Andisiwe Candice Sehoma
BA in Health Science & Applied Psychology, Honours in Development Studies
Candice has always been a woman of action. Coming from an impoverished home in Alexandra with a strong role model of her mother who, as a single parent, started as a tea lady and worked her way up to a receptionist, using her salary to send her children to good schools instead of moving out of Alex. Candice experienced the ‘luxury’ of flush toilets at her school situated outside the township, and corralled her community, badgered the municipal authorities and built flush toilets in her yard (group of homes in Alex).She then extended this into other yards through her new NPO “The Building Blocks Foundation”. Ignition met Candice in her matric year, before Building Blocks work began. With a matric average of 61%, Ignition selected Candice on strength of character and determination to make things happen.
“When I started in the programme, confused, buried in frustration, and wanting so badly to go to school, after countless rejections from several institutions. I felt like my dreams of being tertiary educated had been shattered.” As she was rejected by universities, Ignition sponsored her in a 1 year social work certificate. That course changed her perspective. Instead of focusing on making money like all those around her, she realised that developing people was more important.
She then went on to study a BA in Health Science & Applied Psychology through UNISA followed by an Honours in Development Studies at University of Pretoria. She says: “Ignition has had a critical influence in forming me into the young lady I am today. It has not only enabled me to further my education at tertiary level, but propelled my personal development and helped me understand and see the world in a different light. With the teachings and inspiration I received with warm embrace from my mentors Keryn Barnes and Sarah van Zyl, it has helped me conquer myself, and the self demeaning voice that constantly curbed my brilliance.”
After graduation, Candice started work with Doctors Without Borders and has enjoyed working there in various capacities. She is also continuing her education with a Masters in Public Health from Stellenbosch University.