Reflections from Lion’s Head
Every year, UCT Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng leads the Mastercard Foundation scholars on a group hike to the top of Lion’s Head. With a peak at 669m above sea level, this iconic mountain is a signature of Cape Town's skyline and offers sweeping views of the city and Table Mountain National Park.
The view is inspiring, but so is the banter scholars engage in with each other and the VC. This year, the scholars share their reflections gained during the hike.
Iyanuoluwa Oyetunji
MMed Sci, Human Nutrition (Human Biology Department)
The long train of MCF scholars from different backgrounds climbing up Lion’s Head reminded me of the Nigerian #EndSARS protest in October 2020. MCF scholars defied the winter cold and fog to achieve this feat. Holding the hands of the first-time hikers who grew weary along the way to make it possible for everyone to get to the top.
Similarly, young people from Nigeria’s more than 300 tribes and 500 languages defied differing tribalistic beliefs handed down by parents to protest police brutality, bad governance, corruption and many other vices being ignored or championed by Nigeria’s ‘ancient’ leaders. These young and united Nigerians in different cities both home and abroad held one another’s hands with one message to demand a better life and challenge the status quo.
Just as some hands got feeble on Lion’s Head, the Nigerian military and police force shot at protesters at Lekki, Lagos state on 20 October 2020. Some lives were lost and the two weeks-long protest was brought to a sad and abrupt end. However, young people got on the street again on 12 June 2021, Nigeria’s democracy day and the same day of MCF scholars’ hike, to reiterate the same message.
Seeing everyone get to the top of the mountain despite the odds, and seeing my Nigerian comrades steal the show with our dance steps renewed my belief in the strength of the Nigerian youth. I am more convinced than before that, it may be slowly, but we will surely get there!
Amandla! Awethu!
MSc, Social Development
I am a first-year master’s student studying Social Development by dissertation. I took part in a hike with fellow Mastercard scholars and VC Professor Phakeng at the University of Cape Town. I won’t lie to you, hiking for me was tiring and draining. It was tough at times, but I realised giving up is not always an option, so I pushed on to the end.
I would describe hiking as a physical and at times emotional challenge. But you experience the most gratifying, unique and memorable experience of your life. It connects people in such amazing ways. Knowing we were finding joy in that struggle together, we found ourselves sharing moments of joy, hike jokes, laughter and photos – all without having to say a word. This is something that unites you. Thus, the positives outweighed any negatives. The blisters will heal and soon be forgotten, but the good memories and lasting friendships will remain, and it is an event in life that I will never forget.
MSc(Phil) Student, Institute for Communities and Wildlife
I had a great time on the hike. It was a fascinating experience for me. I was able to meet people with whom I had previously only communicated via email. It was an honour to be able to engage with t UCT Vice-Chancellor. Also, for me, hiking was simply the round peg in the round hole that helped me overcome my concerns. My concerns were allayed as I made it up to the top of Lion's Head. If I want to attain my goals, I must be resilient, resolute, perseverant and focused. The hiking event was a wonderful effort from the Mastercard Foundation, and I hope it continues.
Nwachukwu Sampson
MSc, Electrical Engineering
UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng was a great inspiration to me during the hike and I believe that many students felt the same way about her. She taught me how humble one needs to be no matter the level of achievement attained in life. Standing on Lion's Head and dancing, laughing and joking was a rare thing for you to experience where I came from. Overall, I enjoyed the moment.
MEd. Education
I climbed Lion’s Head through the lens of Soweto uprising. It began with a sense of urgency, having to overcome an obstacle imposed by doubt and fear. Just like the 16 June Soweto uprising, it seemed impossible at first. The walk to triumph seemed long. The mountain (Lion’s Head) seemed impossible to climb.
The challenge resonated with school children who were determined to overthrow the language policy under the apartheid regime. Despite the challenges of doubt, fear, and the inevitable sweat of the tough walk, the advantage was I was not alone, just as Tsietsi Mashini was not a lone but amongst leaders of the exercise and mission. That encouraged me to keep a positive and victorious mindset.
I, along with my colleagues, made it through the calamity of steep and steady routes, cold wind, impeding slow moving fog, to attain a victory synonymous to the 16 June cohort. Similarly, it seemed impossible until we did it.
Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc)
The hike for me was amazing and refreshing. It was in a positive escape from the stressful academic side of life. More so, meeting fellow scholars in person for the first time was a great experience. We got to mix and mingle.
Most importantly, hiking with the Vice-Chancellor was a great experience. She had so much to offer from her wide pool of knowledge. The hike itself was a good, challenging exercise and the views of Cape Town were amazing.
For me, the hike resonated with my view of life in that the journey to the top is not an easy one. But if you take it with people who have the same goal as you, it gets better. And when you finally reach the top together, there is a unanimous sense of achievement like no other in knowing that you’re not alone. I am forever grateful for the experiences the Mastercard Foundation Program continues to afford its scholars.
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves,” said Sir Edmund Hillary. From this quote I derive the meaning that climbing a mountain is analogous to dealing with academic stressors, and reaching the summit is analogous to conquering those stressors and reaping success.
Hiking is a hobby of mine but writing this reflection has made me realise that the aching of my joints symptomatic of hiking and the sweat on my t-shirt are both metaphors for the sleepless nights and academic pressures that I face almost every day. However, conquering ourselves, as described by Hillary, is like the developing of resilience and achieving our goals.
Hiking with the UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, on the other hand, was a great honour and an opportunity to network and learn from the very best leader. It was not just a great day but an astonishing opportunity to learn about the importance of teamwork. You cannot do things on your own all the time. You sometimes need a hand from another to reach the top or to achieve certain goals.
This was an incredible event, and I want to throw a big shout to the Mastercard team for organising such an amazing, refreshing and great day. Hats off to you! I salute you and I thank you.