I was born in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), South Africa. I’m an outgoing person who is both introverted and extroverted depending on who I’m with. I enjoy meeting and interacting with new people because I believe this is how you learn and grow as a person. I’m forever looking for new adventures or challenges. I’m a go-getter, never afraid to fail because we learn more from our failures and build character from them. I believe one is never too old to learn something new things. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” doesn’t apply in my life. I enjoy the outdoors, especially hiking, which has exposed me to some of the most beautiful hiking trails in South Africa. I also love taking game drives and explore our nature, especially the animals in their natural habitats. I haven’t had the opportunity to travel beyond the borders of my country. Hopefully one day I’ll travel the world, meet different people and get to experience diverse cultures and cuisines. I had dreams of becoming a medical doctor, but due to financial difficulties, I settled for a National Diploma in Biomedical Technology. At least I got to work in the medical environment with doctors and other medical personnel for about 5 years. I realised that working in a laboratory was not suitable for my personality because I love people, I enjoy interacting with different people. I enrolled for a Diploma in Marketing and that led me to the pharmaceutical industry where I combined both my medical background and the marketing qualification. I worked in Sales and Marketing departments. I also had the opportunity to turn my passion for fashion into a business adventure and started my online clothing store, which was a very exciting and challenging adventure. I leant a lot about importing and e-commerce. When motherhood happened and I took a break to become a stay home mom. I got involved in fitness and nutrition business. I realised that the entrepreneurship bug has got me and needed to empower myself to avoid mistakes I made in my previous business adventures, that is when I decided to register for a BCom degree in entrepreneurship via Unisa, which what I’m currently busy with. I am also teaching English as a foreign language online on a freelance basis. I plan to also learn one or two foreign languages as I plan to travel the world in the not-so-distant future. I’m excited about the future and learning more in this university of life.

My Bio will tell you about my past and present. The past is important, but nothing is more important as the present ME! The Beautiful and strong ME! The ME that makes the people who know and love me happy to be in my presence, the present me is what matters. My values and morals and my way of thinking are what is important, the past was just the "making of", the preview one see's of movies and series, the past is an ancient scroll where most of my life is narrated by my parents, teachers, siblings and the other significant people who come and go from one's life, My present is the true picture of what I am and who I am so let me give you insight into who I am: I am a straight talker, yet I am loving and a helpful person who is always willing to learn new things, I follow rules only when it makes sense and is fair. I was born to a mixed-race couple in the "old South Africa (during apartheid)" while the political climate was unstable and in its rebirth stage, my mixed-race background has made me culturally rich. Ancestrally I come from a diverse lineage, I have a Scottish and Irish father, a mother with little french a little Indian (Afghan and Pakistani), I have a little of everything, which has made me the odd one out as I look different from the rest of my family, I do not fit in with the brown people, I do not fit in with the white people and there is nothing wrong with that I do not need to be labeled to feel like I belong, I am one of the reasons why our country is known as the rainbow nation a mix and mashed beautiful product of all that is good. My personality and likes have made me the odd one out and the weird one, luckily my husband is just as weird as I am, I always tell him my weird matches his weird, it makes us a perfect match, we were made for each other destined to be together almost as if it was written in the stars, a destiny fulfilled with a happy future in the ahead of us. Happy and together forever and always, I still find it hard to believe that there is someone out there who not only gets me, who understands me, my way of thinking, and the way I view the world but most importantly who LOVE'S ME for ME! I consider myself spiritual and not religious, although I was raised catholic and attended a convent, where a lot of who I am today was made. The making of ME! The Sisters of Mercy and catholicism had the opposite of the intended effect on me, I am not deeply rooted in the catholic faith, even though I had many lovable and amazing teachers and friends who made my school days worthwhile. Religion does not make sense to me and I consider much of it to be untrue, designed and shaped to manipulate and to rule the masses or one could say those who prefer not to think for themselves who would rather be sheep and led to the slaughterhouse willingly. My philosophy is this: as long as I love myself and my neighbor, I believe I'm living the right way and try to instill those principles and values in my two sons. I believe that knowing and giving Love encompasses all the values needed to live a healthy life, Love naturally breeds, respect, forgiveness, and mindfulness. Love means living from the heart when one lives from the heart it naturally voids the ego, the ego destroys the manically malevolent whereas the heart creates and builds, Love is a tool with which one can build a life rich in emotional health, enlightenment, and mental stability. Love is my church, love is my essence and if ever I am in doubt I read up on the writings left to us by all the great masters, Jesus, Muhammed, Buddha the Dalai Lama and so many more masters, some of whom are more modern and still living and basically all their writings convey the message of Love. So this me and there is more to me than what is written here, but what is written here is more than enough to get to know me better.

