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Dineo Mogashoa worked as an assistant researcher on the sub-Antarctic Marion Island

If Mogashoa had not been awarded a bursary,
she would, like so many other South Africans, THIS IS HOW THEY MADE IT HAPPEN
have had to rely on the National Student
Financial Aid Scheme – which might have given
her a foot in the door, but she’d eventually have Dineo Mogashoa and Jeremiah Hlahla are obligation to the company on completion of
had to pay back the money. Getting the bursary living proof that hard work pays off – but you their studies. Scholarships are awarded
was “really massive”, she says. have to pull your weight to succeed. exclusively to pupils living in host communities
After earning a BSc in environmental sciences Mogashoa and Hlahla are recipients of an and who come from financially constrained
and an honours degree in ecology at the Anglo American scholarship, and both of them backgrounds.
University of Pretoria, Mogashoa was selected as heard about the scholarships while at school. Hlahla, who is doing an internship as a water
a member of a team of scientists who spend 13 Mogashoa – one of the first wave of specialist at a company in Pretoria, encourages
months at a time working on the remote graduates from Anglo American’s Coal South hardworking youngsters to “just apply”.
volcanic island as part of the SA National Africa business community scholarship scheme “Science is interesting. Study it, enjoy it,
Antarctic Programme. – heard about the bursary applications while in work hard and there are opportunities. Also
“I always wanted to go to Marion Island, but I Grade 12 at Sofunda Secondary School. look at the other opportunities that Anglo
actually did it then because I was still conflicted “I got the application forms from the American is offering – bursaries and
about whether I should continue with my principal. I filled them out in September, found learnerships. They just require you to work
studies and do a master’s degree or start to out I’d got it in December and started studying hard,” he says.
work. I used it as a gap year to think about my in January,” Mogashoa says. “Follow from my example. Anything is
direction.” “The scholarship paid for my studies, from possible. All it requires is passion for what you
So, where to now? undergrad until honours. It included tuition, are doing and hard work; taking responsibility.
“I’d love to work for a mining company and accommodation and other expenses.” People look at obstacles in South Africa and
actually do something in the field of Unlike Anglo American’s traditional bursary complain about what is happening around
environmental science for mining companies. It’s scheme, community scholarship beneficiaries them. I realised complaining won’t help us, so I
something I’ve always dreamt of doing.” are not required to study in fields related to decided to stop looking at what went wrong
Mogashoa grew up in Middelburg, a mining mining, nor do they have an employment and rather focus on moving forward.”
town. A recent study released by Greenpeace
Africa shows that the area is the fourth worst
nitrogen dioxide air pollution hot spot across six environment and eliminate degradation caused about encouraging others to get involved.
continents. We joke about how the coal dust by mining activity. I’ve experienced the pollution “I would definitely encourage other young
settles on everything – you have to rub your first-hand. That’s why I went into environmental people to take up this area of study – it’s a very
fruit vigorously to remove a layer of black dust science – I wanted to make a change in that important field and is crucial for the times that
after you’ve picked it. sphere,” says Mogashoa. we live in. There is so much industrial activity
“I wanted to make a difference in the She’s passionate about the environment and and we need people to look out for the planet.”
ANGLO AMERICAN 25 REASONS TO BELIEVE 45