As she graced the Stellenbosch University graduation stage last week, Amogelang Moagi carried the weight of a year marked by trauma and grief, transforming her deepest trials into a triumphant milestone in Occupational Therapy.
Stellenbosch, South Africa (17 December 2025) – Amogelang Moagi, who hails from Klipgat in the North-West, experienced more than just academic pressure in her final year of studies at Stellenbosch University (SU). She endured a traumatic assault, which led to her needing hip surgery and recovery on crutches.
“Every step with those crutches reminded me of what had happened. I had to wake up each day and remind myself that despite everything, I was strong – and that I would make it to the end successfully,” she tells SU.
The physical toll of her recovery was compounded by a devastating emotional blow: the passing of her mother during that same, most demanding year.
“My mother was my biggest supporter, and her greatest dream was to see me graduate. This dream pushed me forward. Knowing she believed in me – right until her last breath – became my guiding light. Her words, ‘don’t let anything happening at home affect your studies’, became my anchor – the sentence I held on to on the days I felt like collapsing.
“These words were her blessing. They reminded me that she wanted my future to be bigger than my pain. I worked with her voice in my heart, and it carried me through the darkest moments,” Amogelang shares.
She says facing these physical and emotional challenges in her academically demanding final year felt overwhelming. But Amogelang persevered with a resilience that inspires.
Having supportive friends and lecturers in her corner encouraged her to keep going, and prayer carried her on the hard days to finally fulfil the promise she had made to herself and her late mom – to graduate.
She received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy last Thursday at SU’s December graduation.
“I am not a victim of what happened to me. I am a testament to healing, strength, and transformation.”
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She encourages anyone experiencing trauma or pain to know that healing isn’t linear and that it is possible to carry wounds and still walk toward your future.
Sources: Stellenbosch University
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