Celiwe Mabaso does the important work of identifying community needs, then designing and implementing socioeconomic and enterprise development programmes to address them, with the aim of creating thriving local economies. Mabaso’s proudest moment was when the first group of matriculants graduated from a programme she had put together, and were awarded bursaries by the organisation she works for. Mabaso believes in dreaming big. “You can be anything you put your mind to being – you are the author of your own destiny,” she says. “Life is like summiting a mountain – it gets harder as it gets steeper, but the rewards are always worth it.” Mabaso hopes that through her work, she can influence the way young people from disadvantaged communities see themselves. “I want to see the next batch of disruptors from Vryburg, Mmakau and all these places that no one has really taken note of,” she says.
You can’t buy time: it’s so valuable and important to spend your time doing the things you love.