I would consider myself a mix of both introverted and extroverted. I love being around and working with people, but I also enjoy my own company. I’m also very family orientated. Family is everything to me! My passions are a mix between working with/building fruitful relationships with people whether it be in the workplace or day to day life, I love helping people and bringing out the best of those around me. Outside of that, I also love doing anything to do with being outdoors. I’m always up for an adventure such as hiking, camping or even just a walk along the beach. I’m also passionate about and absolutely love animals. I’ve done horse-riding practically my entire life and it’s so therapeutic for me, to just get out into the country and get my mind off everything going on. I was born in Johannesburg, but lived the majority of my life in the beautiful mother city known as Cape Town. I’ve never got the chance to travel outside of South Africa, however it is something I have always wanted to do and I know I will accomplish in the future. In the meantime, there’s actually so many parts of my own country that I haven’t even experienced yet, so I’d love to start there. My work life has involved various industries, starting off with retail and moving on to the sales environment, both internal and external. I could say I had a certain plan for my life and career, but that all changed when I unexpectedly fell pregnant with my son. I then went from being an independent, carefree person to spending the last few months staying at home with my child. Which has honestly been life changing and I wouldn’t change a thing! However, it’s now time to get back into the working world and do everything in my power to give my son the life he deserves and one I wish I had growing up.

Rome wasn't built in a day. I’m of a very friendly nature and love to be with people who aren’t selfish. I am ambitious and will do anything to achieve my aim - "The Universe applauds action, not thought"  I’m of a very adventurous nature and love to find good in everything I see. There are many things that make us depressed or upset, but that doesn’t mean that we stop living. You dust yourself off, honor the difficult times for the lesson it taught you, and walk away stronger and wiser. Independence and confidence were key in my life from a young age with venturing to the UK straight after school, and eventually ending up in Cape Town as my dream destination to live a happy balanced life where beautiful sunsets are part of your everyday life, and reminds you that dreams do come true. My professional life started as a labourer painting parks in the dire UK winter weather to an Insurance consultant for a huge corporate company. Getting to know me over time, it became clear that I adapt quickly and take pride in everything I do, as I strive to leave everything and everyone better than you found them. Covid-19 and the drastic changes that came with it has been the most challenging and rewarding time of my life. With a system that failed us all in so many ways, living a financially stable life is nearly impossible, but forced me to get grounded with nature and realize that the best things in life are truly free. My senses for nature, animals, and my overall humility enhanced drastically. We are all just reminded once again that nothing ever goes as planned and that losing everything including your mind might be necessary to make you realize what a strong, resilient, and galactic species we truly are. Realizing this, I am now more than ever ready to spread love and kindness whilst challenging myself with new adventures that push me out of my comfort zone. There is no other time than the present that truly matters. And in this moment, I am excited to change my reality and the lives of those around me.

I grew up in a small farm community in the Eastern Cape. The world I knew then was only what was surrounding me; the farm, farm lands, livestock, bushes and forest and two or three other farm dweller families. That was my reality, no big cities or big townships. I never knew anything about big rivers, oceans, lots of animals, no idea of big mountains etc. When I grew up my parents moved to the city, things changed, it was a total new world. My world got so complex and vast. It was when I started visiting beaches, zoo, animal sanctuaries, visit nature reserves and botanical gardens and travelling by boats, ships and fly in aeroplanes. I am now an avid traveller, I also go for walks in the natural environments, listen to birds singing and so on. The world has so much to offer for those who grab these opportunities. As a family man, I often visit with my family to city parks, nature reserves, and lots of community projects that take care of animals and the environment. I am both an environmental and social activist, and I have spent most of my life either being involved directly in the protection of fauna and flora or training those who are involved in the same. When I travel or visit other countries, I visit mostly destinations that would offer natural and aesthetic beauty to tourists. I also have a huge interest in climate change as it is, among others, influenced by human behaviour, more especially air pollution. I am also interested in religion, more especially African Traditional religion. The reason for my interest in this branch of religion is because it is mostly nature based. In other words, it is religion that does not separate between humans and nature. For the adherents of this religion life is one and God manifests himself through nature and therefore taking care of nature is a religious duty. As an environmental and social activist, I am involved either through making financial contribution or contributing my time in community projects of different kinds. These projects would include contributing shoes to primary school learners who have no shoes, contributing money to soup kitchens for crèches and unemployed jobseekers and many other projects. I am hoping to sustain these initiatives to a level where they can help more people.

