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.
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.
Mpho Mogodiri is Celebrating our Indigenous Heritage
We really need to reconnect with our roots to nature and listen to the elders around the world. I call them living libraries because they actually know most of the things that we don’t know. They have this knowledge, but they don’t know who to share this knowledge with. It’s because we are not asking them about these things. It’s something that I’m trying to spark with my business. To say, ask your grandmother about this, ask your grandfather about this, ask your elder about this and let there be a bit of information sharing. My grandmother would share her stories around fruits. For example, the wild sour plum. Those are the things she would talk about. I feel that knowledge like hers should be preserved somehow. 
People don’t go into the wild as much as they used to. There’s a lot of activities to do now. There’s a TV in every home. There’s PlayStations, there’s Twitter, Facebook and so on. For us, when we wanted to play, we would go foraging and people are no longer interested in foraging. And if people are not interested in something, it loses its value.
I got introduced to foraging by my grandmother. I grew up in the Northwest, in a village called Seolong. We would go foraging with my grandmother and also with friends. It was actually fun to do it. I think it was a great, formative period. It’s a part of who I am. It’s a part of my identity and culture. I believe right now we are losing this knowledge which forms a great part of who we are.
The impact that starting my business had on me is that I really had to connect with my childhood again. Not only that but it’s also taught me that challenges in life are seasonal like the items we would forage. I appreciate nature more. I get to impact other people’s lives because when I go foraging, now, I go with a group of young people. They teach me about these fruits because some of them have been doing this their whole lives. Now they are paid for that knowledge and skill and they get to be paid through me. I get to put food on somebody’s table. It has impacted me that I’m doing good. I’m sharing my gift with other people. I’ve learnt to really listen to the ingredients and just go with the flow. It has shown me a different Mpho. 
At Indigenous Delights, we produce luxury food, such as jams and chutneys, made out of indigenous, raw products. We exclusively source our raw material from women and youth in the villages in the Limpopo province. We do this to ensure that we provide a way of earning income for women and youth, and also to ensure that the materials we get are indigenous to that area and are collected sustainably.
I wanted to make something that I grew up loving, indigenous delights, into modern food. There’s a certain stigma that comes with some indigenous fruits that I grew up eating. I ate that a lot when I was young because we had nothing else to eat. So, some of the foods are seen as poverty foods. We’re trying to break through that stigma.
Evolving to me means growth. It means pushing boundaries. Knowing that fear is there, but saying to the fear, 'I acknowledge you, fear, but I'm not gonna let you paralyze me'. Evolving means chasing your dreams the only way you know how. Evolving is also growth in terms of knowing yourself and making things happen for yourself and for those that are around you. It’s about opening the door for those who come after you.
