Ncumisa Nhlapo

Being part of the Mentorship programme was a life transformation, the experience has truly shaped me into a well-rounded excelling, ambitious and confident woman.
Some key takeaways for me have been:

• To strive for excellence in everything I do. Let my work speak for itself.
• Confidence in my skills and talents. Before this I doubted myself a lot, now I am very aware of my abilities and am not afraid to let others know that they are there. Because I am more confident, I apply myself differently at work and the progress I have made because of this is very evident.
• Preparation leads to success. Nollie is the best planner I have ever met. She has taught me the power of planning every little detail of my life so that I can manage burnout and fatigue. This has been a game-changer.
• Self-awareness is power. We did a lot of personal branding and personal reflection work, this made me understand myself better and as a result, identify areas where I need to improve. As a result, I went back to school to do a post-grad in management after a long time. This is in line with the aspirations I have and the goal-setting I did in the programme.
• Support. Support. Support. Nollie and the entire 2022 cohort of the mentorship programme have been of great support to me. As a result, I had the courage to take bold steps in my career and life in general. Nollie is that big sister who will stand up to that bully in the park and also stand firmly behind you when it’s time for you to stand up for yourself.

She has been more than a mentor to me and the rest of the 2022 cohort, she’s a pillar of strength.