The University of Papua New Guinea celebrated its 70th graduation ceremony this week at the Sir John Guise Indoor stadium in Port Moresby; a milestone marked by numerous inspiring stories of perseverance and achievement. Among the graduates, was Ms. Wangganne Hombunaka who hails from Yangoru- Saussia in East Sepik province, whose journey in receiving her degree spanned over a decade. This showing a testament to her unwavering determination amongst her personal challenges. Hombunaka who is now a mother of two, began her journey at UPNG back in 2010 where she took up law and completed her first to her third year of studies. It was until in 2014, whilst in her fourth year, Hombunaka stepped away from her studies as she fell pregnant with her first child; a boy. “I returned for studies not long after I had my son but then I left again and then returned the second time, however, I had left again." "The third time I had returned for studies, I became pregnant again with my second child; a girl.” It was not until last year (2024) that Hombunaka finally completed her fourth and final year in which she received her degree in the School of Law (SOL) on Tuesday this week. Reflecting on her challenging journey, Hombunaka acknowledged the profound motivation provided by her children her 10-year-old first son, her 7-year-old daughter, her partner, sisters and families. She also expressed deep gratitude for her father, whose unwavering support proved to be a constant source of encouragement. In addition, she also shared the primary challenge she faced during her extended academic journey which was the financial strain of having a partner who was unemployed. With her daily struggles and added responsibilities as a student and a mother, she emphasized on the strength she drew from her support system. “My main challenge was being with my partner who was not working and struggling every day trying to get through each day but thankfully, I had a good support system, who supported me and that is my family including my sisters and most importantly my father." “My father kept me going and pushing me to not give up. There were many times I had given up and had told him that I did not want to go back to school but he always told me that as long as he is alive, he will pay for my education until I graduate.” It was an emotional yet satisfying journey of achievement for Hombunaka and her family who never gave up on her. “I thank God for my family and for my partner and children.”