When Grassy Park resident Carol Felix’s daughter, Mignon, graduated with a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree recently, she credited the young woman’s “endurance, hard work and perseverance” for the achievement.
Mignon graduated on Wednesday April 11.
Her dream of working in the Vrygrond and Capricorn community also came true as she was accepted to teach at Capricorn Primary School from the beginning of this year.
She said she has had a “connection” with children since working with father Brian, mother Carol and brother Sevriano, in the Vrygrond community.
“My dad is a minister of our church, Sharon Assembly of God, and we all worked with the youth who were destitute. I was still a baby when my dad moved to serve that community. As I grew up I also worked with the community and it changed my whole perspective of people.”
Mignon registered at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to study teaching five years ago and would not give up her goal despite the challenges.
“My mother is a teacher, and she is the only breadwinner, while my dad is a minister, so we were struggling with bills.”
Every year was tough to pay fees, but she never showed any stress.
“Everything seemed rosy on the outside, but meanwhile we were struggling.”
She said her attitude was that she would do whatever it takes to complete the course.
“Two years ago one of my friends threw in the towel and she dropped out, also due to financial constraints. However, I felt there was no reason for me to drop out and kept going.”
Mignon said what also kept her going was her family’s support. “My mother is also a teacher, and she always encouraged me not to give up.”
Ms Felix said she is very proud of her daughter and she remembered how Mignon would not complain at all, even when there was no transport to take her to varsity. “We would put her on a bus and she didn’t complain, until she found a lift club.”
Ms Felix is the deputy principal at Strandfontein Primary School and has been teaching for 35 years. “We come from humble beginnings and it is only through the grace of God that we are here today.”
She said she called Southern
Mai to send out a message to others who are struggling, that “nothing is impossible through endurance, hard work and perseverance.”
Mignon’s father said he believes his wife was the driving force behind Mignon’s success.
“I play a supporting role in my family’s life and I work in the community, hoping to break the cycle of poverty.”
Coming from good family stock, Mignon, said she will always be grateful for not giving up.
She applied at many schools
for work but after an hour of an interview at Capricorn Primary she was called to say she got the
job.
“Teaching the children at Capricorn will always be rewarding for me because I love spending hours with them,” she said,
