Women’s Month provides an opportunity to recognise the achievements of women who are not only pursuing their own ambitions, but are using education, leadership and service to create opportunities for others. At Rosebank International, the journeys of graduate Zandile Ndlovu and student leader Rotondwa Hope Dagada demonstrate how education can become a catalyst for personal growth, professional advancement and community impact.
For Ndlovu, education represents the next step in a career built through determination and perseverance. Having entered the cleaning services industry in 2018, she has developed extensive experience in hygiene control while maintaining a commitment to professionalism and service excellence.
Working full-time while pursuing her studies, Ndlovu successfully secured a bursary to study the IIE Higher Certificate in Business Management at Rosebank International. She recently graduated, achieving a significant milestone while continuing to build her professional career.
Her journey, however, does not end with graduation. Ndlovu now hopes to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration, with the goal of strengthening her leadership and business management capabilities and creating further opportunities for career growth.
While Ndlovu’s story reflects the power of lifelong learning, Dagada’s journey demonstrates how education can cultivate leadership from within the student community.
A third-year Bachelor of Education Intermediate Phase student at Rosebank International’s Polokwane Campus, Dagada serves as President of the Student Representative Council (SRC). Her leadership journey began at school, where an English teacher encouraged her to present lessons to classmates. The experience sparked her interest in teaching and leadership.
Since joining Rosebank International in 2024, Dagada has developed her leadership through debating, class representation, student governance and community engagement. She was part of a debate team that achieved first place and later successfully campaigned for the SRC presidency.
In her current role, she advocates for students, strengthens communication between students and management, and supports initiatives focused on student wellbeing, engagement and development. Her commitment extends beyond campus. Through her teaching practice, she recently participated in a community outreach initiative at SANCA Limpopo, helping to clean the organisation’s grounds and reinforcing her belief that educators have a responsibility to contribute to their communities.
For Dagada, leadership is ultimately about service. “I believe that education and leadership have the power to transform lives. My mission is to inspire young people to believe in their potential, serve with integrity and create lasting change in their communities. Age should never define what a person can achieve,” she says.
Together, the stories of Ndlovu and Dagada reflect two different stages of the educational journey – from a working professional advancing her career through higher education to a young student leader preparing to shape the next generation. Their experiences underscore the role women can play in driving positive change when opportunity, education and determination intersect.
ARTICLE & PICS: ROSEBANK INTERNATIONAL
