Deidre Wippenaar (28) had one goal in mind: to rise above the challenges faced by her community.
Not only did she manage to complete a diploma in entrepreneurship, but she also obtained 13 distinctions in the process.
Born and raised in Hanover Park, Wippenaar began her studies in 2019 at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Like many residents from the area, she was exposed to many social ills and gang violence but she did not allow those to deter her from achieving her goals.
Wippenaar says she enrolled as a part-time student as she worked full-time.
“I started my studies in 2019 while being employed full-time. In the same year, I managed to get good grades and entered the Global Enterprise Experience competition. This is a globally recognised competition to develop a business concept proposal that fosters a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.
“I worked with students from around the world and we had to come up with a business concept. Fortunately, I was a part of that and got awarded for my peer leadership. It was a nice experience and that further sparked my interest in entrepreneurship.”
Wippenaar, the youngest of five children, says growing up in Hanover Park had its challenges. “Life in Hanover Park is not easy; you are exposed to a lot of things that are not nice. The way I took myself out of that was by learning and through education. By reading books and studying. What I have learned is that when you educate yourself you can put yourself in spaces where you otherwise would not have been able to enter.”
Wippenaar says walking across the stage to receive her diploma on Friday 21 April was an emotional yet fulfilling experience. “I was filled with humbleness and gratitude. When you achieve something, it is not so much the achievement but the process leading up to it, knowing everything that you had to go through and had to overcome. Anybody studying and working full-time can attest that it is not easy. It requires time management, resilience and sacrifice.”
She explains that her academic journey was not smooth sailing.
“Being a full-time employee, time management was a challenge. I had a long day at work, but then I would have to attend a class in the evening. It is not always easy to be motivated and resilient.”
According to Wippenaar, throwing in the towel was not an option.
“Because of the goal I set for myself to achieve a good grade, it was extremely hard. I had to put in 150% all the time. I studied environmental management at Unisa a few years ago, but could not complete the course.
“So, that put a damper on my self-confidence, so deciding to study again was a process of resilience. So, I do resonate with people whose motivation takes a dip and they need to get back up.”
Wippenaar says achieving her diploma marks the beginning of the many goals she would still like to achieve.
“I would like to start my own business in mental health. Part of what helped me was meditation. Coming from Hanover Park, I understand the emotional trauma and the societal ills that residents go through and the mental toll that can take on their self-identity. I want to step into that space in the form of entrepreneurship.”
When asked how does one go about obtaining 13 distinctions while being a full-time employee, she says “prioritise your time, do whatever makes you feel like you can be the best version of yourself, whether that is some time to relax. These are simple things that all of us can implement, you don’t have to be a genius,” she says.
Wippenaar credits part of her academic achievement to affirmative prayer and meditation, which she says has helped her to focus immensely. She encourages young people, especially from Hanover Park, to rise above their social challenges.
“You can do it! It is not easy, I understand. I have been there. You just need to apply yourself. It is achievable. It is worth it because you grow as a person and you feel confident to step out into the world and be in spaces that you would not have been before.”
