AT THE tender age of 15 Koketso Josephine Mbewe has achieved more than she ever expected.

AT THE tender age of 15 Koketso Josephine Mbewe has achieved more than she ever expected.

The winner of the International Letter Writing Competition was awarded her prize at her school on Friday.

Koketso, who described herself as an introvert, said: "I developed writing skills because it was the only way to express myself."

Though she wants to study cosmic science after completing her matric, she also dreams of compiling an anthology.

She has more than 50 poems to her name.

Koketso, a Grade 10 pupil at Modilati Secondary School in Stinkwater outside Tshwane, said when she entered her letter titled Jacob - The farmboy she never expected to win.

She said her story was about a young boy who lived in a rural area with his bedridden father and a mother who had left work to look after him.

"The boy is forced to leave school and find work in order to earn an income. The story teaches people that nothing is impossible."

She said most of what she wrote about were her own inner feelings.

Koketso comes from a disadvantaged family and was raised by a single mother who works as a cleaner at a bank.

She bagged R25000 and won R50000 for the school.

"I am honoured," she said. "This is my biggest achievement so far but more is yet to come."

Her mother, Lesta Mbewe, said her daughter was a blessing.