Meet Nolia Moshodi, a Changemaker from Hoopstad
My name is Nolia Moshodi, and I am a mother and a passionate advocate for women’s health and well-being, especially for young African, Black, and Brown women. My journey into raising awareness and advocating for issues affecting women is deeply personal and profoundly shaped by my own experiences with cancer.
I carry the genes for potential generational cancer from both my parents. My mother and my grandfather both lost their battles with cancer, and their losses left me grappling with the fear of what my future might hold.
When my daughter was born five years ago, I was advised to get a mammogram. But life quickly became overwhelming, and I had to put off the appointment. I wasn’t ready to face the reality of my family’s cancer history. I felt like I was robbed of a chance to prepare for a future that seemed uncertain and very frightening.
This experience has taught me just how important it is, as individuals, to understand our genetic history. It’s not just about knowing our family’s health issues; it’s about how we confront and manage these challenges before they become difficult or impossible to deal with. Our children rely on us for guidance. They deserve the benefit of our awareness and honesty to help equip them for their own future.
I have always been driven by a desire to make a difference, both in my own life and in the lives of others. I want Black children to know that their worth isn’t determined by their circumstances or struggles but by their hearts and actions. My mother was my hero and inspiration. These goals and desire to bring about change in my community are inspired by the work she used to do when she was still alive.
My mother’s legacy of giving back (even when she didn’t have much herself) continues to inspire me. I remember how she would take me with her when doing pick-ups and drop-offs for clothing drives, and personally delivering the clothes to families in need. One family that stands out is a single mother and her two adult sons with disabilities. My mother would dedicate her time and efforts to ensure those boys were cared for. Her compassion and dedication have profoundly shaped who I am today.
My passions keep me moving forward. They fuel my desire to bring smiles to faces and make our community stronger and more informed. I hope to inspire others to embrace their potential, face their fears with courage, and work together to create a brighter future for our children.
My name is Tsholofelo and this is a glimpse of who I am.
My name is Tsholofelo Mahlangu, and I live in Poortjie. I grew up in Mabopane, Pretoria, and have many fond memories from my childhood there. I have been a teacher for 20 years, specializing in social and natural sciences. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with various communities in Tshwane, my hometown. I am passionate about developing literacy projects and implementing blended learning programs, such as coding and robotics, in the communities I work with.
I am also a member of 02 Green in Poortjie, a role that has allowed me to connect with people, initiate positive change, and pursue my aspirations. Though I initially perceived Poortjie as more of an informal settlement compared to Pretoria, I have grown to appreciate the community and have called it home for many years.
The transformation of Poortjie through the tree sector has captivated me. Witnessing the development and introduction of greenery and beauty to the community has been remarkable. While I have a heart for teaching and nurturing young minds, I find great purpose in engaging in community-based projects. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to be part of meaningful change through projects like those supported by 02 Green.
My passion lies in being a force for positive change within the community and making a difference in the lives of the next generation.
My social handles: Tentswalote@gmail.com
My name is Sophie, AKA "Mam Sophie" and this is my story.
My name is Sophie Ntsubulane, and I was born in the Eastern Cape. I am a 37-year-old African woman with a passion for life, changes, and bettering livelihoods. At the age of 6 years, my mom moved to Orange farm with me and my siblings. we did not know my dad at the time as he was a mine worker. When I was 8 years old, my dad returned home, and we only knew him then, but unfortunately, we never got to bond as he was an abusive, alcoholic father who was then unemployed. My mother was the only one working as a domestic worker; however, money wasn’t enough to give us a decent upbringing.
My educational background was delayed as our home was more of a child-headed family; I had to look after my siblings and ensure every household chore was done daily while my mom was at work. That resulted in me being in grade R at age 9, but that never discouraged me because I had a love for education and the drive to bring change into my life, including my siblings. One day, my teacher intervened as she noticed there was something wrong with me; the case dragged on till they took a decision to send me and my siblings to a foster care children’s home. I spent my teen years in the children’s home care till I matriculated in 2004, but that was the beginning of my second round of life disaster. Home confirmed that they could not keep me any longer because I was done with school, and no funds would be donated under my name as I’m of age. I had to pack and go back home on my last day in matric, leaving my siblings behind.
