Success Story - FunElakhe Duze

My name is Funelakhe Duze and I live in Lower Crossroads. I am currently doing my first year B.Com Accounting studies at UCT, thanks to the help I received from Beautiful Gate's Youth Resource Centre.

I first started coming to the Beautiful Gate Resource Centre during my grade 11 year at Phandulwazi High School. In the beginning, I mostly came to do my school assignments. Having not had much exposure to computers and how to find all the information I needed for my assignments, it was such a blessing to have access to the internet and friendly people to help me learn how to use the computer to find what I needed!

But the support didn't end there. Soon I was faced with the stress of having to leave high school and not knowing what career to focus on or how to even find out what I could do. Fortunately, I was invited to a Career Exhibition hosted by Beautiful Gate for all the community members. This helped me find the information I needed and later one of the staff at Beautiful Gate helped me to apply to tertiary institutions and for a bursary as well. Some months later, UCT accepted me to study!

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Beautiful Gate has added value to the community at Lower Crossroads, a community that does not have much access to the internet. In this area, we have only one library which has only five computers. This is not enough for the community because many people are looking for study and work opportunities. When you add all the school learners from Vuyiseka High, Phakama High, Phandulwazi High, Kwa-Faku Primary and Vukani Primary trying to learn how to use a computer and do their assignments – then five computers is not enough.  At Beautiful Gate, they have 35 computers for the youth to use.

I want to thank Beautiful Gate for saving my future by bringing information freedom to my community. They have lots and lots of resources available which benefits us all when we use them properly.  

Read more about how our Youth Resource Centre is assisting other young people.