Born on outskirts of Belgrade – Serbia in family of 4. Immigrated to South Africa in 1991 “running away” from civil war. Even though that I came to South Africa without papers, money, job or being able to speak English, I made this beautiful country my home. My career took me from being a waiter in the restaurant (my first job here) to Restaurant Manager, Sales Manager in Timeshare Company to MD and CEO of ZA Galvanizing. At the end of the August this year, I left my last position of Regional Sales Manager of EXIM International. When it comes to business, I am dedicated, punctual, loyal and organized with the skill set that made me achieve any task in front of me with the high rate of success. Privately, I am a nature and animal lover, a bit of the environmentalist and lifelong naturist. I am one of the funders and first Chairman of Western Cape Naturist Association – WCNA and South African National Naturist Association – SANNA. Passionate follower and supporter of South African Rugby and F1 Grand Prix.

I am a 26-year-old woman, born and raised in Johannesburg, where I have lived my entire life. One of my biggest aspirations is to travel across South Africa and eventually the world. Although I was bred a city girl, my heart lies at sea. Another one of my aspirations is to own a home along the South African coast, within walking distance to the beach. I have been known as a bookworm since childhood. I always preferred to have my nose in a book rather than watching cartoons, hence my passions are reading, writing, and editing. Taking my love for books into account, I decided to study English literature, linguistics, and journalism. I have a great love for animals, and I currently have four dogs and a cat. I also love being out in nature. I am always keen to go hiking, take a trip to the beach, or take the dogs for a walk in the park. Another one of my interests is fashion. I have my own sewing machine and often create clothing for myself. I believe we are all responsible for our actions, and we decide where we want to go in life. I think if you want to do something, and you believe you can do it, you can. All you have to do is put in the effort. Nothing comes easy, but if you put the work in, you will achieve your goals and be anything you want to be. This is something I live by. I also think that building relationships and being able to work with others is extremely important. Succeeding in your endeavors often depends on how you work with and treat people, not just on what you can accomplish on your own. I have only started my journey, but I am looking forward to experiencing new things, building good relationships, and making the most out of every situation or opportunity.

Born and bred in beautiful Cape Town, mom to a long-awaited, witty, (inherited from me of course!), amazing, lively little 5-year-old girl, 2 dogs and 2 cats, 'my rescue children'. Married to Tomy, a senior digital content producer hailing from Tennenbronn, Germany. He is as introvert as I am extrovert – the scale balances beautifully. In my spare time (which is limited!) I sketch, paint, and try my hand at baking, while completing a mini-thesis in psychology. University after high school was not an option. I am also a seasoned HR professional, with a passion for people and process, building and maintaining great relationships form the foundation of both who I am, and what I do. And it’s a solid foundation. Hailing from the Pharmaceutical industry, I entered the world of investments about 14 years ago, where after joining as Office Manager, I moved into HR and have been in the HR sphere since. My journey has taken me on many a bumpy road, however, being a glass-half-full type, seasoned by an interesting childhood, and a solid determination to rise above, I march smilingly on. I have a passion for order, automation and software which could aid in optimization, easing transitions and processes. I am resilient with great sense of humour, always welcoming a challenge. I have a firm belief that building and nurturing relationships are paramount to success. I love meeting people and building relationships come naturally to me. I believe it’s the level of connection that counts. I am passionate about my work, I love what I do, and I do it well. I believe that doing what you love is a privilege. Yet, I still long for something more philanthropic in life. To give back, be it ever so small. Being an eternal optimist and peppered with life’s-experiences, I have been shaped into the person I am today. Pragmatic, passionate, and humble. An enormous amount of grit coupled a with good dose of grace! I am not done growing yet, not by a long shot, there are too many interesting, inspiring people to meet along the way, and there is always something to learn and something to contribute in life. It’s the journey that counts and I enjoy every step.