I arrived home, and my mom had another man and kids. She was then unemployed, an alcoholic and did not care of my added siblings. The situation was even worse. All that drove me to move in with a guy who Is now the father of my kids. We got our shack and shared a life together. 2005, I fell pregnant with my first child; everything changed from then as my partner started cheating on me, abused me and was never the same. Been in an abusive relationship till 2007, when I moved to my new place in Drieziek 5 to start a new life alone. With time moving, I got back with my man, and he then moved to my place.
1 day, I was on Facebook, met this woman via her clothing drive initiative, and it turned out she was going through the same thing; we shared stories and ended up forming a group to register an NPO that focused on women in abuse. That’s how I came up with Pink Spot. It is now focused on GBV, and there’s 1 exciting one,“ groom a boy child”, which will help deal with the boys at a young age before they grow to be abusive monsters whom we are faced with now as our partners because of all the traumas they endured in their upbringing. At Pink Spot, we also focused on feeding Scheme to the needy and helping children with homework daily. I ended the abusive relationship, now with my kids and focused on my NPO “ pink spot “Their growth and success mean a lot to me.
I love and enjoy helping others. I am Sophie, the so-called “ Mam Sophie” in my area. I am known for change and my strong drive to bring light to those who need it.
Thank you.
Cathrine's deep connection to Malawi is so inspiring
Meet Cathrine, a young Malawian woman who was born and raised in Zimbabwe. Despite growing up far away from her ancestral land, Cathrine was always drawn to Malawi and its beautiful landscapes. As a child, she dreamt of one day visiting her parent's homeland, and when she finally did, it was love at first sight. She was captivated by the lush greenery, cultivated fields, the rolling green hills, and the friendly, welcoming people of traditional rural African villages. 
Cathrine's connection to Malawi deepened over time, even as she faced various social and financial challenges that forced her to leave her country. She never forgot the warmth and kindness of the people she had met there, and she remained committed to helping them in any way she could. 
In 2021, Cathrine finally returned to Malawi to settle in her parents' village of Tukombo, located in the Northern region where the Tonga-speaking people reside. She was eager to reconnect with her roots and to make a positive impact on her community. She reached out to the Traditional Authority (TA) of the village's land to understand the most pressing needs in the area, and she was determined to find a way to help, even though she had no resources of her own.
Cathrine's unwavering dedication to her community inspired her to seek out like-minded friends who shared her vision of creating a better Africa for present and future generations. Together, they embarked on a journey of asking for assistance, and Cathrine was humbled by the overwhelming response from her friends, who were eager to help her build her village and work towards creating a better Africa, one village at a time. Despite having limited resources, Cathrine was able to make a significant impact on the lives of those in need in her village by providing assistance and support whenever needed. 
Cathrine's passion for the environment led her to get involved in a tree-planting project in her community of Tukombo. She collaborated with Chifundo from the DFFE, and together, they planted trees in a school and an elderly home. Cathrine had to seek permission from the Chief, Zilakoma - Mr Wellington, to run the project on their land, and he was eager to assist Cathrine in carrying out her vision to transform the landscapes while preserving the cultures and traditions that her ancestors had worked so hard to build. Her approach to the tree-planting project was unique and inspiring. She not only taught pupils how to plant trees but also explained why it was important and how to care for them. She encouraged each student to plant trees with a purpose and to name each tree they planted so they could nurture and protect it as a living treasure. Cathrine's dedication to planting trees and helping those in need is truly admirable. Her efforts have given hope for the future of our planet and the natural world. Her story is a testament to the fact that one person can make a significant difference in their community with determination and a clear vision.
Meet Naledi Mokgautsi, a Change Maker from Orange Farm
Meet Naledi Mokgautsi, a young woman from Orange Farm, Johannesburg, South Africa. Naledi is a part of our project, She Evolves 1000 Stories 100 000 Trees, which aims to make the world a better place by planting trees and sharing black and brown African stories.
