The WEF 2010 Countdown: Tshepiso’s biggest inspiration (8)

My biggest inspiration was my upbringing. I was raised by a single mother who was financially independent for a while but took a few bad decisions and ended up in serious financial constraints. Of which led to her being dependent on my father of whom subsequently could not handle the pressure and well, abandoned us. The struggles that followed are inconceivable.

This made me realize the need for independence, the need for the empowerment of women, not just ordinary and theoretical empowerment but tangible and most importantly sustainable economic empowerment. I realized the urgent need for correction of legislature, the need for awareness that should start at an early age, the need to counter stereotypes, the need to lobby the government for policy change and redirection.

Henceforth l joined local activism groups such as W.A.R. (Women Against Rape), Emang Basadi etc. In all the above l realized that a lot of the more mature generation already had beliefs and perceptions set in stone from years of cultural oppression, the old teaching a dog new tricks story. This was perpetuated by the lack of strategy by the founding activists in my country of whom had gone on the male-bashing avenue. Hence there was a need for great tact and strategy and most importantly to start early. Subsequently starting my own NGO called H.U.B.L. ( Hearts United By Love). Its mandate was to reach out to all in need, not just women. Initially this was through fund raising and Volunteer work involving young people. Subsequently l decided to target economic empowerment of women because it is not enough to raise funds and give them to people. That route lacks sustainability.

This has become a great passion now because l realized that most if not all social ills honestly come from poverty which is essentially a lack of economic empowerment. Now, what if we could economically empower the caretakers? Who are, in reality mostly women. The trickle down effect of poverty would be reversed. This means a reduction in prostitution, theft, street children, child trafficking, teenage pregnancies, defilement, domestic violence that goes unreported simply because all the above mostly happen because people are poor and do not have money.

With all the above in mind, l am now moving on to entrepreneurship, especially with women. The theme is, “ take care of the caretaker and everything else gets taken care of…”.