From humble beginnings as a waitress Mpho Madisha is achieving her dreams

After a 15 year long journey with Meropa, Mpho Madisha is seeing her dreams being realised. She had a humble start as a waitress at Meropa in 2004 but will soon be taking a new position as IT Support Technician at South Africa’s most technologically advanced casino, Sun International’s Time Square in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria.

Madisha’s is an inspiring story for other young women to chase their dreams regardless of their circumstances. After completing high school, she didn’t have the means to study further. Her job as a waitress at Meropa was a foot in the door and the start of her journey towards shaping her career. While waitressing, she kept applying for better positions at the complex in order make more money to further her studies. In 2008 she got her lucky break. She applied for a position as Count Assistant in the casino and got the job. She had her heart set on becoming a Count Clerk and while working as a Count Assistant, she volunteered as a Count Clerk in her spare time to learn the aspects of the job. In 2012, her commitment and potential were recognised and she was promoted to the position.

By 2016, Madisha was ready to take on another challenge and applied for a student loan through Sun International. While working, she studied towards a Diploma in IT with Central Technology Unit. She excelled as the top student in her class. Armed with her exceptional results, she approached Kelvin Pillay, who was the IT Manager at Meropa at the time. He assisted her with a motivation for a bursary to continue her studies. With her eye on her goal, she volunteered to work in the IT Department to learn the ropes.

Granted a bursary, Madisha continued studying towards her Diploma which she completed in 2018. Once again she excelled, graduating as top student in CTU in South Africa. She started applying for positions in the IT Department at Meropa without any luck.

When the position at Time Square became available, she jumped at the opportunity and applied. This time, she was lucky and got the job. She will start in her new position on 1 September 2019. It is indeed a bittersweet time for Madisha as she will be leaving Polokwane and the people that have become family to her at Meropa. However, she is excited about what the future holds for her.

“The past three years have been hectic as I have had to juggle my job, my studies and my volunteer work in the IT Department. It has been a demanding yet very rewarding time for me. I have learned so much. It has been worth every minute because I am passionate about IT, I have goals that I want to achieve and I know that it is only through hard work and commitment that I would be able to achieve them. I hope that my story will inspire other young people, especially women, to never give up on their dreams. Regardless of how impossible it seems or how hard it becomes, don’t give up. Never let your circumstances or financial situation dictate your future,”says Mpho Madisha.