Being a part of SAWIP and having gone through 95% of the curriculum, one has to look back and wonder; how did it all go by so quickly? Being around the phenomenal people that are my team mates and friends I feel abundantly blessed. Thinking back to all the people we met and relationships that were forged I count myself amongst the most fortunate in the world.

I am sure every one of us on the team recognises and appreciates this privilege. As we are moving towards graduation and look back on this journey, I am equally sure we are thinking of the next step, the next challenge that lies ahead. As individuals all of us will have a different answer to this and even though I don’t know what those answer are, I would like to draw a common thread through all of them; we must live up to the hope, faith, trust and expectations that have been placed upon us. Regardless what our endeavours may be, I believe our purpose through all this is to live above the norm, to lead and not follow, to conquer our inherent need to blend in so that we may stand out and shine. I remember being in school and hearing these words from a motivational speaker; "Don’t live to be ordinary. Strive to be extraordinary.”

I want to appeal to my team mates to keep these words close to heart, to keep the flame alive. We have an inherent need to feel like we belong and blend in, but there is yet another more pressing need we are less aware of, the need to let our light shine and be authentic. I believe SAWIP has been instrumental in awakening us to this truth about ourselves. Yes, we may have been aware of this before SAWIP, but through SAWIP we have been set alight to this greatness we poses. We have not only been inspired and enlightened but also empowered. I believe we have to use this empowerment to rise above the limits of our society, and not live under dogma, but to challenge the status quo and plot a new course for our country, starting with ourselves.