Female Matriculants receive critical help for success

As well as managing 18 Hirsch Branches and concept store around the country, Margaret Hirsch (COO of the Hirsch Group) has made it her goal to motivate and inspire young South African girls to work hard at achieving their own goals. Her “Girls with Dignity” project was devised to make sure that those in the poorer urban areas are able to attend school on a regular basis.

Margaret took the Girls with Dignity project under her wing when she heard that millions of young South African girls were unable to attend school for one week of every month when they had their periods. Margaret bought thousands of rands worth of reusable sanitary packs and distributed them around the country. She also used the opportunity to set the girls a task: Write an essay about what they wanted to achieve in their lifetime.

Some heart wrenching stories came back from the girls and Margaret gave a cash prize to the best essayists.

Two of the winners from Nonhlevu Secondary School in Groutville, Lady Peace Sikhakhane and Amanda Gwadidi have now completed matric and came to visit Margaret at the Hirsch’s Ballito store to tell her their plans for the future. She offered them valuable advice on how to succeed in life. Her top points to were:

• Always be on time.

This shows respect and a hunger to work.

• Do not sit around waiting – Be practical .

You need to understand your strengths as well as your weaknesses.

• Be Determined.

You need to be the first in – Don’t wait for people to approach you. Make the first move and don’t give up! Life does not wait for you, you have to go out and seize every opportunity.

• You need to give more than others .

Do not do the minimum, do more than what is expected of you.

With this valuable advice on how to get ahead in life, Amanda and Lady Peace left hungry for success and eager to get out into the working world.