Meet Kediemetse Lekhoana: a testament to strength, perseverance, and discipline. When faced with failure, she didn’t give up – she embraced it, learned from it, and poured her efforts into overcoming obstacles. Her journey is a compelling story of resilience and eventual success.
In 2022, the wife and mother of two teenage boys decided to further her career prospects and enrolled for the Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (NQF 6) at Moonstone Business School of Excellence (MBSE).
Lekhoana, 44, works as a sales consultant at African Bank in Klerksdorp.
Her journey with the bank began in 2003 when she was hired as a hybrid consultant on a commission-only basis.
Fresh out of matric with no job and no means to pursue further studies, Lekhoana heard through relatives that African Bank was looking for loan field workers. She seized the opportunity and applied.
Two years later, her dedication and hard work paid off when she was appointed permanently at the bank.
Recognising the value of further education, Lekhoana took a proactive step by completing a course in office administration. Her ambition didn’t stop there. When she applied for a branch manager position and wasn’t selected because she lacked the qualifications, she saw it as a challenge rather than a setback.
Lekhoana recalls her manager’s encouraging words, saying that opportunities were still within reach if she pursued further studies.
Having completed a regulatory exam through Moonstone, Lekhoana says she was aware that MBSE offered FSCA-approved qualifications. That is when she saw the Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (ACFP) on its website, got in touch with the online learning platform, and enrolled.
The qualification provides the skills and knowledge required to provide holistic financial planning services to the “man in the street” and prepares students for further specialised studies in financial planning. It provides the education requirement for the designation of FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVISOR™ (FSA™) professional, awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa.
The qualification consists of five compulsory modules: financial planning environment, business management, corporate financial planning, personal financial planning, and a financial planning case study.
But the road to success wasn’t without its bumps. Juggling a full-time job, followed by household chores and family responsibilities, Lekhoana found herself stretched thin. Studying online for the first time also presented a bit of a hurdle, but with a few calls to MBSE for assistance, she was set up and ready to “hit the books” over the weekends.
“It was tough to adjust, to get everything in order,” she admits.
The business management module, in particular, posed significant challenges. Struggling to express herself in writing and apply principles and concepts to real-life scenarios, Lekhoana began to feel the strain.
When she failed the module it was a hard blow, but Lekhoana refused to let it defeat her. Determined to make the most of her investment, she sought help. That’s when she reached out to Edel Goldbach, MBSE’s academic manager, for guidance.
“She explained things to me better and showed me how the principles and concepts are all around me in real life. It was a long journey with Edel,” Lekhoana recalls.
Goldbach was impressed by Lekhoana’s resilience and determination.
“What stood out to me was her ability to take advice, work on her studies, and her understanding of the material. She found the strength, perseverance, and discipline to see her studies through to the end,” says Goldbach.
“It showed that learning and success happens when you take failure and learn from it and put in the effort to try harder so that you will succeed in the end,” says Goldbach.
When Lekhoana received her results on 10 June, confirming she had passed the qualification, she felt an overwhelming sense of pride.
“It was difficult, and it took time, but I didn’t give up.”
One of the first people she called to share the good news was her mother, Selina Moswete, who was overjoyed.
“She was so happy for me. She said, ‘Wow, congratulations, you really worked hard for this.’ She is very proud of me,” she shares.
Lekhoana, who grew up in Klerksdorp, attributes her perseverance and commitment to her mother.
“The role model for my life is my mother. As the only child in my mother’s house, I watched her work tirelessly. Every morning, she woke up at 5am to make fat cakes to sell at the taxi rank, Monday to Sunday. That’s why today I am a hard worker. I know if I want to achieve, I have to put in the work.”
When asked what advice she would give to others striving to achieve their goals, Lekhoana says, “You need to be yourself. Know what you want in life, whether you are married, single, or a single mother. Understand what you want to achieve, then stand up and do whatever it takes to reach that goal. You don’t just have to sit. Just concentrate on that, on what you need, and you can achieve whatever you want.”
Second-semester enrolments
MBSE offers the following accredited qualifications:
- Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning (NQF 8)
- Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning (NQF 6)
- Occupational Certificate: Compliance Officer (NQF 6)
- Higher Certificate in Wealth Management (NQF 5)
- Higher Certificate in Short-term Insurance (NQF 5)
Applications for the second semester close on Monday, 1 July.
Apply today at www.mbse.ac.za.
For more information, contact us at help@mbse.ac.za.
Kediemetse – I am really so proud of you, well done!