Dear fellow alumni

 

My name is Maatla Seeletso Morokotso, a Motswana citizen and BCom Economics graduate of 2012 from the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus.

 

After not doing well at another university in Johannesburg, I enrolled on the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, which turned out to be precisely the right place for me – a fortress for my tertiary education. There I studied economics through the university’s extended programme, lasting four years.

 

I am now working for FNB in Botswana, where I am involved in various corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects for the bank, allowing me to explore various regions of my beautiful country. One of the projects I was involved in, was the Domboshaba cultural festival, sponsored by the FNB Foundation and held at the Domboshaba ruins near the Vukwi village in the north-eastern part of Botswana.

 

Preparing me for my current role

 

While at the NWU, I have been part of various student guidance and counselling programmes run by staff members such as Mrs Theresa Mokgoro and Mrs Boitumelo Moses, who have been my NWU family since 2009.

 

My exposure to these programmes – including the peer helper project – prepared me for my CSR role at FNB, which often involve helping people in need.

 

In 2016 I shared these thoughts and memories with five of my former NWU classmates who came to celebrate my birthday with me. Our group of alumni took Francistown by storm, and my friends were surprised to see a Botswana police officer without a gun, an officer writing a ticket for someone who did not buckle up while driving and the taxi fare that was only five pula.

 

For the love of rugby

 

I wish we could set up a satellite campus of the NWU here in Botswana; one with a focus on sport development similar to the NWU Soccer Institute model. Only, I would like the focus to be on rugby, as this was the sport I played for the university. For me, as a former Sports Council chairperson and passionate rugby player and administrator, it will be a worthy cause.

 

In conclusion, I wish to state that the NWU has played an immense role in developing me to be a worthy citizen of Botswana. I am grateful for           the numerous opportunities for leadership development, community outreach and sport management I was exposed to as an international student at the NWU. Borrowing from the NWU’s pay-off line, It all starts here, I can truly say: “my journey began there.”

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

MS Morokotso

Serowe, Botswana

 

Please write and tell us where you are in the world and how your careers are progressing, or just write about anything that is close to your heart.

 

You are welcom to email your letters to nelia.engelbrecht@nwu.ac.za,

 

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!