Dr. Eurika Mogane is a South African Health and Wellness Practitioner with an exceptional passion for Medical Sciences, a stellar career and multiple GK International Honour Society awards under her belt. She is also well-known for being a GK Volunteer through her involvement in the Cancer Association of South Africa and Alison Online Learning.
Below she shares her story of drive and determination in achieving her academic and career goals from starting as an office cleaner and worked her way to the top.
In our interview, Dr. Eurika Mogane first mentions how she is a born-again Christian. Her faith is what anchors her and is something she always strives to encourage and share with others.
She started studying at the University of Pretoria in 2010 and dropped out in 2012 due to financial difficulties. During this time in 2011, she was introduced to The GK International Society and awarded a certificate.
“At that time, I did not really understand the weight of the title of this honor that had been given to us, only to find out that there were opportunities for funding and scholarships. After dropping out, I went back home, started volunteering and told myself I was not going to beat myself up, I was not going to wallow away in self-pity, and I needed to do something about myself.”
She went into the CBD and started walking around offices looking for any work she could do. Eventually, someone gave her the opportunity to work as a cleaner.
“Yes, it did come in handy being a member of the GK society because the individual said I could start by cleaning offices to see if I was willing to learn and how resilient I was. From there onwards, I was given different tasks to do and I learnt something new from each task.”
What does being a GK member mean to you?
“It means you are a person who is expected to always keep pushing no matter what is thrown at you or what you are facing in life. Having that certificate from 2011 gave me hope and made me realize that I could still fight and push myself to go beyond.”
In 2013 she received her qualification for Community Journalism and went on to complete her National Diploma in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. In 2018 she went back to continue with her studies in the Medical field and received an alumni award from the GK International Honour Society in 2020.
“Having a second certificate was a huge honor because it propelled me knowing that people were actually noticing and were proud of what I was doing.”
How did your first GK National Society Undergraduate Lifetime Award help you in achieving your academic and career goals?
“I got a bursary and it pushed me to become a part of the student societies. Leadership is greatly encouraged by GK, so I took up some leadership positions and that opened a lot of doors for me.”
Could you elaborate a bit on your activities in the Cancer Association?
She started as a volunteer and was eventually made a leader of all the young individuals in Nelspruit. In 2016 she became the first and youngest African female manager in the organization. She also became provincial manager and oversaw the entire province of Mpumalanga.
“I have a motto that says if the pen can convey the intended message, then don't let the ink run out. I want to be remembered for sharing as much information with others, so that they may be able to make quality health decisions.”
What is your advice for anyone thinking of joining GK?
1) “First, be open-minded and make sure that you are yourself with all the leaders within the GK Association because there are many opportunities and many things you can do apart from just accepting that certificate.
2) Do not be afraid to ask questions, the more you know, the more you'll be exposed to, the more opportunities and platforms will be given to you.”
3) “Leadership skills are very important in GK. As individuals open themselves up to join the society, they will learn, they will grow, understand why they are here and what purpose they are serving. One of the biggest rewards of joining the society is belonging to a family that will understand and groom you onto the right path.”