It can easily be said that quantifying the impact this experience has had on my life and personal growth as a leader has been a stimulating reward on its own. From the initial application and interviews in our respective universities, the importance of this scholarship was partly projected from talks with former Abe's in the institution and engaging in discussions with the honorable professors and department heads who served on the committee of selecting the candidates. In both situations, this bursary was met with awe and reverence without fully comprehending the many reasons I was yet to understand in the ultimate journey of self-discovery on the streets of London.

The talks and presentations offered me the opportunity to appreciate the minds of the amazing fellow bursars who were equipped to lead our country to greater heights. To belong to a people of such calibre emphasised the responsibility I have been given to transcend any barrier that hinders any efforts to affect a change be it a racial, financial, linguistic, cultural or religious barrier. The guided tours through the United Kingdom and interactive discussion with the many public figures spread across business, political, cultural and educational fields instilled in me the importance of being a positive source of change as these remarkable individuals have displayed. By means of the Abe Bailey Travel Bursary, I have had the opportunity to visit cities, villages and countrysides whose skies to me have never been shown. I have lived out the life that many could merely dream of and I have gained the friendships of men and women (locally and abroad) that have encouraged me to have an open- minded, confident and enthusiastic way of leading. This I owe to Sir Abe Bailey and his vision of enriching the lives of young South Africans who set out to use all branches of education to advance our country as he did. To the Trustees for handling Sir Abe's legacy with the utmost vigour and integrity, thank you for allowing a young woman such as myself the chance to explore her identity, refine her thinking, adjust her mentality without her losing her joy and aspirations in life. And to Dr John Gibbon, the grace with which you led is one to be admired. May Sir Abe Bailey's selfless sacrifices continue to inspire and teach the generations to come about serving others for the greater good.