and teach young learners who are in a similar position to where I was at a young age. Unsure, hopeless and confused.