An inspirational beauty
She said girls are expected to know how to transition from being a girl to a woman and in most cases they do not.
Primrose resident Nkabati Mamorobela-Shezi is more than just a beauty.
She is a businesswoman and motivational speaker who is passionate about inspiring young girls.
A mother of three, Nkabati said her difficult upbringing is what inspired her to start her movement Girl 2 Woman.
“We were a poor family and for a young girl that can be very difficult.
“When you cannot even afford sanitary pads and underwear.
“It becomes even more difficult for a young woman to face a society which does not aim to inspire you to be confident and love yourself and rather tells you, you are not beautiful enough,” said Nkabati.
Born in Lenyenye, Limpopo, she said as a young girl she had no one to guide her and advise her about women’s issues.
“Things like looking at how I had to educate myself and understanding that I did nothing wrong when I got my first period to understanding that when I have sex at a certain time of the month I will fall pregnant,” said Nkabati.
She said girls are expected to know how to transition from being a girl to a woman and in most cases it’s not true.
“Sometimes girls think having sex is being a woman or having a boyfriend is what makes one a woman.
“I want to change their minds, guide and help them with their transition,” said Nkabati.
She said she thought as times have changed and information can be accessed in many ways girls were informed, but she discovered many girls are still not ready for womanhood.
“As young girls we are not really prepared for womanhood, yet we are expected to know what womanhood is.
“I have done research where I went to different areas, including my home town Lenyenye and surrounding areas, and honestly when I heard and saw how the young girls were behaving and their expectations of life to transition into being a woman I was shattered.
“I saw the struggles I went through and wanted to change that,” said Nkabati.
She said she wants to arm them with information.
“Young girls are programmed wrong about what being a woman is all about.
“I want them to find role models within themselves and understand being a woman is more than your make-up and being a wife and mother,” said Nkabati.
Her movement mentors girls from the age of 13 to 20 years old.
She teaches life skills, offers advice, talks about personal hygiene and discusses other issues that will help girls in their transition to womanhood.
Nkabati was recently announced as a Tammy Taylor Mrs South Africa semi-finalist for 2020.
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“I’m really humbled at being selected.
“Because I’m doing this for me and more than anything for my children.
“It’s a journey that I’m taking of self discovery and also to inspire girls who dream.
“I want them to know dreams do come true,” said Nkabati.
She said she entered the pageant because it spoke to her as a wife and mother.
“This pageant is not about beauty.
“It’s about women empowerment.
“It prides itself on producing the very best in real, relatable and modern South African women.
“It celebrates marriage and the essence of being a bona fide woman,” said Nkabati.
She said she wants to use her journey in the pageant to inspire the girls in her movement.
“I am excited to share all the knowledge I will acquire on this journey with all the little girls from Lenyenye and every girl I come across during my journey in the pageant and in the movement.
“I am hoping to keep the fire of hope and determination burning in their lives so that they realise that dreams are not only valid, but they also come true,” said Nkabati.
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