Lee inspires and changes lives through her words
Lehlogonolo Manyama took up a pen and wrote Inspiring Lives Changing Lives, making waves through her passion.
POLOKWANE – Lehlogonolo is a chemical engineer by qualification but a creative at heart and is the owner, founder and CEO of publishing company, Lee Royal Publishers.
“I am self-published as I wanted to own my content. By opening my own publishing company I wanted to assist aspiring writers who struggle in terms of getting their work out there through other renowned publishing companies. After my own struggles of becoming published and choosing to self-publish I feel I can use my experience to do my bit to help those who find themselves in similar situations. As the director of Lee Royal Publishers I plan to host a book fair, the Limpopo Book Fair and African Authors Awards, as I feel as creatives and writers we are not celebrated enough,” she explained.
Growing up in a village and coming from a typical four-roomed house, the 24-year-old said she knows and has seen the struggles children from rural areas undergo in terms of acquiring the necessary information and resources they need to better enrich their lives.
“I grew up in a tiny four-room house like most of African children do. I attended government schools in the dusty village of Ga-Molepo but I did not let those factors pull me down. I had been a dedicated top achiever who served as part of the executive leadership and learner representative council throughout my school career. I participated in programmes such as mathematics expos, the Eskom Science Expo, Cell C Take a Girl Child to Work and many more which is where I got my self-esteem from. My high school highlight moment is winning the National Environmental Competition which was hosted by the University of Witwatersrand as one of the best learners in the Capricorn district. I’ve also won the Face of the World competition and the Limpopo Legit competition in 2014.” Lehlogonolo wants to encourage the community to never give up “as we are all fighting battles”. This drive and passion led her to pen her book to reach as many people as possible.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to start a business, lose weight, write a book, or achieve any number of goals. Who you are, what you have and what you know is good enough to get you going. We are all battling our own struggles. You are the product of the choices you make in life. I hope you resonate with my story as I am just a young, black female who is set on game changing and traversing this path with the sole intent and purpose of leaving a footprint. My story isn’t that of a lavish girl who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth,” she said.
