Tukkievaria caught up with Fabrice Kapya, a PhD candidate and Assistant Lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology. A refugee from the Democratic of Congo, he shares his background and conveys a special thank you message to UP.

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I am 31 years old and was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Where I come from, we know not to trust the police; we know not to trust the government as it uses terror to control people. It violates the basic human rights of youth through fear, intimidation and segregation. No one can hold the government accountable, because the population is silenced – if you try to expose them or protest, you will meet with trouble. That is why I left and sought asylum.

When I arrived in South Africa in 2018, I only had a dream that I carried in my heart. I had no money and no job, but I was eager to go back to school. I found that people in South Africa did not have to fear the police, and that they believed in the law to protect them. In all my time in this country, I've been told that it is a “rainbow nation” and that there is always a place for one to integrate into society.

A few months after I arrived, I started working as a car guard at Wonderpark mall. I was making about R2 000 a month, but for that, I had to stand in the parking lot every day from 7am to 8pm. I had about R900 to R1 000 left a month after covering expenses such as rent and groceries.

In August 2018, a friend applied on my behalf to UP. My first choice was an honours degree in Chemical Engineering and the alternative was Industrial Systems. The circumstances around that admission are still a miracle to me. I remember the first time I came to UP as if it was yesterday. I was returning from the Tshwane University of Technology [TUT] after submitting my documents when a friend, who was studying at UP at the time, asked me if I could pass by the University. After a long discussion, she convinced me to apply to UP. However, there were only two days left before international applications closed.

At most universities, priority is usually given to those who apply first. Based on this, my chances of getting in were close to zero. But my friend felt I had nothing to lose and that the only way to know if I had a chance or not was to apply and find out.

In November 2018, to my surprise, I was admitted to Industrial and Systems Engineering. I am grateful to Stephanie Steenberg who helped me through that process; I don’t think I would have been admitted without her help. To be honest, UP was the last university I thought I would be admitted to; I had previously tried Unisa and was not admitted.

One thing I came to realise is that UP has zero tolerance for racism and other forms of discrimination. The University provides a supportive environment for learning and teaching, and is free from discrimination and retaliation of any type based on race, colour, religion, nationality, sex, age, social status, mental or physical disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Being admitted was one thing, but paying my fees was another. When I started my course in March 2019, things were challenging, because I was still working as a car guard and the language barrier was a serious problem. I also didn’t have a background in industrial engineering.

I got my first degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Likasi in the DRC. I obtained this degree through the generosity of my friends who volunteered to finance my studies. When my father died, I didn’t have money to pay for my studies and they did not want to see a beautiful mind being wasted.

While I was doing my honours modules at UP, I had the support of my classmates; people like Kgaugelo Motupi, Michael Ange Kakudji, Ntabiseng Mateboho, Gontse Hamisi and others. They would give me food, pay for my transport, assist me with their notes or pay my rent.

When I had a block week, I wouldn’t go to the mall; transport cost me R240 a week to go to school, and not working that week put me in a position where I was almost R740 short. As a result, I had difficulties depositing the R1 000 that I had planned to pay each month into my student account to reduce my debt.

I’m often asked how I did it, how I overcame all the adversity and how I funded my studies. We all go through tough times, but I used that situation to remind myself that I was enough. I was strong enough to overcome a bad situation; I was smart enough to pass a module; and I was disciplined enough to complete my course.

I couldn’t change the fact that I didn’t have money when I came to UP, but I accepted that reality instead of living in denial. I welcomed the challenge and set myself a goal. The proper solution in that moment was to face that reality, because we are more powerful than we think – way more powerful.

My experience taught me that the first step to success is self-acceptance. Accepting who I was gave me a clear view of what I wanted to do with my life. Having a good education has always been my goal. When God wants to reveal more of himself, He starts by shaking up the things in your life that have put a limit on His power. And when He says no to something, He wants to make you available to a greater yes. The process is always painful, but try to be wise and patient through it and never lose hope.

I used every single coin I earned during my time at Wonderpark mall to pay for my studies, while also seeking help by talking to people. I was studying in the parking lot with my student card around my neck. Every day when I stood in the parking lot, I thought about my father – that motivated me. I stayed strong, even though my body was sore and I didn’t feel like being there.