I am Alonzo Van Aarde, born on 9th July 2002. I was raised in Cape Town, South Africa, I am the oldest son out of 6 children, Recently (last year 2020) I have matriculated in my hometown, Mitchell’s plain. I never quite had a fixed job, but I have had my fair share of holiday jobs in a shoe store, it was called first stop shoes in a shopping complex close to home. In my free time, I would work private jobs with my father and doing shop fitting and house renovations all over Cape Town. I loved helping my father out. It was also a way for me to have extra pocket money. I also worked at a Taylor blinds company, whereby the production of blinds called Taylor blinds in Montague gardens. I took part in various programs whilst at school, namely, in leadership development skills with a NPO called M.O.V.E and another called J.A.M, where I was taught to run my own business. This was done during my schooling, I have obtained certificates for these courses. These two courses were done over a period of 12 months, I was also an RCL members as well as a Prefect at my school. I am also part of a group called M.O.C (mission of Christ), where I furthered my leadership skills but in a more spiritual sense, in doing so we take part in outreach programs and preach the gospel. I speak fluently English and Afrikaans. I am currently studying Japanese, because I am intrigued by it. I am computer literate, Microsoft enabled as well as Linux. I am also a musician. In my spare time, I teach people to play an instrument and also to read music. I also write my own music as well as produce music. I use this skill to help many young and upcoming artists. I work with an Organization called My Child Is Your Child, Creating a platform where young people can showcase their talents and make something out of themselves. I live in a rough community where children are killing children and I’ve joined this organization to make a change in a community through various forms of art. My hobbies are, playing different sporting activities, going to the gym, writing music and drawing portraits.

Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, I am a 22-year-old who could be described as ambitious, hardworking, and a perfectionist. I enjoy being challenged with new tasks, as I believe discomfort allows one to grow and learn. I enjoy teamwork, but I am also capable of working on my own. I believe that communication is an important aspect of any relationship, especially professional ones, as it doesn’t leave any room for errors or misunderstandings. Therefore, I pride myself on being a skilled communicator. I am organised, goal-driven, and I find it very hard to set a task down once I have started. I may not have the most extroverted personality, but I do enjoy socialising with others in any setting. I recently graduated with a BA in English and Communication Science. While completing my degree, I worked as an editorial intern at Highbury Media, where I gained first-hand experience in editing, publishing, and social media management. I was also able to sharpen my writing skills, which came in handy as I went on to work as a freelance writer for ClubX Magazine for over a year. Even though I do not have years of experience behind me, I am, however, eager to learn. And a fresh mind is always a benefit. When it comes to my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, and painting. I am also currently learning Italian and intend on tackling many other foreign languages.

I am a positive, happy person who loves all aspects of my life. I love the beach, animals and children. I am a people’s person. I grew up in the Kruger Park and that is where my love for animals and people comes from. Love working with people from all over the world. I have three beautiful children and an amazing mom whom I adore. I received the most precious gift of all very recently when I was blessed by becoming a grandmother. Like most young people and since I can remember, I had a dream… I just wanted to be a teacher when I grow up. Like a lot of young people, I did not have the means to pursue my dream. At the age of sixteen, I started working in the Kruger Park tourist shop as a cashier during school holidays. Naturally, when I matriculated and because I could not attend a college or university to study what my heart desired, I started working for SANParks. I worked in different departments from the tourist shop to finally being promoted to year in advance bookings at SANParks head office. I will always want to be a teacher in my heart, but never will I be disappointed for the foundation I had. Working for SANParks gave me the opportunity, confidence and knowledge to work with tourists from all over the world. They had a huge hand in the way I see people and the quality of work I offer. I will always be thankful. I am a loyal, loving, understanding, empathetic and kind individual. I learned a lot about people over the years. People tend to confide in me and I am a very good listener. I can solve problems easily because people listen to me and usually follow my advice. It makes it a lot easier to solve problems in the work place concerning personnel and clients too. I have a sixth sense about people and it usually turns out to be spot on. The way in which I treat people, they will follow my orders without question. I learned a lot during my years working for different companies and working in different departments and environments. I know how to handle myself and every situation and challenge I am faced with. I am hard-working and not afraid to learn new things. I am a quick learner and I always follow through on everything I do. Even if it is a new challenge, I have to tackle and always give a hundred and one percent doing everything that has to be done. I am not afraid to walk the extra mile and to do everything to the best of my ability. I gained a lot of professional work experience. This includes... working as a reservations officer, receptionist, personal assistant, bookkeeper, financial administrator, school tutor and even running my own business for several years. I loved all the careers I pursued, but my favorite by far was the work I have done with clients. It would be a honor and privilege to invest the experience I have gained and the skills I have mastered into your company and to share it with the world.

