Compassion, initiative and unwavering commitment to communities

At her core, University of Cape Town (UCT) final-year Humanities student Ntando Thiya believes in servant leadership. For her compassion, initiative and unwavering commitment to the communities around her, she was awarded the Social Responsiveness Award at the Student Leadership Awards hosted in October.

The recognition was for someone who has shown leadership and care by joining peers in offering food, comfort and practical support to students facing hardships during the registration period. Beyond campus, she has led food outreach programmes to homeless residents in Mowbray, Observatory, Woodstock and Aliwal North. For her 21st birthday, she chose to serve rather than celebrate, hosting an exam-readiness workshop for matric learners.

“I believe that leadership isn’t about position, visibility, or personal prestige – it is about faithful stewardship in small responsibilities, serving others with a compassionate heart, and restoring people’s identity so they can unlock their purpose,” Thiya said. “I live on the ethos of not serving to hear ‘thank you’ from the people I serve but to rather know that I have fulfilled a purpose and destiny in this life I have been gifted and knowing that I have loved people the best way I know how.”

“To me, receiving the Social Responsiveness Award isn’t a victory lap or a polished summary of titles.”

She added: “My response to social needs is deeply rooted in my Christian faith. I am guided by the scripture in James 1:27, which teaches that pure and faultless religion before God is looking after orphans and widows in distress … which is love expressed outwardly to society’s neediest. My ethos stems from the conviction that every human being possesses inherent dignity, and that leadership must recognise a person’s potential beyond their immediate material circumstances. That scripture ignites a fundamental shift in how I perceive people. I don’t view social responsiveness as patronising charity. When public administrative systems break down or state capacity falters, stepping into the gap is an essential civic duty and commitment to structural social justice.”

Lasting friendships

She elaborated further: “To me, receiving the Social Responsiveness Award isn’t a victory lap or a polished summary of titles and achievements. In the simplest way, it means tangible community impact, transformation, being yielded in purpose and loving people.”

She detailed that a non-profit organisation (NPO) is on the cards and is currently at a foundational phase. The vision for her NPO will be to focus on restoring freedom and dignity to people in distress, and she aims to “hopefully have it fully established by the first quarter of 2027”.

Thiya’s standout moments this year:

• She delivered a Grade 12 exam readiness workshop in Gugulethu for her 21st birthday project in August 2026. “I shared my personal memory of writing my matric finals during the week my father passed away, being notified after my Afrikaans paper two and, writing accounting paper two the next morning, to show learners that clear goals and faith can sustain an individual through severe crisis. Out of 14 learners present, only one had written down academic goals and only 30% had applied to tertiary institutions; seeing those learners shift toward setting goals and applying for post-school opportunities was unforgettable.”
• She was one of the key speakers from the Faculty of Humanities at the Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHACWO) Education career expo.
• She worked alongside her dedicated community of friends and peer leaders, “knowing that when you plant a seed of hope in a young person, that transformed life eventually transforms families and communities around them”.

Thiya credits UCT for its “diversity”, and being a university she was set on in high school. She spoke about her “transformative, eye-opening past three years”, which have cultivated her capacity for institutional leadership.

“UCT became a path of lasting friendships, mutual service, and personal discovery.”