At the age of 39, divorced and single-handedly raising her five sons, then aged between three and 19 years old, Nadia embarked on her journey in pursuit of education.
“When I came to the realisation, that I would be raising my boys on my own, I knew I needed to grow and improve myself, not only to be a better mother, but to be the role model they deserved,” said Nadia.
But the road was far from easy, and Nadia faced significant challenges, including unemployment during her first year of her studies, and the tragic murder of her eldest son Muneeb in 2021.
Then, just four months later, her world was turned upside down; her family was struck by another devastating blow, when two of her sons’ cousins and their best friend were killed in a car accident.
Despite these personal tragedies, facing multiple setbacks in her research and testing her resilience time and again, Nadia remained steadfast.
“Initially, when I started my studies in 2013, my company was going to cover the costs, but I lost my job in the first year. With five boys to care for, it was incredibly challenging, but I took on odd jobs to fund my studies and kept going.
“During my first two years of study, I also didn’t have a car and commuting to and from classes was a constant challenge”.
Thankfully, when I started my current job at Coega, the company then funded my studies,” said Nadia, who works as an Accounts Receivables Manager at Coega Development Corporation.
She admits that balancing work pressures, family life and her studies was no easy feat, but the support and encouragement of her friends kept her going.
In 2016, she earned her National Diploma in Management, followed by the BTech in 2017, and thereafter a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration in 2019, and now she receives her MBA during Nelson Mandela University’s Autumn graduation.
In addition to these accomplishments, she also completed a Management Leadership Diploma with the Business School of the Netherlands in 2022.
“People often ask me how I managed to study, raise a family, and work all at once. Many are considering it themselves but are unsure of how they'll manage. My advice is always the same: if you're waiting to have all the answers before you start, you'll never begin. You’ll figure it out along the way; you’ll find a way to make it work,” said Nadia.
At the age of 54, Nadia believes the sky is the limit and she is not done studying yet; she is currently focusing on Islamic Studies and also considering pursuing a PhD in the future.
Nadia's journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of education to transform lives.
“You do not have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great,” encourages Nadia.