I am passionate about my work. Because I love what I do, I have a steady source of motivation that drives me to do my best. In my last job, this passion led me to challenge myself daily and learn new skills that helped me to do better work. I am ambitious and driven. I thrive on challenge and constantly set goals for myself, so I have something to strive toward. I’m not comfortable settling, and I’m always looking for an opportunity to do better and achieve greatness. I am highly organized. I always take notes, and I use a series of tools to help myself stay on top of deadlines. I like to keep a clean workspace and create a logical filing method, so I’m always able to find what I need. I find this increases efficiency and helps the rest of the team stay on track. I’m a people-person. I love meeting new people and learning about their lives and their backgrounds. I can almost always find common ground with strangers, and I like making people feel comfortable in my presence. I find this skill is especially helpful when kicking off projects with new clients. A little about myself... I grew up in the Kruger National Park and spent most of my days playing with the baby animals. My favourite part of the day was going down to the rehabilitation center to feed the baby elephants. The saddest was at night, when you could hear them cry for their mothers. My favourite memory occurred on a late summer night. My nephew, my brother and myself went down to the local swimming pool to cool down abit. We enjoyed a wonderful night and eventually started getting our things together to head home. Upon reaching the gate to get to the car, we realised that we were trapped inside. There was definitely no getting out for a while, as a pack of wild dogs decided to inspect the car and take a nap right next to the gate. That's where my fascination with predators came along. At one point, our neighbors even had a pet lioness! As you can gather, I LOVE the nature. Always expect the unexpected! I'm also an accident magnet... I'll find that one brick that isn't level and trip over it. Once, I even straight up walked into a lamp pole at Spar. The poor old lady in the car in front of us didn't know whether to laugh or ask if I was okay ! I'm very outspoken and I'm not shy to admit my faults. Basically, I'm an open book. What you can't see, I'll gladly tell you all about it.

Marketing Consultant @ Colombo, Sri Lanka MBA (UK), Certified professional Marketer (Asia), Chartered Marketer, MCIM (UK), PGDipM (UK), MSLIM (SL) During my tenure in Audit firm, Financial Industry, Media Organization, Educational Institute, Retail Industry, Petroleum Industry, FMCG Company, Entrepreneur & Marketing Consultant, I gained wealth of knowledge & experience, all spiced with a well-honed instinct for positive marketing. With over twenty Four years of relevant experience I am adept at executing any tasks associated with the job. Marketing Consultant - (01/ 2021 – to date) Designed & implemented marketing strategies according to client’s objectives and budget, execute task and monitoring outcomes. Influenced team members to establish most effective tools & methods, liaised with top Mgt & give strategic direction & findings. DGM – Marketing - (09/2019 – 12/ 2020) Lanka Sathosa Ltd (LSL) - Ministry of Trade Awarded & won SLIM - Nielsen People’s Awards for LSL, planned & implemented all marketing & advertising campaigns and increased imaged. Drives traffic to store & improved profitability by creating operational in-store action plans, designed & streamlined business strategies, turning around the company (LSL) by increasing foot fall level & basket value. Alliance with Pickme and Postal Dpt. tested and delivered groceries to customers’ doorstep, managed to design of LSL web site, developed & launched e-commerce platform & simplified website booking forms and also achieved the highest sales of Rs.17.5Bn in first half 2020 at LSL history. General Manager - (08/2017 –09/ 2019) Infinity Foods (Pvt) Ltd - Market Trader (Pvt) Ltd Responsibility of the overall imported beverages and snacks foods portfolio and tested viability, including strategy direction and P&L. Leveraged new ideas to improved overall business, maintained of all KPI’s and in charge of the Mkt budget and reinforced the brand image. Brand Manager - (08/2015 –08/2017) Lanka Spice (Pvt) Ltd (LSL) - “Mc Currie” Delivered properly the marketing mix, simplified website of “Mc Currie” to increase the profitability, comprehensive strategic PR programs for the exploitation of LSL, channel marketing strategy, excellence in trade execution & secured top tier events for marketing & developed new slogan. Developed and presented the TV commercial to build image of the “Mc Currie” position as a premium brand in the minds of target market segment, turnaround of brand performance & maximized turnover of the year 2016. Head of Sales & Marketing - (03/2011 - 07/2015) The Golden Lane Shops - Maldives Exceeded Mrf.10.2M sales for month of July 2011 in “GL” history, Coached team members to improve their skills & achieved work quality. Responsible for rebranded “GL Style” into one of the strongest sports & casual ware brands in the Maldives, has been able to achieved double digits’ growth, successfully handle commercials in Dhi T/V, MNBC, Raajje Radio and adverts on Haveeru newspapers to increased the awareness. Work as a part-time Consultant / Trainer for The Hawks (Pvt) Ltd, (B2B Business) in Male, Maldives - (1/11/2012-11/2//2015) Brand Manager - (02/2008 – 03/2011) Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) Managed & maintained two brands, which were the Buckinghamshire new university MBA (BUCKS) & Certified Professional Marketer (CPM) status at the AMF and led colleagues and delegated teams to monitor sales. I was an active part of the team that launched "BUCKS MBA" program in Sri Lanka and monitor overall performance of the two brands. Published adverts, strategic alliances with advertising & media agencies, coordinate with head office in UK effectively build brand image in SL. Business Development. Executive. - (04/2005 – 02/ 2008) Wijeya Newspapers Ltd (WNL) An accomplished Mgt. executive for the launch of “IT Times” brand in SL. Identified innovative marketing campaigns, negotiated with major supermarkets to successful distribution of magazine of the in Island wide and delivered to Sri Lankan Airlines as well & increased the penetration level. Senior Marketing Executive. - (09/2003 – 04/ 2005) Leader Investment (Pvt) Ltd (Forex) Presented for real-time Forex trading advisory services to clients, ensuring they gain maximum return on investment & won customer confidence, reduced & resolved complained, ensured that all clients data was safely stored. Build network with top line customers. I was an active part of the team in opening a new branch office in Kandy City and led trained & motivated team to manage profitability. Chairman / Managing Director - (12/2001 – 09/2003) AMS Holdings (“SAP” Tea) Responsible for the launched “SAP” brand of tea and negotiated the longer payment terms with suppliers, reduced short expired return stock and saved money, ensured the optimal brand visibility of "SAP" tea. Improved overall penetration of “SAP” range of tea southern provincial area, suburbs of Colombo as well as some of identified supermarket in the country and maximized sales and streamlined the route plan. Established to worked as a Group Internal Audit Assistant at Sumathi Holdings & presented new findings to the Mgt.- (03/2000 -12/ 2001) During my career as an Audit Trainee at B.R.de Silva & Company, I have managed to visit varies types of companies - (04/1997 - 03/2000) Produced Student at St. Aloysius College – Galle, Sri Lanka (1979 – 1993)

