In this inspiring article, Rucia Shipena, ABE Ambassador shares her personal journey from academic setbacks to building a brighter future through ABE. Her story is a powerful reminder that your dreams and goals are still within reach. Read on her story here:
'In life, we all encounter obstacles, some predictable, others sudden and crushing. For many students, failure can feel like the end of the road. It whispers lies that you’re not good enough, you’ll never succeed or others are better than you. But here’s the truth I need you to hold onto ‘nothing should stop you from becoming who you want to become’. Not failure. Not fear. Not even the opinions of others.
Failure is not final
It’s easy to mistake failure for finality. When you study hard for an exam and still don’t pass, or when you apply for a programme and don’t get accepted, it feels like a door has slammed shut. But that door doesn’t have to stay closed. In fact, most successful people have walked through more than one failure before reaching their goals.
My name is Rucia Shipena, from Namibia, and I am proud to say that I am living proof that failure does not define your future. After receiving low points in Grade 12 at Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate level, I felt disappointed and unsure of what to do next, but I didn’t give up. I enrolled at a local college (Monitronic Success College, now known as River Higher Institute of Technology) offering ABE qualifications, determined to rewrite my story. I studied ABE up to Level 5, and although the college later stopped offering the course before I completed my levels, I remained focused on my goal.
I later applied to the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), and I got accepted. It was a dream come true, as I had always wanted to study business management. I pursued a Bachelors in Business Management (Level 7), and in 2024, I decided to push even further and enrolled for Business Management Honours (Level 8). On 8 May 2025, I was officially awarded my qualification from NUST.
Today, I work as a Graduate Administrative Officer at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), while registered as my consulting company. My business focuses on business registration services, project management training, bookkeeping, and training and development. And it all started after a failure that nearly made me give up.
Why you should consider studying ABE
If you are a student who didn’t get the results you were hoping for in high school, or if you feel like traditional university paths are out of reach, don’t lose hope. Consider studying ABE. It changed my life, and it could change yours too.
The ABE qualification is an internationally recognised route to success. It provides flexible, practical business education designed for real-world impact. With ABE, you gain the confidence, knowledge, and skills to move forward step by step. ABE opens doors, whether you want to enter the workforce, start your own business, or use it as a bridge to university studies like I did.
I started ABE when I felt I had run out of options, but it turned out to be the foundation of my comeback. It gave me the second chance I needed, and from there, the journey only grew stronger. Don’t underestimate how far it can take you.
Your dreams are worth the fight
You might be a student struggling to get the grades you want, or maybe you’re someone who’s been out of school for a while, and you’re wondering if it’s too late. Let me tell you, it is never too late to start again. Your dreams are not invalid because of your past. Whether you want to be a manager, a teacher, your own boss, or anything in between, your desire to grow is valid and powerful. Don’t compare your journey to someone else’s. We all have different paths, and some take longer than others. What matters most is that you keep taking steps forward, no matter how small they feel.
The power of belief and effort
Academic success doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from effort, attitude, and resilience. If you failed a test, learn from it. If you didn’t make the cut this time, try again. Let failure be your teacher, not your judge.
Surround yourself with people who believe in your potential, teachers, mentors, friends, or family. But most importantly, believe in yourself. Your mindset can change everything. When you start telling yourself, “I can do this,” you begin to act differently. You begin to try harder, reach higher, and bounce back quicker.
Your story is still being written
One bad semester doesn’t define your intelligence. One rejection doesn’t decide your future. You are not your mistakes. You are your potential. You are your determination. You are your comeback story in progress.
Let my story be a reminder that some of the most inspiring stories start in the most difficult places. Yours might be one of them. So, pick yourself up, open your books again and ask for help when you need it. Keep trying because the future you dream about is still waiting, and nothing should stop you from becoming who you want to become.'
By Rucia H Shipena, ABE Ambassador, Namibia
Membership offer from The Institute of Leadership
Our parent company, The Institute of Leadership (IoL) is offering ABE graduates, from Level 5 upwards, the opportunity to become an Institute Member at a price exclusively for ABE qualification holders. Read more.