By Sitha Maliwa
Nompumelelo Maduna, the runner-up of Miss South Africa 2024, has launched the Impumelelo Mentorship Campaign, an inspiring initiative designed to empower young South Africans and help them realise their full potential. The campaign features the Impumelelo Mentorship Podcast, set to debut at the end of March 2025, with six episodes available on various streaming platforms.
The podcast will feature successful individuals who will share their personal journeys and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Maduna believes mentorship is one of the most valuable gifts people can offer, especially to the youth. She explains, “When I entered Miss South Africa, I committed to ‘rise as I rise with others.’” Maduna sees podcasts as a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and inspiring positive change, with over 78% of listeners reporting feeling empowered by the content they consume.
Through the podcast, Maduna hopes to combat common struggles like imposter syndrome and help young people understand that success is not reliant on having perfect resources but on leveraging what they already have. Reflecting on her own journey, she shares, “I took a taxi to university, and I learned that investing in myself, like buying a book, would get me further than spending money unwisely.”
The Impumelelo Mentorship Podcast will bring diverse voices who will talk about success, failure, and how mentorship helped shape their careers. Maduna’s goal is to inspire young people to persevere, remain resilient, and aim high despite their circumstances.
Maduna’s final message to South Africa’s youth is one of empowerment: “The future belongs to you. You are the leaders, innovators, and change-makers of tomorrow.” Through this campaign, Maduna hopes to ignite transformative change and foster a generation of self-assured young individuals ready to make a difference. –@NewsSA