I am outgoing, dedicated and love new challenges! I believe that a person should work on developing their skills and learning new things all the time. I love sports gaming and fishing during my “downtime”. I believe treating people with integrity and respect will always yield great relationships. I love spending as much time as I can with my family and loved ones. I believe that working together as a whole, we can achieve great things. I am very optimistic and very open-minded when dealing with day-to-day life. I love my animals as they truly bring the best out of me if I have had a long challenging day. Working as a Manager in the Hospitality industry for nearly a decade I have learnt many valuable lessons and feel I have grown each year bringing great personality, enthusiasm and constructive ideas to the table. I have a positive outlook on life and I wish to share that positivity with you someday! Showing compassion for others in this industry and any industry, I believe will always get positive results. I am, because we are. Bound together in ways that are invisible, humanity is all about being one. Caring unconditionally, and sharing with everyone around us. Combining a salient philosophy of caring and sharing, with the strength of unity and community. We can determine the course of humanity and our destiny, by challenging the digital status quo. “I am, because we are. Together.”

WorldQuant University is an accredited not-for-profit advancing global education with entirely free offerings in data sciences. The mission of WorldQuant University is to make advanced, quality education accessible to capable students everywhere by leveraging technology at scale to deliver entirely free online programs. Education is most effective when educators, employers, and students work together to create pathways for mutual success. Technology makes advanced learning locally available across geographies and enhances outcomes by connecting capable candidates and prospective employers. With student enrollment in more than one hundred countries, our MSc in Financial Engineering Program and Applied Data Science module deliver rigorous curriculum developed by domain experts. From anywhere in the world, students are guided by professionally experienced faculty to develop the high-level quantitative and data-driven skills in high demand across industries. WorldQuant University is U.S.-based and accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). Every major industry is growing its soft-quant and hard-quant workforce. With every passing year, more employers want job applicants with data science and analytics skills. We can’t educate qualified people fast enough. We’re using financial engineering and data science education to build multidisciplinary strengths students can apply to their future careers. There are many obstacles to inspiring the next generation of data-driven experts. Cost shouldn’t be one of them. Our offerings are entirely free. We are committed to helping the most capable students advance themselves and improve the world through data science.

