Tshepang Mapiti, 24, Data Scientist

The Standard Bank Bursary Fund has changed many lives, not just of the students but of the families as well. Tshepang Mapiti from Soshanguve is a Standard Bank Bursary Fund recipient with one such story. Raised by a single mom with two of his siblings, Tshepang encountered some difficult times in his child. 

While detailing his childhood he vividly remembers a moment while going through the application process for the Standard Bank Bursary Programme when he presented his grade 11 marks, which were relatively low in comparison to his matric marks. When the Bank questioned this, Mapiti shared that is was due to not having books to study following rain damage to his books when the shack they lived in was flooded. 

The benefits of education are many. Not only will young people benefit from receiving an education when it comes to income, career advancement, skill development, and employment opportunities, but society and communities receive benefits as well. Standard Bank recognised this and through its bursary programme and graduate programme, they equipped a young man with plenty of potential, with the most powerful tool that exists, which is education. 

Mapiti’s story is a true testament of the benefits of education. The young 24-year-old who grew up in Shoshungave completed his studies in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cape Town in 2019 through the bursary programme and was placed as a data science graduate thereafter. Recently, he was offered a permanent position in the bank’s high-net-worth division.

It is through these opportunities that he has been able to build his mother a house. She did what she could as a domestic worker, and now he is paying it forward. “My dreams are literally coming true, bit by bit,” says Mapiti. “I am forever grateful for the opportunity and the impact it has had on my family.” 

Standard Bank remains committed to ensuring that there exists a bright and promising future for South Africa’s youth, despite the tough economic challenges that exist.