Many people would probably say that motivation was the key to me getting to where I am now. But to be a winner, you need discipline more than motivation; motivation alone leads nowhere. I kept working in the parking lot and attended classes not because I felt like doing it, but because it was a commitment that I had made to myself to invest in education.

In December 2019, Miss Mpho, a donor who parked her car in my area, sponsored the remaining amount owing on my studies and in July 2020, I completed my honours degree.

In 2021, I was accepted for a master’s programme in Industrial Systems. In February 2021, UP offered me a position as an assistant lecturer in Industrial and Systems Engineering.

UP cared about my success and I improved academically. I received an award of R18 000 from the University in December 2021 and completed my master's degree in January 2022, 11 months after registration. Today I am a PhD candidate.

My thanks go to Prof Sarma Yadavalli, Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the co-supervisor of my research; and to my supervisor, Prof Adetunji for believing in me. Thanks to the Administration Office for admitting me, and thank you to Prof Tawana Kupe for everything he does. My appreciation also goes to Joe Dimbata for allowing me to work at Wonderpark mall and for being a mentor.

UP gave me the strength to believe in myself and the courage to pursue my dream. It showed me what I wasn’t and reminded me of who I truly was, and that I could overcome anything. UP will always be my home. I can’t thank this university enough for everything it has done for me. Today I am a different person. I hope UP will continue to support young people like me. South Africa, through UP, gave me a new life and I am incredibly fortunate and grateful. The greatest freedom I have gained is the fact that I no longer must worry about what will happen tomorrow because I am happy with what I have achieved.

What motivated you to seek an education?

My father never had a good education, and he always wanted us to have one. After his death, we lost practically everything. His family took everything from us, but what he left in us is far greater than what he left to us: to have the courage and the determination to always do what is right no matter how tough a situation can be, to never give up and to always put God at the centre of everything.

He taught me that every relationship is important because it is unique; through his lessons, I was able to connect with people who gave meaning to my life. Pursuing my studies was a way to carry on with the mission he started and I’m grateful for being the first in his family to obtain an honours and a master’s degree.

What is your goal?

My goal is to get my PhD, and to take care of my siblings. It would be a way of thanking my mother for making me into the man that I have become today.

Some people believe that to be educated or successful, you must come from a certain background or social status. This is not true. If one assumes that an education is linked to social status and that jobs are reserved only for a certain category of people, then someone like me will never have a place in society.

UP trains students to think for themselves so that they can find their place in society and create their own opportunities. I have always been a big-picture thinker; I have good organisational skills and I am passionate about science. I would not be surprised if I end up in academia as a researcher.

What is your future plan?

My first plan is to open an NGO to help young people who have gone through difficult times. I’d like to sponsor their education and give them an opportunity to reach their goal. I think I can convince people to support disadvantaged youth to get an education because the youth is tomorrow's future.

My second plan is to be an activist and fight against segregation. We need to change the way we talk about people. We are all humans; we should stop hating each other or judging people by their tribe, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or skin colour. We should not make statements such as “I don’t like that tribe” or “I don’t like foreigners around our kids, friends or relatives”, because young people can be easily influenced.

In the DRC, women are considered as inferior and that their job is to be a housewife. If our fathers had been educated not to discriminate against women, the DRC and Africa in general would have been a completely different country or continent. Once the father dies, it is the children who suffer the most, because their mother was not allowed to work. Many orphans are victims of such practices and I wonder how many more youths must suffer for people to understand that prejudice, gender discrimination and racism are destroying the hope for a better future.

I would like to be a motivational speaker and educate youth about why we must learn to accept others for who they are and why we must not continue to allow prejudice, racism and discrimination to take place in our society.

Do you have a message of hope for any students who are facing adversity?

We are all on our own path and over time, you’ll be able to learn and develop the skills you need to be where you want to be. There is always something that you can do and succeed at. Invest in self-improvement; get an education in something that is going to give you high-value skills that you can market, whether you’re working as a car guard, a security guard or an entrepreneur. Be proud of your work and what you are doing no matter how small it is; the harder you work, the more exposure you will get.