MBOMBELA – As we celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday, one woman worth honouring is none other than Swazi-born business entrepreneur, former Mpumalanga News journalist, and former Mbombela’s head of communications for various departments, Sindile Ntombini Khathwane.
Through hard work and determination she has paved her way from being a mere journalist to a respected businesswoman, and is now set to represent her country and African continent overseas.
She has recently been invited to join other successful worldwide entrepreneurs in the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program for Young African Leaders 2015 at the Institute of Clark Atlanta University in the USA from June 19 to August 6.
According to the invitation from the White House, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship programme of the president’s Young African Leaders Initiative (Yali) and embodies President Obama’s commitment to invest in the future of Africa.
“Through this initiative, young African leaders are gaining the skills and connections they need to accelerate their own career trajectories and contribute more robustly to strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, and enhancing peace and security in Africa,” reads a portion of the invitation.
Sindile has spent several years working in the media industry in South Africa before returning to Swaziland. She believes in being a true advocate for social change through business and entrepreneurship which she says requires commitment, true love and devotion to one’s brand.
She believes that making a difference cannot be quantified as it is based on various principles including humility, love, peace, drive and commitment coupled with an inherent duty to develop humanity on whatever level a person strives to.
She is the author of a children’s book Bhala Africa, which is a family house she owns with her sister and brother-in-law. The book series features African characters and consists of stories these children can relate to.
She is also an author of vernacular children’s books in the form of a series called Tata Molefe’s Animal Farm. She was shortlisted for the Swaziland Beverage Kick Start Entrepreneurial Competition 2015 which she entered with the mind of expanding Bhala Africa to include audio and interactive learning materials with the same characters from her series.
In Swaziland, Sindile is a wife to her loving husband Mncedisi Ntombini, and a mother of two children aged two and four. Her family values are grounded in love, respect, compassion, kindness and humility.