I was born in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, but raised in Jozini, Kwa-Zulu Natal and a Diver at heart. School Holidays were spent on the beach and in the ocean at Sodwana Bay. My Passion for acting started at a young age when I was approached by my arts teacher to play the lead as “Joseph” in that year’s school play, “Joseph and his technicolor dream coat”. In 2006, I moved to Saldanha bay Naval Base to conduct my basic training and upon completion, reported to Simon’s Town Naval Base Diving Centre. I worked at the Naval Diving Centre until mid- 2007, but reported for duty aboard SAS Spioenkop (Naval Warship) later that year and for the rest of my stay in the SA Navy. I resigned from the SA Navy at the end of 2009 to further pursue my childhood passion for acting, after it had been re-ignited back in 2007, when a Production Company came to shoot the one part series, “Diver’s Down”, at the Naval Diving Base where I was stationed. Since then, I performed numerous small roles in Films and TV Shows with goals and aspirations to become a successful actor in the industry. Years later and struggling in the industry, I started a Photography business in 2017 shooting headshots for actors in the industry and also specializing in Real Estate Photography. I also worked in the hospitality industry during this time, working my way up to head of staff at a fine dining Italian Restaurant in the Bellville area of Cape Town. In December 2018, I made the very hard decision to hang up my Actor’s hat and retire from the industry, as I needed to make a change. So with a fire in my belly and a pursuit of a new career, I embarked on an old passion within the boating world. I completed my Yacht Master Coastal and SAS Day Skipper certificate followed by a plane ticket to Nice, France. I spent a month walking countless amounts of steps that would make “Discovery Vitality” proud on the docks of the various harbors, handing out my CV in an attempt to book work as crew on board. With a few days worth of day work under the belt and finally booking an interview for a possible crew position, my visa expired and I needed to come home. Luckily, I was being strongly considered for a position aboard, but I needed to wait for the boat to come out of the drydock. With this, I flew back to SA with a hopeful heart, knowing that I would soon return to France. As things go, the opportunity was cancelled (Owner preferred a merger of the two available roles and he preferred a female). What to do now? Unemployed and with depleted finances of not being able to return, I started looking for work and was unemployed until Sept the same year when I finally got an opportunity to begin work as a Junior Site Supervisor for a Construction Business (not ideal, but hey challenge accepted and gotta pay dem bills son!). I have since then worked for the same company, building weigh bridges, expanding warehouses, pouring concrete floors and laying paving. I have learned so much and have grown allot since then. Recently I approached and dusted off my photography equipment again and am in the process of starting this up as well. Being in the construction industry has sparked allot of ideas and have given me a new passion for real estate, especially as an Investor. People tend to describe me as ambitious, hardworking, punctual and goal-oriented. I have high attention to detail and work really well in both a team environment and on my own. I am proactive, a problem solver and creative at heart. I won’t stop until the project or task is completed. More personally, I enjoy the outdoors, love being fit and healthy and spending my off time with my most valuable assets; family and friends. Short term goals: – To learn and grow the new skills required to perform given tasks efficiently and with excellence. -To prove myself a valuable asset, as a hardworking, dependable and trustworthy individual to my fellow colleagues, managers and seniors. Long term goals: -To become one of the best in my department and be seen as the go-to guy for a specific job or task. -To become manager and coach to younger generations looking to enter my industry. -To eventually run a team of managers, teaching them to effectively run their teams with excellence. I believe in serving others with excellence. The effort you put in will reap the results you desire. I also believe that being truthful, respectful and trustworthy are very important keys to success and I strive to live by these principles daily.

I am passionate about my work. Because I love what I do, I have a steady source of motivation that drives me to do my best. In my last job, this passion led me to challenge myself daily and learn new skills that helped me to do better work. I am ambitious and driven. I thrive on challenges and constantly set goals for myself, so I have something to strive toward. I’m not comfortable settling, and I’m always looking for an opportunity to do better and achieve greatness. I am an excellent communicator. I pride myself on making sure people have the right information because it drives better results. Most business issues stem from poor communication, so I feel a responsibility to keep everyone on the same page. I am results-oriented, constantly checking in with the goal to determine how close or how far away we are and what it will take to make it happen. I find this pressure inspiring and a great motivator for the rest of the team. I am highly organized. I always take notes, and I use a series of tools to help myself stay on top of deadlines. I like to keep a clean workspace and create a logical filing method, so I’m always able to find what I need. I find this increases efficiency and helps the rest of the team stay on track, too. I’m a people-person. I love meeting new people and learning about their lives and their backgrounds. I can almost always find common ground with strangers, and I like making people feel comfortable in my presence.

