Chronicle Editor
Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday Life Reporter
IN the heart of Buvuma Village in Gwanda, a dream was born.
Aubrey Ncube, a young and determined visionary, found himself at a crossroads in 2018, as he pursued his Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), the allure of entrepreneurship beckoned, threatening to pull him away from the conventional path of academia into the uncharted territory of business ownership.
The sands of time seemed to shift as Ncube grappled with the tantalising prospect of carving his own path. The call of entrepreneurship tugged at his heartstrings, urging him to venture beyond the confines of traditional academia and into the realm of innovation and creation.
It was during this pivotal moment that Ncube’s destiny took an unexpected turn, leading him toward the vibrant and alluring town of Victoria Falls. Inspired by his mother, Ottomara Ncube’s unwavering spirit and her years of dedication to the community of Victoria Falls, Ncube found himself drawn to the idea of establishing a beacon of knowledge and learning in this renowned resort town.
A simple conversation with his mother sparked the inception of a dream that would soon materialise into the Lightened Christian College, the first-ever tourism training college in Victoria Falls. Armed with the knowledge and expertise gained from his academic pursuits at Nust, Ncube embarked on a journey of discovery, conducting a comprehensive analysis that would lay the foundation for what would eventually become a thriving educational institution.
From the humble beginnings of renting premises, Lightened Christian College weathered the storms of uncertainty and adversity, standing as a testament to Ncube’s unwavering determination and entrepreneurial spirit.
The college’s focus on providing short and long-term courses in tourism soon expanded to encompass early childhood development (ECD), primary, and secondary education, reflecting Ncube’s commitment to holistic and comprehensive learning experiences.
The winds of change brought both challenges and opportunities, and as the world grappled with the impacts of the global pandemic, Ncube and his team persevered, eventually constructing their own premises in the vibrant Chinotimba suburb.
“I remember I was always clashing with my lecturers at Nust as I had to somehow balance between completing my studies and establishing the college in Victoria Falls. I was falling behind in my assignments, my dissertation was far behind schedule, I was missing a lot of lectures, actually at one point I even considered dropping out or deferring my studies.
“However, I decided to have a sit down with my lecturers where I made them realise that there have always been teaching us to be entrepreneurs and creating employment and I had the chance to do that with this college, which is when they noticed the potential of my idea and we managed to come up with a working arrangement for me to complete my studies as well as establish this college,” said Ncube in an interview with Sunday Life.
Having always been an entrepreneur at heart, Ncube began his primary education at Thomas Rudland Primary School, in Bulawayo before proceeding to Mzingwane High School for Ordinary and Advanced level.
“I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, hence I would always seek opportunities where possible,” Ncube said. “My mother was working in Victoria Falls since 2012, in one of our general discussions I asked what business opportunities are available in Victoria Falls then she suggested a possibility of a college. I had the task to visit the area and do a thorough strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. From my education at Nust, I was able to apply most of it in this new journey that I was starting,” he added.
Despite initially facing financial constraints, he was able to secure the necessary capital with the help of her mother and sister, Sikhululekile.
“Armed with a vision and strong determination I managed to get the college registered in 2012, our primary objective was to fully equip students with sound knowledge of the tourism industry thereby contributing positively to the tourism industry in our country. To achieve this goal, the school offers a variety of short and long-term courses under the Hexco and ICM boards. In addition to our core offerings, the school has partnered with the Africa Centre for Customs Excise and Trade Studies (Accets) to provide courses related to customs and excise,” said Ncube.
Looking to the future, Ncube said they plan to grow his institute from ECD level to tertiary level and establish himself in other areas beyond Victoria Falls.
“Our future plan is to grow our institute from ECD level to Tertiary level,” he said. “Our plan is to go beyond Victoria Falls and establish ourselves in other areas like Binga and Hwange just to mention a few.”
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