Dr. Eurika Mogane is a doctor and Alison student from South Africa. Motivated by her medical expertise and her belief in the universal good of free education, Eurika took part in the Alison Coronavirus Course Translation Project last year, translating the life-saving course into Zulu.
As well her great work on the online learning front, she has also been a frontline worker throughout the pandemic. Eurika has helped and inspired both her local community and her country through her tireless work over the last 18 months and she has been recognised with a number of national awards. She continues to combine her medical knowledge and belief in online learning by promoting healthier living through education. She spoke to the Alison Blog about her remarkable year.
Hi Eurika! You’ve had a busy year since you took part in our Coronavirus Course Translation Project last summer. Can you tell us a bit about what you’ve been up to?
It’s been such an exciting year since I translated Alison’s free online Covid-19 course. Since that time I was awarded a Golden Key International Honorary Society Alumni Award for 2020, in honor of the role I played as a frontliner during the pandemic. I was busy with my church, New Creation Embassy led by Apostle Peter Jones, donating to over 6000 families in the Mpumalanga Province. We had amazing supporting partners and it was such a thrilling and eye opening experience.
Since then I’ve also received more awards and am currently practicing as a Colon Hydrotherapist and Counselor at a local Homeopathy Medical Centre in Nelspruit. I’ve also been nominated for the South African Heroines Award for 2021. The past year has surely been a huge blessing and with much more still coming up!
You were featured on Expresso, South Africa’s most-watched morning show, where you mentioned Alison’s free online courses. How important has online education been to your journey?
Online education played such a huge role for me because I was able to work a 9 to 5 job while still studying my passion – Medical Sciences and Patient Care through Psychology and Counseling. I also had to make use of my Business Management and Journalism studies to help fund my study journey.
Being able to study online taught me time management skills, along with fostering a lot of discipline to consume the necessary information, while understanding that I would be tested on this data once I was working in the field. Online learning became a huge factor when the pandemic hit, and more people are starting to adjust.
This year you became an ambassador for the SPAR Women’s Challenge. Can you tell us a bit about the project? What role does education play in it?
The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge is a virtual race that people can sign up to from anywhere in the world. The aim of this virtual challenge is to unite women all around the world and to empower them to make the most of their gifts and passions. This year’s theme is #LiveLimitless. I was selected as an Ambassador and my job is to educate women about taking care of themselves, along with understanding basic health care needs. We are also raising funds to buy sanitary pads for young girls from disadvantaged communities. Through this we will be able to help many young girls, while offering Menstrual Education support for those girls who have to miss school because of their cycles. We are out to break stigmas!
How did it feel to be chosen as one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans of the Year?
When I found out that over 5000 young South Africans had been nominated for the award I was in awe. Sincerely, I felt so honored to know that out of all of those individuals, I was one of the few who are being honored with such a huge accolade. It was an unexpected award. I felt really grateful to be celebrated for doing what I love the most. I thank the Lord for allowing me to make the much needed contributions that are helping to change other people’s lives.
What can people learn from your personal story?
When asked by people, “How did you manage to do all these things?” I tell them that when you have been set apart for something big in this world, you may try to hide it or avoid it. But understand that it will be brought out into the public because it’s meant to help and benefit many others. Knowing that out of nothing, the Lord made me into someone great is a huge honor that I will surely never take for granted.
Your nomination for Young South Africans of the Year cited your interest in online education as a means of helping make healthcare more widely available. Can you share your thoughts on that?
Online education helps change our perceptions on a number of topics, including health. By exploring online courses, you can become fully equipped to combat life’s challenges. Through online education, people are able to study basic nutrition or counseling that will assist in laying a foundation for them to grow and stay healthy. Once they are given the practical information, they become fully aware of what they are dealing with.
This pandemic has taught us that we need to get as many people to understand what happens in their body as possible. Through health care courses like those offered by Alison, people have learnt to listen to their bodies.
With this incredible public platform you’ve been given, what message about education would you like to endorse?
Education is not the only key to success, but it surely helps you to find the right doors and it also gives you an advantage in knowing how to open those doors. There is so much information out there, it’s important to get the right data. That is why I spend a lot of time volunteering my skills to help online learning institutions like Alison to ensure that we get the right information to the people who need it. That is very important for us.
Knowledge is key to me because it helps guide your response to difficult situations. Whether it’s textbook knowledge or knowledge acquired through association – knowledge makes you better.
