05/07/2008 17:53 - (SA)
Samaritan turns students into stars
Sonia Molema
SELLO Lelake (39) is an incredible man – he has turned the dreams of many students from rural areas into reality.
Lelake, a chemical engineering graduate, hails from the sleepy village of Kgabalatsane, near Ga-Rankuwa, and has been instrumental in producing engineers, medical doctors and computer wizards with his maths and science community project.
Through this innovative project, some of his students have passed matric with flying colours and secured bursaries to further their studies.
Lelake started the project in 1991 after he passed his matric. Though he obtained Bs in maths and science, he was still not happy.
“I was disappointed with my symbols in science subjects and vowed that I would make my students perform better than me,” he says.
He turned his late parents’ house in Kgabalatsane into a school.
“Starting this project was my calling, I wanted to impart my knowledge to others,” he says. He took three weeks’ leave from his job as a process controller at the petrochemical giant, Sasol, to offer maths and science lessons to high school learners during winter school holidays.
Recently Lelake participated in the national science week, an initiative of the science and technology department in Mpumalanga,where he managed to reach many students.
He was also invited to the Pretoria showgrounds during the Career Day organised by the West-Side Christian Fellowship Assembly Church.
Lelake says many of the students who have passed through his project now enjoy successful careers.
“Their success makes me so proud of them,” he says.
Three of his former students have nothing but praise for him, saying he played a major part in shaping their careers.
Zondi Baloyi, a medical doctor with her own practice in Soshanguve, says she is extremely grateful to Lelake.
“It was really a blessing to have him on my side when I had difficulties in science subjects,” she says.
Baloyi says that when she felt like giving up maths, Lelake encouraged her to pull through and cultivate patience in herself.
Kabelo Nkoana, an industrial engineer, shares Baloyi’s sentiments. He says Lelake’s encouragement and patience helped him excel in science subjects.
Another former student who is living his dream because of Lelake is Thabo Lelaka from Klipgat.
Lelaka passed his maths and science subjects with As in 2002.
He secured a scholarship to study information technology in Malaysia. He now works as a web developer at Engen Petroleum in Cape Town.
“I really appreciate my mentor, Sello, who selflessly devoted his time and energy to us,” says Lelaka.
This Good Samaritan has now spread his wings and is involved in a crime awareness campaign to teach youth about moral values. He started the campaign after he was shot in the stomach and robbed of R10 in 2006.
He spent many months in hospital and his family were concerned that he would not survive the incident.
“God saved me for a reason,” says Lelake. “I was not bitter after the shooting incident, I decided to educate youth to prevent them from being involved in crime.”
With the money he earns as a chemical engineer, Lelake can afford to move from his village, but he says he belongs there with the youth. “I will never leave them,” he says, “I belong here with them.”
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