In a nutshell... Naledi comes from a large family and has attended schools in various locations around Johannesburg before she went to university. She believes in always moving forward and helping others. She has volunteered her time in teaching children about computers and researching mental health.
Naledi is not just about work. She enjoys baking, drawing, and exploring new places. In fact, she runs a small dessert shop from her home and dreams of having a bakery combined with a bookstore one day. Her multifaceted personality is something that we can all relate to and draw inspiration from.
As part of the 1000Stories 100 000Trees initiative, Naledi has not only planted trees but also fearlessly shared her story with a diverse group of men and women at her former school, Laus Deo Primary. Her dream is to uplift her community and create a better environment for all. Naledi firmly believes that even the smallest actions, such as planting trees and sharing personal experiences, can lead to significant change.
However, Naledi is not stopping there. She has bigger plans to do even more for her community and travel the world. Recently, Naledi has engaged her community by helping them plant trees, raising awareness, and educating them about the importance thereof. Her favourite saying is "You gotta keep going," which reminds her to never give up, no matter how hard things get.
As a Changemaker, Naledi shows that anyone, no matter where they come from, can make a big impact and help others.
Naledi’s Story On Navigating Mental Health Challenges And Finding Purpose
Sometimes, we suffer in silence. I started having mental health issues at a young age, not knowing what they were exactly, and in turn, they formed part of my personality. These mental health issues then started being apparent in my early adult years; they were a manifestation of all my childhood traumas. I learned that I had depression and anxiety when I went to varsity and did more research on what I was going through.
I found that I had all the symptoms: I had no desire to live, I had given up and struggled with being in social situations and articulating what I wanted or needed, and I was very withdrawn and always very negative-minded. Because I was quiet, my mind was a dangerous place to live in. I then attempted to commit suicide with failure. I had a support system that tried their best to help me overcome this even though they didn’t understand what I was going through.
As time went on, I then started to read self-help books because I was tired of living in constant pain. I didn’t want to survive; I wanted to live. I drove myself out of the pit of depression even though it was a very long and tough battle. Today, I am happy I get to tell my story. There’s a lot that people go through and never get assistance or even self-help. Mental health issues are a very vital part of our overall health as they distort views of an individual in so many ways. It is important to keep healthy habits for our mental health so we can not only live but thrive.
If I were to offer advice to someone going through similar mental health challenges, my primary suggestion would be to find the root cause of their distress because mental health challenges often stem from deeper, underlying issues. Identifying what specifically triggers your emotional responses and understanding the reasons behind these triggers are crucial steps. Uncovering the ‘whys’ paves the way to addressing and resolving the core issues at hand. While this approach may prove beneficial for some, it’s important to acknowledge that it might not be effective for everyone.
Moreover, it’s important to allow yourself to experience and process your emotions fully – but refrain from acting impulsively on negative thoughts, as such actions can be harmful and sometimes even worse. Allowing yourself the space to express feelings such as sadness or anger is very important for releasing stress. For those who find it difficult to express emotions openly, journaling could be a helpful option.
Above all, if you’re struggling with mental health issues, I think it is important to be kind to yourself more than anything. Practice self-love through doing things that make you feel alive and happy. This helped me to find myself again and to find purpose in little things.
Diary of a Village Girl: Creating Hope in my Community
I have always had the urge to go back home to Malawi and be part of the builders of my community and the country at large. Though born and raised in Zimbabwe by Malawian parents, my love for Malawi developed when I arrived there in 2004, still a child yet old enough to know good from the bad.
I instantly fell in love with an odd way of life in my parents' villages, both my mother's and father's sides. I fell in love with the country's innocence, the people oblivious of a life other than their way of living. Indeed, ignorance sometimes is bliss. I was raised, in my view, in an average home with running water, a bathtub, electricity, a stove, a fridge, and sleeping on a bed. I naively thought that this lifestyle was a common way of life for everyone everywhere across the world. Sleeping on a mukeka or African mat in my parent's village in Malawi was not a shock but a roller-coaster adventure for me. Fetching water was the most exhilarating experience. Carrying tons of buckets with my cousins and brothers, contrary to our small family way back in Zimbabwe, I was faced with many cousins in Malawi, an unfamiliar sight, but it was such a pleasure. We would take turns swinging the borehole wheel until we filled all the buckets.
