Anna Buama’s dream of having her mother witness her certificate collection during a graduation ceremony at The University of the South Pacific (USP) is the fuel behind her academic journey.
Raised by her mother since she was 12 years old, Buama said she is aware of the harsh realities and challenges littered through life.
“Changes in our family dynamics meant I grew up with my mother and have overcome some tough situations in life,” she shared.
“Despite this my mother has always ensured that we had everything we needed to live through each day.”
From the island of Tanna, Buama was born and raised in Port Vila and is one of the middle children of six siblings.
“I know that education is the door that leads us to many opportunities in life so I am committed to completing my studies successfully,” she stated.
“Although most of us go through challenges in life, I want to encourage everyone to keep pushing forward until you achieve your goals.”
“I was introduced to USP in high school during courses that we undertook, so I knew I wanted to attached the university for higher learning.
Buama is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Management) at USP’s Emalus Campus in Vanuatu.
“As a French speaker, one of the advantages of studying in a dynamic and multicultural environment such as USP is my ability to become bilingual,” she highlighted.
“My programme is very engaging and interesting and I love the cultural activities and learning alongside different groups of students.”
“Of course, in the beginning it was a bit overwhelming coming into USP, but with the support of friends and the support services available, I was able to navigate through this journey.”
“The staff on campus are very friendly and it is a key highlight that the programmes are offered in different learning modes, which offers flexibility for our us students.”
The music lover said the beauty about education was that it did not have an age limit.
“There’s enough room for everyone to learn,” she said.
“For those hoping to pursue higher education – start now and you won’t regret it!”
“If you believe you can do it, then you will surely achieve it.”