Education First (EF) provides life-changing education for global citizens. For over 50 years, our mission has been to give confidence and freedom to people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. With the desire to define your own path in life, and a little courage, Education First opens up a world of possibilities. We transform dreams into international opportunities. We combine language training with cultural exchange, academic achievement and educational travel to deliver courses and programs that transform dreams into international opportunities. In the early 1960s, a young Swedish man named Bertil Hult traveled to England for the first time. As a dyslexic, school had always been a challenge for him. But he was surprised by how effortlessly he picked up English in England. Bertil became convinced that traditional classroom-based teaching was not always the most effective. In 1965, he decided to start a small company called Europeiska Ferieskolan (European Holiday School – EF for short) that combined language learning with travel abroad. He called the program Språkresor, or Language Travel, which provided one of the world's first hands-on learning experiences outside the classroom. Today, experiential learning is a cornerstone of modern education. For Education First, it has been the philosophy behind every program for 50 years. This simple but effective way to learn has helped us become the world’s largest educational organization.

La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) fue fundada el 21 de septiembre de 1551 con el nombre de la Real y Pontificia Universidad de México. Es la más grande universidad de México e Iberoamérica. Tiene como propósito primordial estar al servicio del país y de la humanidad, formar profesionistas útiles a la sociedad, organizar y realizar investigaciones, principalmente acerca de las condiciones y problemas nacionales, y extender con la mayor amplitud posible, los beneficios de la cultura. El campus de la UNAM, llamado Ciudad Universitaria (CU), se ubica al sur de la Ciudad de México. Su construcción estuvo a cargo de algunos de los arquitectos y artistas mexicanos más destacados del siglo XX y fue declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO en 2007.​ La UNAM ha desempeñado un papel protagónico en la historia y en la formación de México. Las tareas sustantivas de esta institución pública, autónoma y laica son la docencia, la investigación y la difusión de la cultura. A lo largo de su historia, la UNAM ha estado comprometida con la promoción de la educación en todos los niveles sociales, especialmente en áreas científicas y tecnológicas, por lo que es considerada una de las instituciones con mayor impacto cultural y científico de Iberoamérica. Además, se trata de la institución mexicana de mayor impacto en lo que respecta a la publicación e investigación académica y científica. Prueba de ello es el hecho de que todos los laureados con el Premio Nobel en México son egresados de esta casa de estudios. De entre los tanto reconocimiento que ha recibido, destaca ​el Premio Príncipe de Asturias de Comunicación y Humanidades, otorgado en 2009. En el mundo académico es reconocida como una universidad de excelencia. La UNAM responde al presente y mira el futuro como el proyecto cultural más importante de México. La UNAM es un espacio de libertades. En ella se practica cotidianamente el respeto, la tolerancia y el diálogo. La pluralidad de ideas y de pensamiento es apreciada como signo de su riqueza y nunca como factor de debilidad.

SPEAK is a language and cultural exchange program that allows people to learn a language in an informal and relaxed context. The program was founded in Portugal in 2012, is present in 25 cities, offers exchanges in 55 languages, and has participants from 198 countries. SPEAK brings together newcomers and locals living in the same city through community-led language groups and cultural exchange events, both online and in presence. To participate, one can simply access the program site, choose the city of residence and select a language group or event. The goal of the program is to offer people the opportunity to improve their conversation skills, learn about the culture of others, and share their own. The principle of the program is the idea that participants can learn from each other, discover common interests and make new friends, breaking down barriers and overthrowing prejudices. Each language group is made up of between 4 and 10 participants, who are accompanied by two “buddies” that teach their native language or any other language with which they are familiar. “Buddies” are not professional teachers; they are volunteers who want to share their knowledge of a language and learn from others in a dynamic and open context. Anyone can become a “buddy” and attend the other groups as well as the events. Each language group has two levels, basic and conversational, and consists of 12 sessions of 90 minutes. In addition, SPEAK has a team of ambassadors who organize cultural events where those who decide to participate have the opportunity to share their experiences, practice the language of their preference, and meet other members of the community. The events are held regularly and the language groups are opened monthly according to the availability of “buddies” and the demand in each city. “The best way to learn a language is by using it. You will do most of the talking during sessions and you’ll practice everyday conversations that you can use everywhere”.