Nelly Vilakazi arrived at Stellenbosch University (SU) in 2022 with a suitcase, a few items of clothing and a blanket. In her pocket was R1 500. Behind her lay years of hardship and resilience. Ahead of her a future beckoned that she was determined to claim.

Her parents had sold pigs and goats to help fund her journey from Springs, east of Johannesburg, to Stellenbosch. Vilakazi grew up in a large family and is one of ten siblings. She and her twin sister, now completing a master’s degree in law at the University of the Western Cape, were shaped by a difficult childhood.

Her father was a political activist who spoke out against poor service delivery in their community in Daveyton. The family lived in a shack without reliable access to water and electricity. When she was ten years old, police arrived at their home one night and took her father away. “We spent almost two weeks without seeing him,” Vilakazi remembers. “No charges were laid to indicate what he had done wrong.”

The experience left a lasting impression. “I think that’s what shaped my sister to study law. We experienced a lot of injustices when we were growing up.” Although her family later moved to a quieter suburb, life remained challenging. Her high school was overcrowded and under-resourced.

“In Grade 8 we were 54 learners in one classroom,” she says. “Sometimes we had to go home because there was no water and the toilets couldn’t flush.” Yet those experiences also gave her perspective. “When I got to Stellenbosch, I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve seen worse. I would rather try and fail than go back home’.”

The email that changed everything

The transition to university was far from smooth. Vilakazi arrived without accommodation, without confirmed funding and without the benefit of an orientation week. She had no idea how university systems worked, where her lecture venues were or how to access some of the online platforms students take for granted.

At one point she considered whether her dream of studying might end before it had properly begun. Then came the email. After days of uncertainty and repeated attempts to secure a place in residence, she received confirmation that accommodation had finally been approved. “I just couldn’t believe the email was real,” she recalls with a laugh. “Is it really true? Did I get placement in Serruria?!”

That moment changed everything. “I decided I’m going to make sure I do well academically and make the best of every opportunity.” 

Initially registered for social work, Vilakazi quickly realised the degree was not the right fit and she transferred to animal sciences. Today, she is thriving in a field that combines academic interest with her lifelong connection to farming and livestock. “Farming is in my blood,” she smiles. Her dream is to complete postgraduate studies and eventually establish her own farming enterprise focused on animal breeding and livestock production. 

Making the path easier for others

If Vilakazi’s first year taught her anything, it was the importance of support. She still remembers the individuals who helped her navigate those difficult early days. In Admin A she was met by a “tall Xhosa woman with short hair” who helped her carry her bag. Vilakazi was so exhausted, she didn’t ask her name. “Wherever she is, may God bless her, because she was my very first experience of kindness and help at SU.” 

More support came in the form of residence staff who made her feel at home, mentors who guided her, and the Dell Young Leaders programme that helped her when her mother lost her job during her second year.

“I felt so overwhelmed,” she recalls. “The Dell Young Leaders team organised a psychologist for me. After our sessions, I realised I felt better because someone had taken the time to listen and to guide me to find solutions.”

These experiences inspired her own leadership journey to help other students find their footing. She volunteered as a mentor in the SOAR programme for first-generation students, became a peer mentor in Serruria residence and later served as vice-chairperson of the AgriSciences Student Association. She also works as a mathematics bio teaching assistant, helping first-year students navigate challenging coursework.

“My main drive for taking up leadership positions was that I didn’t want someone to go through the same experience I went through when I came to Stellies,” she says. These roles helped her grow and become more confident. “Every time I went to sleep and saw that maroon blazer next to my bed, I knew it was responsibility calling.”

As South Africa commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising this Youth Month, Vilakazi is acutely aware that her own opportunities were made possible by the courage of earlier generations. “If the youth of 1976 did not fight for their rights and equal opportunities in education, I wouldn’t be in Stellenbosch right now,” she says.

She sees her role as carrying that legacy forward in her own way – not through grand gestures, but through everyday acts of mentorship, support and service. She remains deeply grateful to the people who helped her stay the course. 

Looking ahead, she hopes to become the kind of leader who does the same for others. After all, Vilakazi knows better than most how a single act of kindness can change the direction of a life.