Duduza – Elisa Magama (23) is set to become a chartered accountant (CA) and work for a top auditing firm in South Africa.
Magama is a former foster child who became an orphan after the death of her parents at a young age. She was placed in the foster care system, growing up in the care of her elder sister, who became her foster parent.
The department has been tracking her road to success, from passing Matric with three distinctions, to life in varsity until she finally became independent.
Her journey is that of resilience and hope, made possible through the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) under the Children’s Act 38 of 2005.
In 2023, Magama graduated with a Bachelor of Accounting degree from the University of Johannesburg. She did her postgraduate degree in 2024 and is currently an associate CA doing her articles through a rigorous, multi-year process.
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“I was referred to social workers at GDSD Duduza office by the Emmaus Community Centre, which is a drop-in centre that provides daily meals, recreational, educational, and counselling services to vulnerable families.”
“I want to thank my social worker, Dikeledi Nchabeleng, who played a key role in my life. She was there to support me emotionally, and I am achieving in life today because of her efforts and undying commitment to her work,” said Magama.
She further tendered words of encouragement to foster children still within the system, reminding them that no matter the challenges, they should not let go of their dreams, as the sky is not the limit.
Field and intake social worker, Dikeledi Nchabeleng, added, “Elisa was a child who was noticeably quiet. We never had any challenges with her. She was always dedicated when it came to her studies and would attend our life skills programmes whenever invited.”
Social work supervisor, Lesego Mathebula, added “We are grateful to celebrate Elisa, our former foster care beneficiary who is now self-reliant. This shows that indeed, as a department, we have achieved the vision, goals, and objectives of foster care.”
“We have seen how the integration of services has led to the success of Magama’s story. As social development from the field and intake we specialise in child protection services, services to families, as well as HIV/Aids programmes,” said Mathebula.
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