Gladys Magagula spent two years at home after finishing her schooling at the Lihawu High School, outside Nelspruit. She had dreams but no means.
Then a friend told her about a bridging programme at the University of the North for students with maths and science who couldn't get into the university directly.
Magagula completed her BSc Computer Science in 2000. She then won funding from the department of communications' Institute of Satellite & Software Applications to study for a postgraduate diploma in engineering at Stellenbosch University. The programme brought Magagula into contact with SunSpace director Sias Mostert, a lecturer at the university.
"I couldn't find a job in programming or satellites, so I joined IT company Comparex (now Business Connexion) in Nelspruit. Then last year Sias invited me to apply for an internship at SunSpace," she says. She will specialise in software development related to major space components.
