Overcoming big city life temptations and rising above challenges were part of the journey for Durban University of Technology’s Cum Laude and Deans Merit Award graduand, Lusanda Nyoka.

The 22 year old, who hails from the Eastern Cape, will graduate with her Diploma in Library and Information Studies on Friday, 12 May 2017 at DUT’s Fred Crookes Sports Centre in Durban.

Raised by a single mother and being the first born of three children, Nyoka had to prioritize education before anything.  “Most of us are bound to encounter challenges as we grow up and for me, life was not all glitz and glamour. I witnessed a lot of family feuds and we were not financially stable but my mother always made sure we never lacked the basic necessities,” said Nyoka.

Nyoka’s family is ecstatic about her achievement and being the second female to graduate after her mother. “I had to look past the big city’s temptations and focus on what I came to do in Durban, I was not willing to allow any challenges to derail me but I must admit, I used every encounter to groom myself into the person I am today,” she added. 

She is currently doing her Bachelor of Technology Degree at DUT and is already in the process of planning her second graduation while she is filled with excitement that she will officially be part of a process that ensures the nation reads and receives information that accommodates its needs.

Pictured: Lusanda Nyoka who will graduate Cum laude and Deans Merit on Friday, 12 May 2017

Bongani Gema