IBali lezoThando eUWC
Dominque noLance Bouwers. Umfanekiso: Shelley Christians / UWCOku kwaqala ngombuzo nje ongephi kwisitophu sebhasi. NgeyeNkanga (ngoNovemba) 2012, eHanover Park, uLance Bowers wayesendleleni eya ekhampasini, apho wayesenza izifundo zesidanga seBEd kwiYunivesithi yaseNtshona Koloni (UWC). Ngolo suku, uDominique waya kuye wafika wabuza, “Ingaba uhamba ngale bhasi?”
Yaba kukuqala kobudlelwane babo obathi kanti buza kuqhuba iminyaka engaphaya kweshumi.
“Sakhwela ebhasini, saqalisa ukuncokola, Saphetha sihlala kunye ebhasini, hayi ke, ukusuka apho yakhula into,” ukhumbula atsho uLance.
Ngeloo xesha, uDominique wayesebenza kwiSchool of Natural Medicine eUWC, ngeli lixa uLance wayesaxakeke zizifundo zakhe zaseyunivesithi. Umtsalane phakathi kwesi sibini waye usiba nzulu njengokuba babemana bebonana emva kokuya kwizifundo, naxa kukhwelwe ibhasi nakwiintsuku ezinde zokusebenza nokufunda.
Ngo2016, uLance wagqiba ukufunda isidanga sakhe seBEd, kwaze ngalo nyaka esi sibini satshata. Kwabaninzi, oku kwakuya kuba luphawu lokufikela esiphelweni kwesahluko esingezinga lokusebenza okumandla, kodwa kwesi sibini sakwaBowers, oku yaba yaba kukuqala kwento.
Ngo2017, uDominique wabhalisela izifundo zeAdvanced Diploma in Management, waze walandelisa ngePostgraduate Diploma in Business Administration ngo2021. Ikhaya labo laba nenqwaba yeentsuku zokungeniswa komsebenzi wesikolo kunye nokuxhasana.
Njenganto yonke ebomini, zaba khona izinto ezaye zabavelela. Ngo2022, ngeli lixa efunda esebenza uDominique, waye wagula kakhulu. Ngaxeshanye, uLance wayesanda kuqala iiMaster's of Philosophy (MPhil) kwiSport for Development. Ukuba babengabanye abantu, ukuhlangana kokugula noxinzelelo lwezifundo kwakunokubalibazisa kwinkqubela yabo.
Endaweni yoko, ezi ziziphazamiso zatyhila amandla nenkxaso yabantu abanayo. “Uluntu lwelokishi yethu, usapho lwethu, icawe esikhonza kuyo nabantu abasithandayo basixhasa ngomthandazo, izidlo, unakekelo lwabantwana nonakekelo endalufumana emva kokuphuma esibhedlele. Basithwala ngexesha elalinzima kakhulu ebomini bethu, ” uchaza atsho uDominique.
Lixesha eli elabavavanya kakhulu, kodwa laqinisa nesiseko elwalakhelwe kuso uhambo lwabo: esilukholo. Bekhokelwa liLizwi leNkosi, kwabaseRoma 8:28, “Siyazi ukuba zonke izinto zisebenzela ukulunga kwabo bamthembayo nabamthandayo uYehova”, bafumana intsika yokubambelela kwiimeko ezinzima ababejongene nazo kwakunye nokuxhasana.
Evuselelekile, uDominique wagqiba iMCom in Information Systems, waze uLance wagqiba iMPhil.
Ngoku, ngo2026, esi sibini silungiselela ukufumana izidanga zaso kunye, bobabini bephumelele iiMastazi. Ibali labo alihambelani nezinto eziye zithethwe ngeHanover Park, indawo ethanda ukubonwa njengenemingeni yezentlalo neyezoqoqosho. Kusapho lakwaBowers, asindawo abaqala kuyo echaza ukuba bangoobani na, kodwa yindlela abathe bakhetha ukuqhubeka ngayo.
Xa bekhwela kwesa steyiji sesidanga ngoMvulo we13 Epreli 2026, umyalezo wabo ucacile, uthi: Indawo oqale kuyo ingabumba uhambo lwakho, kodwa soze ithathe isigqibo ngesiphelo sakho.
@uwconline #UWCGrad2026: Couple goals ???? From a bus stop moment to today’s shared Master’s milestone. Mr & Mrs Graduation 2026, graduating side by side and dropping gems for those still on the journey. #IAmUWC ? graduation - DJ K99
’n UWK-liefdesverhaal
Dominique en Lance Bowers. Foto: Shelley Christians / UWKDit het met ’n eenvoudige vraag by ’n bushalte begin. In November 2012, in Hanover Park, was Lance Bowers op pad na die kampus, waar hy met sy BEd aan die Universiteit van die Wes-Kaap (UWK) besig was. Op daardie dag het Dominique na hom toe gestap en gevra: “Haal jy hierdie bus?”
Dit was die begin van ’n vennootskap wat oor meer as ’n dekade sou strek.
“Ons het in die bus geklim en begin gesels. Ons het langs mekaar gaan sit en van daar af, het goed net gegroei,” herroep Lance.
Op daardie tydstip het Dominique by die Skool vir Natuurlike Geneeskunde aan die UWK gewerk, terwyl Lance besig was om die eise van die universiteitslewe te navigeer. Hulle verhouding het tussen lesings, busritte en lang dae vol werk en studies deur, verdiep.
