At an age when many slow down, 70-year-old Mantoa Mabel Mphambo has achieved something remarkable, earning a bachelor of divinity degree from the University of the Free State (UFS) after a long and painful journey marked by illness, loss and renewal.
Her story is not just about a qualification. It is about faith, resilience and starting over when life takes an unexpected turn.
Speaking to TimesLIVE after her graduation, Mphambo says the moment still does not feel real. “It’s still a surprise to me. I don’t believe that I’m done with the degree based on my experiences,” she said.
For most of her life, she was a teacher in Verkeerdevlei, a small town in the Free State, the same place where she was born. Teaching was more than a job; it was part of who she was.
But everything changed when her health began to decline. One day, while standing in front of her class, she realised something was seriously wrong.
“I realised that I don’t remember anything that I prepared; I had to read sentence by sentence. I couldn’t understand even a single sentence,” she said.
She was later diagnosed with depression. Her condition affected her memory and ability to function, ultimately forcing her to leave the profession she loved after being declared medically unfit in 2021.
The emotional toll was heavy.
“It was bad. I felt very bad. I became a laughing stock,” she said.
At her lowest point, she considered ending her life. “I felt like taking all the tablets, but when I was holding them, I could see my children in front of me, and then I dropped those pills,” said Mphambo.
It was that moment, thinking about her children, that changed her decision. Her recovery, she said, was rooted in faith.
Despite losing her confidence and memory, she held onto her belief that her life still had purpose. That belief shaped everything that followed.
After recovering, she felt called to ministry and joined a church, where she was eventually ordained as a pastor. But questions remained.
A turning point came when she watched a television broadcast showing a pastor encouraging harmful behaviour in the name of faith.
“I felt like, let me go to the university and find the truth and learn about God,” she said.
In 2019, at the age of 63, she walked into UFS to inquire about studying. She had planned to do a higher certificate, mindful of her age and finances.
Instead, she was accepted into a five-year bachelor of divinity programme.
“I said, five years, when am I going to complete that?... I took a chance to say, ‘Let us do it,’” she said.
Funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), she began her studies in 2020. University life brought new challenges. She often found herself isolated among younger students.
“Sometimes they don’t want you in their groups… I studied alone, on my own, at home,” she said.
At home, her responsibilities were just as demanding. She cared for her elderly mother and her younger sister, all while trying to keep up with assignments and exams.
Her mother became her quiet pillar of strength.
“She would sit next to me until I finished … she wouldn’t sleep before I completed the assignment,” said Mphambo.
But the journey was not smooth. During her third year, her memory problems returned during a test.
“I said, ‘Ma’am, I can’t remember anything.… I’m not going to pretend,’” she said.
With support from her lecturers, she was given another chance and continued.
In 2024, she faced another setback when her mother became seriously ill. Mphambo paused her studies to care for her full-time.
She stayed by her side until she passed away in December that year.
“I don’t know what would I have done without her. I still miss her even now,” she said.
Despite the loss, she returned to complete her final module and succeeded.
Her graduation day was emotional, not only because of her achievement, but also because of everything she had overcome.
“I felt like it’s a dream come true,” she said.
As she walked across the stage, she thought about those who doubted her and those who supported her, including her children who travelled to be there.
Now, Mphambo wants her story to inspire others, especially young people who may feel discouraged.
I think that it’s never too late. As long as there’s breath in you, it’s never too late.
— Mantoa Mabel Mphambo
“I think that it’s never too late. As long as there’s breath in you, it’s never too late,” she said.
She believes opportunities exist for those willing to try.
“If you are determined, NSFAS is there for everyone who wants to study,” she said.
Her journey has already begun to influence those around her, from a young girl who told her, “one day is one day”, to a relative in prison who now wants to study.
Mphambo is not stopping here. She has already enrolled for a master’s degree.
And when it is all said and done, she knows how she wants to be remembered:
“She went to study theology and obtained her degree at the age of 70,” she said.
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