Prudence
Mbhele Lungile aka Prudence
Watch a conversation with Prudence
When Prudence started at the Gateway School of Fashion, she lived with her mother – a single parent who works as a domestic worker. There were 4 other children in the household and Prudence is the oldest. All 5 family members stayed in a one-roomed “low cost” housing development house, an extremely crowded environment. During her year at Gateway School of Fashion, Prudence moved to her auntie with whom she currently lives along with four cousins.
Prudence was part of the pilot year of the Fashion School. Her creative ability, potential and talent were recognized at Gateway School of Fashion. She was selected the top student by Karen Millen and Sheelagh Wright. Aged twenty, she has now won a scholarship to the Design School of Southern Africa, based in Pretoria, and is now studying for a B.A. in Fashion Design.
She says: “When Sheelagh taught us how to make a pattern it was like God heard my prayers because I really love making patterns. Sheelagh explained to us in a way that you understood and it made me so excited, it was like tasting cheesecake.”
Prudence stays in digs in Pretoria and has obtained a bursary to cover travel and living expenses. At the end of her 3 year course, she has a number of options, including the possibility of returning to Project Gateway to work in the Fashion School. Prudence’s dream is to travel to England and study for a post graduate degree in Fashion, having her creations modelled in the London Fashion Show!
What an amazing rags to potential riches story of a girl from a one room home in a township in South Africa.