Lecturer Thathohatsi Mofubedu nearly gave up on her own dreams. Today, she helps students believe in theirs through compassion, support and resilience.
South Africa (11 May 2026) – Thathohatsi Mofubedu is the lecturer we all need because she sees herself in her students and gives them each the chance to BeRemarkable.
She faced a moment in her life where she almost gave up, but she chose to stay and instead, has dedicated her life to helping her students find their path, push past the tough moments and come out stronger and more resilient. Looking at Thathohatsi today, you would never say she nearly gave up, but thankfully, it became one of her defining moments.
“I don’t look like someone who almost gave up, but I did,” she says. “And that moment changed everything.”
With her shift in perspective, it became clear that her students were often facing the same challenges. Only this time, her goal was to be the support they needed to push through, so that they never find themselves on the brink of walking away from their dreams.
“I walk into a classroom filled with students who are chasing, but many of them are also carrying doubts, pressure and challenges.”
“A student once looked at me and said, ‘Ma’am, I don’t think I’m going to make it.’”
The honesty of the moment, the cry for help, took her beyond her lecture slides and assignment guidance and led her towards a path of helping students not only qualify for their degrees, but to be seen and to feel heard.
Teachers often are on the frontline of the struggles our youth face. Their roles in society are vital as they guide and shape the next generation. Looking at a student beyond the marks they earn, beyond late assignments or missing homework, is a big part of what makes Thathohatsi the powerhouse lecturer she is today.
She defines her approach through this recognition, because teaching has never been about delivering content. It’s about meeting people in the middle of their uncertainty, which was a lesson she was gifted by a student.
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“Someone believed in me,” she says. “They encouraged me and helped me keep going.” Now, she has become that person for others and does the same thing for her students.
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Her story is being shared as part of Profmed’s BeRemarkable campaign because it is compelling, because the work she does is life-changing and foundational. Thathohatsi stands up every day, taking responsibility for those who need her, giving them a chance to imagine a future for themselves and for South Africa as well.
“Being a lecturer is not just about textbooks and lessons,” she says. “It’s about reminding someone that their future is possible.”
Being a teacher in South Africa is a remarkable gift. One that Thathohatsi is proud to take on.
“Maybe that’s what makes us remarkable,” she reflects. “Years from now, my students will forget the lessons, but they will never forget the teacher.”
In South Africa, access to opportunity can often feel uneven, and the pressure to succeed can be overwhelming. Stories like Thathohatsi’s remind us that behind every qualification, professional title, or step forward are people who carried doubt and chose to keep going anyway, and then paid that determination forward through encouragement.
And it’s organisations like Profmed that play a similar role, going beyond healthcare. By supporting professionals like Thathohatsi through every stage of their journey, from student to specialist, they become part of a much bigger story that is about resilience, growth, and showing up for others when it matters most. At its core, healthcare is not just about treating patients. It’s about people caring for people. It’s about trust, responsibility, and the courage to step forward even when the path is uncertain.
Profmed launched the BeRemarkable storytelling movement to put South Africa’s professionals at the centre of a bigger conversation about health, community and the future we are all trying to build.
BeRemarkable invited Profmed members to share their journeys, covering the real stories that celebrate the setbacks, the breakthroughs and the moments that made them question everything or reminded them why they started. These stories are being given the light they deserve, on a platform that values them most.
As a professional, Thathohatsi may not be standing in an ICU or an emergency room, but she is shaping the people who will be. She is strengthening the system at its foundation, one student at a time.
She is creating the foundation for thousands of remarkable stories!
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