Teen 2016 het Lance sy BEd afgehandel en die paartjie is daardie jaar getroud. Vir talle sou dit die einde van ’n veeleisende hoofstuk aangedui het, maar vir die Bowers was dit maar net die begin.
In 2017 het Dominique haar eie akademiese reis aangepak en vir ’n Gevorderde Diploma in Bestuur ingeskryf, gevolg deur ’n Nagraadse Diploma in Besigheidsadministrasie in 2021. Hulle huishouding het ’n ruimte geword wat deur sperdatums en wedersydse ondersteuning gedefinieer is.
Soos alles in die lewe, was hulle paadjie nie sonder swaarkry nie. In 2022, te midde van die balanseertoertjie met deeltydse studies, het Dominique ernstig siek geword. Terselfdertyd het Lance pas met sy Magister in die Wysbegeerte (MPhil) in Sport vir Ontwikkeling begin. Die sameloop van siekte en akademiese druk kon maklik hulle vordering ontspoor het.
In plaas daarvan het dit die krag van die gemeenskap om hulle onthul. “Ons dorpie, ons familie, kerk en geliefdes het ons gedra. Deur gebede, maaltye, kindersorg en versorging nadat ek uit die hospitaal ontslaan is. Hulle het ons gedurende een van die moeilikste seisoene van ons lewens bymekaar gehou,” vertel Dominique.
Dit was ’n tydperk wat hulle diepgaande getoets het, maar ook die grondslag waarop hulle reis gebou was – geloof – versterk het. Gerig deur die skrif, Romeine 8:28,
“Ons weet dat God alles ten goede laat meewerk vir hulle wat Hom liefhet, vir hulle wat volgens sy voorneme geroep is”, kon hulle sin in hulle stryd en krag in mekaar vind.
Dominique het haar MCom in Inligtingstelsels met hernude vasbeslotenheid afgehandel, terwyl Lance sy MPhil afgehandel het.
Nou, in 2026, berei die paartjie voor om saam te gradueer, albei met magistergrade. Hulle verhaal staan in sterk kontras tot die narratief wat dikwels met Hanover Park verbind word, ’n gemeenskap wat dikwels deur sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings gedefinieer word. Vir die Bowers is dit nie waar hulle begin het wat hulle definieer nie, maar eerder hoe hulle gekies het om vooruit te beweeg.
Wanneer hulle Maandag 13 April 2026 oor die verhoog by die gradeplegtigheid stap, sal hulle boodskap duidelik wees: Waar jy begin, kan dalk jou reis vorm, maar dit sal nooit jou bestemming bepaal nie.
@uwconline #UWCGrad2026: Couple goals ???? From a bus stop moment to today’s shared Master’s milestone. Mr & Mrs Graduation 2026, graduating side by side and dropping gems for those still on the journey. #IAmUWC ? graduation - DJ K99
Dominque and Lance Bouwers at their home ahead of their graduation ceremony. Both are set to graduate with their Master’s at UWC on 13 April 2026. Image: Shelley Christians / UWCIt began with a simple question at a bus stop. In November 2012, in Hanover Park, Lance Bowers was on his way to campus, where he was pursuing a BEd degree at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). That day, Dominique walked up to him and asked, “Do you take this bus?”
It was the start of a partnership that would span more than a decade.
“We got on the bus and started chatting. We ended up sitting together, and from there, things just grew,” Lance recalled.
At the time, Dominique was working at the School of Natural Medicine at UWC, while Lance was navigating the demands of university life. Their connection deepened between lectures, bus rides and long days shaped by work and study.
By 2016, Lance had completed his BEd degree, and that year, the couple married. For many, that might have marked the end of a demanding chapter, but for the Bowers, it was only the beginning.
In 2017, Dominique embarked on her own academic journey, enrolling for an Advanced Diploma in Management, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration in 2021. Their household became a space defined by deadlines and mutual support.
As with everything in life, their path was not without hardship. In 2022, while balancing part-time studies, Dominique fell seriously ill. At the same time, Lance had just begun his Master's of Philosophy (MPhil) in Sport for Development. The convergence of illness and academic pressure could easily have derailed their progress.
Dominque and Lance Bouwers. Image: Shelley Christians / UWCInstead, it revealed the strength of the community around them. “Our village, our family, church and loved ones carried us. Through prayer, meals, childcare and care after I was discharged from the hospital. They held us together during one of the most difficult seasons of our lives, ” Dominique shared.
It was a period that tested them deeply, but also reinforced the foundation on which their journey was built: faith. Guided by the scripture, Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him”, they found meaning in their struggle and strength in each other.
With renewed determination, Dominique completed her MCom in Information Systems, while Lance completed his MPhil.
Now, in 2026, the couple prepares to graduate together, both with Master’s degrees. Their story stands in powerful contrast to the narrative often associated with Hanover Park, a community frequently defined by socio-economic challenges. For the Bowers, it is not where they started that defines them, but rather how they chose to move forward.
When they walk across the graduation stage on Monday, 13 April 2026, their message is clear: Where you begin may shape your journey, but it will never define your destination.
@uwconline #UWCGrad2026: Couple goals ???? From a bus stop moment to today’s shared Master’s milestone. Mr & Mrs Graduation 2026, graduating side by side and dropping gems for those still on the journey. #IAmUWC ? graduation - DJ K99
