Growing up in the dusty village of Taung in North West, where there is a dearth of facilities and constant exposure to hopelessness, aspiring scientist Phidiso Moloantoa is on his way to making a big impact on society.
Moloantoa came out top in the Pan South African Language Board competition held in Cape Town for his “critical and logical thinking skills” while translating English medical terms to his native language, SeSotho.
Reflecting on his experience in the competition, Moloantoa said people in rural areas do not understand their diseases because of the language barrier in the medical space.
“I knew what I had to do at the competition but I was open to learning and correction. I would not say I did preparations but as a believer I prayed, seeking guidance from God to navigate my path to excellence.
“This competition has helped me to learn a lot of things and broadened my thinking horizon with the aim of reaching greater heights.”
The 22-year-old, who is in his third year of a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Medical Laboratory Science at Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein, said he did not have an easy upbringing as he lost both of his parents at a critical stage of his life.
“I lost my mother after pre-school and my dad after matric. That took a toll on me, and it was evident in my academics as I had to deal with the trauma of losing both my parents while I was young. I was depressed and attempted suicide because I had avoided dealing with the loss.
“I had to take a two-year gap trying to find myself and I put focus on my mental health and prepared myself emotionally to face life with a positive attitude,” said Moloantoa.
Describing his love for science and laboratory work, Moloantoa said he initially thought he wanted to be a doctor but as he did research on the medical field, he realised there were other spaces he fitted in.
He said he finds laboratory work therapeutic, which makes him eager to help and heal.
“There was a time in my life where I did not enjoy life, I had no dreams and hope for my future, but my name navigated my career path because it means to heal. Within the medical field I discovered that there are scientists in the background who also play a pivotal role in healing people. As my name and surname suggest, I am a fighter of resuscitation.
“During the two-year break I needed a healer and now I am becoming the person I needed during those years. I am happy that I will one day put a smile on sick people’s faces without them knowing it was me,” he said.
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