If you want to shine, you need to show up

In November 2022 paramedic and firefighter Ndivhudzannyi (Josephine) Nepfumbada was working as an ER24 medic at Henley Business School Africa’s graduation event when she met dean and director Jon Foster-Pedley.

‘I found it so exciting to see the graduates talking about the qualifications they had received – diplomas, higher certificates, advanced diplomas – but I was confused by all the different course names so when I spotted the Dean I asked him to explain the differences to me,’ she says. ‘Jon asked me why I wanted to know so much, and I explained how badly I wanted to study further, that I wanted to challenge myself and grow both personally and professionally. He told me that there are bursaries available to students and encouraged me to apply. So I did.’

Josephine’s bursary application was approved and now, following a year of hard work, she is a LIFT! Higher Certificate in Management Practice (HCMP) graduate. The journey wasn’t easy. Riddled with self-doubt and imposter syndrome there were times when she came close to throwing in the towel.

‘Our face-to-face classes began in May 2023 and one of the things we had to do was introduce ourselves to the rest of our classmates. I panicked at the prospect. I was so intimidated by the rest of the class. I convinced myself that I didn’t belong, that all the other students were experienced supervisors and managers from reputable companies and that I would look foolish if I revealed myself to them.’

Come day two and Josephine almost didn’t have the courage to return to class. ‘I truly felt as though I didn’t deserve to be there, that I would never be able to pass, but then I remembered that on the day we met, Jon told me if I wanted to study badly enough, it was up to me to make that happen. So I got up off my couch and left for campus.’

That day the cohort was divided up into groups and Josephine found herself partnered up with an engineer, a business solutions manager and a training officer from the mining industry. ‘I had to keep reminding myself that I was there to learn, to embrace diversity, and that my teammates were there to support me, not break me down.’

This realisation set the stage for a journey of growth and self-awareness. ‘I was introduced to concepts I hadn’t known existed. Core personal beliefs, values, personal motivation: it was all new to me. But when I put my mind to something there’s no stopping me,’ she says proudly.

It’s a characteristic that has served her well throughout her life. A rape survivor and single mother – her first child was born during her matric year – Josephine had to find her way in the world without help because her family did not have the means to step in. ‘In my matric year I sold ice, sweets and chips to pay for food for myself and my baby,’ she says.

Slowly but surely Josephine set about improving her circumstances. In 2005 she obtained a code 10 drivers licence. Then, with financial assistance from her brother, a firefighter, she studied entry-level firefighting and emergency medical care. ‘By the beginning of 2008 I started working for the City of Johannesburg as a firefighter/EMT and shortly thereafter I did my code 11 driving licence so I could drive a fire engine,’ she says.

More courses in firefighting and emergency medical care followed, enabling her to buy her first home and, by 2017 she became a fire platoon commander and part-time instructor at Alexandra Fire Station. Her upbringing, she says, shaped her resilience and determination, qualities that served her well at Henley.

But at Henley Josephine had to confront her own vulnerabilities, too. Her lack of familiarity with computers meant that she often needed to turn to YouTube or Google to find out how to complete tasks that computer literate students could manage with ease.

‘As a result I felt as though I was always lagging behind but I couldn’t bring myself to tell faculty or my classmates about the challenges I was facing.’

The dam eventually broke and in the second block of the programme, Josephine broke down during a personal mastery class, finally admitting her struggles to her classmates and lecturer. ‘I was astonished at the support of the Henley staff and my peers. By the end of that session I felt emotionally exhausted but also liberated by the care offered by those around me. I realised that you can’t win alone but with the support of Henley and my classmates I was ready to push through.

‘Graduating from Henley is one of my greatest accomplishments. I have become a confident leader in my field but I’m not done yet. The next challenge I have set myself is the PGDip so watch this space!’