FROM FOSTER CARE TO FUTURE SURGEON: AWONGE MAKHETSHE’S INSPIRING JOURNEY

Sanele Adams(17)

By Precious Mupenzi

• The power of social grants to change the circumstances of young South Africans shone brightly at the Mdantsane launch of the educational outcomes report of the 2025 Grade 12 learners receiving social protection services.
• ⁠Awonge Makhetshe, a former social grant beneficiary, shared her journey of losing both her parents at a young age, being supported through foster care, and now studying medicine at the Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha.
• Having been supported through the Foster Care Grant, Makhetshe’s story reflects the real impact of social protection in changing lives.

A powerful story of resilience and academic excellence took centre stage in Mdantsane as Awonge Makhetshe, a former social grant beneficiary, shared her journey during the launch of the educational outcomes report of the 2025 Grade 12 learners receiving social protection services.

Hailing from AmaNgutyana Location in Bizana, Makhetshe is a highly motivated and academically outstanding young woman who completed her matric at Ntabezulu Senior Secondary School with an exceptional seven distinctions. Her results include isiXhosa (93%), English (82%), mathematics (93%), life orientation (80%), agricultural sciences (94%), life sciences (95%), and physical sciences (88%).

Now studying medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery at Nelson Mandela University under the Premier’s Bursary, Makhetshe’s achievements are a testament to hard work, discipline and the power of opportunity.

Having been supported through the Foster Care Grant, her journey reflects the real impact of social protection in changing lives.

Despite losing her mother at the age of five and her father at eight, Makhetshe rose above adversity, supported through foster care alongside her two siblings.

Speaking to fellow learners, caregivers and stakeholders, she delivered a heartfelt message of determination and hope: “I am the hope of tomorrow.”

She even used her Foster Care Grant funding to pay rent to stay near school, adding: “It was either education or nothing.”

“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me,” she joyfully concluded.

Her words resonated deeply with the audience, particularly social workers and caregivers who beamed with pride as she took the stage, many having witnessed first-hand the challenges she overcame.

Joining her on stage was 17-year-old Sanele Adams, a child ambassador from the Eastern Cape and representative of the Children’s Parliament, who also inspired the audience with a strong call to invest in young people and their future.

“The future of South Africa is sitting in classrooms, invest in it. Fund RISIHA. It shapes children. It is the best programme,” said Adams.

RISIHA, the Xitsonga word for resilience, is a community-based child protection programme, run by the Department of Social Development, supporting vulnerable children through prevention, early intervention, and care services.

Makhetshe’s aspirations are clear; she plans to become a neurosurgeon and aims to be recognised as one of the top surgeons in the world, reflecting her ambition and commitment to excellence in the medical field.

Together, the voices of Makhetshe and Adams highlighted the importance of the social grants lifecycle approach, demonstrating that social protection is not just about immediate relief but a long-term investment in human potential.

As South Africa continues to invest in its children through programmes like foster care and RISIHA, their stories embody the promise of a brighter future, where every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to rise and succeed.