Cooking was quite exciting, and mealtime was beyond enjoyable. We sat amidst more than 20 people near the kitchen, chit-chatting while we waited for the food to be served. We had to sit in groups, males separate from females. Just as the mothers comprised their separate group, so did the children. Each group had to be served from a communal dish according to their gender and age.
After three months of this pleasurable village experience, my father took me back to Zimbabwe. I vowed in my heart that I would return. Years later, the nudge to return to Malawi was still stirring in me. In 2014, a mature woman, I decided to relocate and work in Malawi. By then, I understood that some of the first pleasant experiences I had encountered resulted from lack and poverty. I worked in Malawi for eight months, only to be so disappointed by the new experiences of hardships. The people and the country were going through tough times due to poor governance and political misalignment. At that time, I did not find anything pleasant about my country, so I left despite my inward-burning desire to help.
Subsequently, in 2021, I mentally prepared myself for disappointment and discomfort. I went to live in Tukombo, my parent's village in Malawi's Northern region. This village comprises of Tonga-speaking people, one of the tribes that pioneered multi-party rule through Aleke Banda and are also known to be the most intelligent and educated tribe in Malawi.
I realised that my community needed help urgently. So, I contacted the Traditional Authority (TA) of the land to help and found out which areas needed immediate attention. To my shock, I was given a Bible of needs, and with no financial resources, I felt helpless and hopeless. However, although hopeless, I was confident that I could reach out to some of my trusted and valued friends with whom I had built trustful relationships over the years based on our common interests, spiritual foundation, or vision of building the Africa we want. It is an Africa with a prosperous future for the present and future generations.
I embarked on a solo journey of knocking on every one of my friend's doors for financial assistance, hoping to have a good response. Indeed, most of my friends fell head over heels without hesitation in extending their financial resources in helping to build my village while building the Africa we want, one village at a time. Yes, there have been a few exceptions whereby I had some emotional wrecking experiences. Some potential donors I approached thought that I shouldn't be "appealing" for financial assistance at this stage in my life and that I was a failure and an embarrassment to society. Therefore, I should have never reached out to them or shared the philanthropic request work I was doing. Nevertheless, through various resources and help from friends, we have managed to renovate the village court/office, helped construct a nursery block, bought chairs for the community court and distributed food parcels and clothes to the community. Once the news started reaching out to some of the people in the diaspora who shared the same passion for building or facelifting the community, the response to contribute multiplied tremendously. Many reached out to me and expressed their commitment to joining hands to improve the village.
I partnered with my fellow brothers and sisters from Tukombo, mainly based outside the country, to extend the existing clinic into a hospital. Each person would contribute as little as US$6. With all this being done with a couple of close friends, the most mind-boggling question comes to mind: How does the government of Malawi fail to deliver on the smallest of services when a small group of friends can bring change within a couple of months? Where does our government fail in service delivery? What are the priorities in the national expenditure, and what should they be?
Meanwhile, Tukombo village has diverse so-called development committees that convene countless meetings, with little or no tangible deliverables on the ground. Is it because of a lack of focus on the bigger picture regarding vision, genuine sense of duty, unity for purpose, or unity of purpose? Could this be attributed to a lack of a shared mindset, education, drive or enthusiasm to live well in Malawi?
Unfortunately, despite the continent's immense potential, there are similar heart-wrenching cases across Africa. The abovementioned drawbacks pose unsurmountable obstacles to true meaningful emancipation and economic freedom. But we must face these challenges and forge a more livable and prosperous Africa. Our experience in Tukumbo village must help us to create a hopeful community with successful tangible development goals.
Written by:
Cathrine Banda, Community Activist
Tukombo Village, Nkhatabay, Malawi
Mobile: +265 881 69 30 58
Email: cathrinetwabi@gmail.com
