Mosebetsi Khobotlo

St Cross for Africa (AfOx)

Joining us from: Lesotho

MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy (2024)

Maputsoe - Lesotho, roads that have led me here. I grew up curious about the world. Every question could be answered if I thought about it long enough. The questions that followed seemed to ask more of me than a simple answer. These required sacrifices. When both my parents passed away, I could only ask why. I used to freely dream of happier times, and now reality teaches me differently.

Curiosity remained my escape, so I pursued it. Achieving national recognition for my high school results, I reached even further to pursue higher education. My excitement was followed by the disappointment of having to drop out of university. Again, I asked “why”? I kept reaching out and waiting. For five years, I waited, until I got a Mastercard Foundation scholarship to study for a Bachelor of Political Science in 2019. Class of 2022 valedictorian, best student in International Relations, best achiever in Public Administration, I graduated with first-class honours.

I then set my sights on the University of Oxford, and I began to ask, what if? When it came time to apply, I was overcome with impostor syndrome. I thought people like me didn’t belong at Oxford, and that being accepted was virtually impossible. A person very dear to me reminded me that I was capable and that Oxford was big enough to hold space for me to thrive. That encouragement changed everything.

I applied to the university’s second most competitive social science programme, the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy. To my amazement, I was accepted. Even more incredibly, I was awarded a full scholarship through AfOx in partnership with St Cross College.

Being at Oxford without the burden of financial stress has been a dream beyond my wildest imagination. It has given me the freedom to pursue not only my academic goals but also life-changing opportunities. I was selected as one of only three scholars from a pool of forty applicants to join the Oxford SDG Impact Lab’s inaugural partnership with the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office. As part of this work, I have contributed to the evaluation synthesis projects and even had the opportunity to attend the UNDP Executive Board meeting in New York.

This journey, one that seemed unimaginable eight years ago, has been nothing short of miraculous. It has been shaped by moments of serendipity, by the generosity of strangers, and by conversations and encouragement that nudged me forward when I doubted myself. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has played a part in this story, especially those who gave their time, their words, and even their resources to support a student they had never met. Because of you, I now know that the journey one makes is fulfilled through service to others.