“My path into Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics began with one moment at a bus station in Gaborone. I met a man with a below-knee amputation struggling to get down the stairs on crutches. After helping him, I asked him about his condition and learnt that his amputation was caused by diabetes,” she expressed.
Lucky Masego Mabaka from Botswana explained that this single interaction at the bus station stayed with her. It pushed her to look deeper into the situation in Botswana, where she found a high prevalence of diabetes and a significant number of related amputations. At the same time, she discovered that the country faces a shortage of qualified prosthetists professionals trained to restore mobility and function.
She graduated from the Durban University of Technology (DUT) with her Degree of Bachelor Health Sciences in Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics, at the DUT 2026 Autumn Graduation Ceremony, held at the Olive Convention Centre (OCC) in Durban on Friday, 22 May 2026.
“Throughout my studies, I was managing my chronic health conditions, including ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia, which required frequent hospital visits and ongoing care. At the same time, I was balancing multiple responsibilities as a Sports Director for the Botswana Judo Federation, a coach, and a Physical Science tutor within the DUT School Engagement Programme. Juggling my health, academic demads, and leadership roles was not easy,” she explained.
She explained that the Dean’s Merit Award represented the late nights, sacrifices, and hard work required to maintain a high standard of excellence. She added that it served as a reminder that dedication to one’s craft, even during demanding and busy periods, eventually yields positive results.
“The most significant challenge I faced during my studies was managing my health. I was living with chronic conditions, namely ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia, which affected me throughout my entire academic journey. These conditions required frequent hospital visits and often impacted my physical strength, energy levels, and overall well-being,” she explained.
Mabaka further mentioned that there were periods when her health deteriorated to the point where keeping up with daily academic demands felt overwhelming. Despite experiencing pain, fatigue, and uncertainty, she continued to meet deadlines and maintain a high academic standard.
She also explained that during her studies, she was heavily involved in high-performance sports leadership and community projects, often transitioning directly from intense clinical rotations to coaching or administrative duties, which required a great deal of mental resilience and discipline.
When asked about the DUT living values and principles she resonates with, she highlighted excellence, integrity, and professionalism. She explained that excellence guided her academic journey, as she consistently aimed to produce high-quality work and perform to the best of her abilities regardless of circumstances.
She explained that precision is essential in medical orthotics and prosthetics, as there is no room for “good enough” when helping patients regain mobility. She added that integrity meant remaining committed to her goals and completing what she started, even during periods of pain and fatigue caused by health challenges. She further stated that professionalism remained central as she balanced academic responsibilities with leadership roles and other commitments.
“My family was very happy and incredibly proud of me when they heard the news. Their support has been a constant source of strength throughout my journey, and this achievement meant a lot to all of us. It felt rewarding to be able to make them proud and share this moment with them,” she expressed.
Sharing her long- and short-term goals, she explained that in the short term, she hopes to gain exposure to a wide range of patients and clinical cases to build strong and well-rounded experience within her field. She believes that hands-on experience is essential for developing both technical skills and clinical judgment. In the long term, she aspires to establish her own practice, where she can contribute to improving accessibility to orthotic and prosthetic services and ensure that assistive devices are available to individuals who need them, particularly within underserved communities.
She said she was awarded a scholarship through the International Judo Federation (IJF) and Olympic Solidarity in December last year to participate in the Women in Sport High Performance Pathway (WISH) Programme at the University of Hertfordshire in London. She explained that the programme is a global leadership and coaching initiative designed to support and develop women coaches, while increasing female representation at high-performance levels, including the Olympic Games.
She hopes that her story encourages other young professionals to pursue diverse interests, emphasising that one does not have to choose between being a clinician, a coach, or an entrepreneur, as it is possible to be all of them with dedication and hard work.
She also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to God, as well as to her government, the embassy, her Botswana family, Durban family, Cape Town family, and friends. She said their support, encouragement, and presence carried her through the journey, and that this achievement is as much theirs as it is hers.
Pictured: Lucky Masego Mabaka
Khulasande Tshayile
Phiwayinkosi Sibiy
