The Petrol Attendant Who Dreamed of Becoming a Doctor

Photo Credit: Good Things Guy | Kid's Stories

A young petrol attendant’s determination eventually opened the door to medical school.

Ntando Makhubela had a very big dream.

He wanted to become a doctor.

At school, Ntando worked incredibly hard. He loved maths, biology and physics, and when he finished high school, he achieved amazing marks with distinctions in several subjects.

Everyone believed he had a bright future ahead of him.

But there was one big problem.

University was too expensive.

Even though Ntando was accepted to study, he could not afford the costs. After trying for a short time, he sadly had to leave and return home to Mbombela, where he lived with his mother and younger sister.

Ntando could have given up on his dream.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he decided to work hard in a different way.

He became a petrol attendant.

Every day, Ntando helped drivers fill up their cars with petrol. He greeted people with kindness, cleaned windscreens and worked long hours so he could support himself and help his family.

Even while wearing his petrol attendant uniform, Ntando never stopped dreaming about becoming a doctor.

And then something wonderful happened.

Someone noticed him.

A local community leader heard about how well Ntando had done at school and encouraged him to apply for a special scholarship programme.

Ntando applied.

And soon after, his whole life changed.

He received a scholarship and was chosen as one of the students travelling to Cuba to study medicine.

But there was another challenge waiting for him there.

The lessons in Cuba were taught in Spanish!

So before he could begin studying medicine, Ntando had to learn an entirely new language first.

It was not easy.

But once again, Ntando refused to give up.

He studied hard, learned Spanish and continued chasing the dream he had carried in his heart since he was young.

And then, in July 2023, Ntando’s dream finally came true.

He officially graduated as a Doctor of Medicine.

After all the challenges, long nights and difficult moments, the young man who once worked at a petrol station was now Dr Ntando Makhubela.

“My goal is to return home and contribute to my community in Mpumalanga,” Ntando shared.

He wants to help the very community that once helped him.

Ntando’s journey reminds us that dreams may sometimes take longer than expected… but with courage, determination and a little help from others, they can still come true.