Nomzamo Mbatha, Makhadzi and Thuso Mbedu: 5 Inspiring SA Celebs Who Proved That Giving Up Is Not an Option
Everyone has a dream to become successful, regardless of their background or social status. Some people never get to achieve their dreams because they give up too easily but for stars like Phindile Gwala, Thuso Mbedu, Makhadzi, Ami Faku and Nomzamo Mbatha, giving up was never an option. Inspired by their drive to succeed and not allowing their backgrounds to hold them back, Briefly News selected the stars to be featured in their special project dubbed: 'Briefly News Women of Wonder 2022'.
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The stars may look all put together but they never had it easy and the only thing that kept them afloat was their dreams and determination.
1. Ami Faku - Getting rejected on Idols SA twice and having her big break on The Voice SA
Amanda Faku, popularly known by her stage name, Ami Faku is dominating the music industry with her angelic voice but her career did not come on a silver platter. According to Buzz South Africa, the singer was rejected on popular singing competition Idols SA twice before garnering the energy to audition for The Voice SA.
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Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, the Asibe Happy hitmaker said entering The Voice SA after suffering many rejections was one of the most difficult decisions of her life.
"Entering The Voice SA was a challenging experience for me. It changed my life by opening doors that helped me achieve my dreams. I was determined to take part in the competition because it would allow me to do what I love."
Ami is glad she never gave up and took the leap of faith that changed her life forever, the talented girl from eZinyoka township is now one of the biggest stars in Mzansi and rubbing shoulders with the likes of DJ Black Coffee.
The Abalele hitmaker witnessed her life change for the better and is advising her followers to never give up and keep pushing. She added:
"Always have faith in your abilities and pursue your goals with tenacity. Stay true to who you are and block out the noise from the outside world. Develop your craft and go for the opportunities."
2. Thuso Mbedu - From being raised by her grandmother to an international star
There's no doubt that Thuso Mbedu is one of South Africa's biggest exports. The star has been flying the country's flag high with her many achievements but life was not a bed of roses for her.
Thuso grew up poor, sometimes having to beg for food from her friend following her mother and grandmother's deaths. According to SowetanLIVE, the Underground Railroad actress lost her mother when she was four years old, her grandmother took over but she also passed away in 2012.
Reflecting on being an orphan and growing up poor, she said:
“It was tough towards the end of high school because when you’re a child‚ you are oblivious to the hardships of life. I had my best friend Nothando Ngidi in high school‚ who was a preacher’s kid. People didn’t really understand our friendship. But I remember there were times when she would bring me food because it was that tough.”
Thuso Mbedu never allowed her situation to stop her from dreaming big, the two-time Emmy nominated star has been breaking records and making major moves on the local and international scenes.
3. Nomzamo Mbatha - Used to walk 10 km to school to becoming a brand ambassador for Audi
Nomzamo Mbatha should turn her life story into a book because the actress faced many adversities in her childhood. Nomzamo never had it easy growing up, the star revealed that she used to help her grandmother sell cold drinks to make ends meet.
According to kdaniellsmedia.com, the Coming2America actress said all she had while growing up was the desire to make it in life. She said:
"To make ends meet, my grandmother started selling cold drinks and beers and I was responsible to go the bottle store to order stock. Pushing a wheelbarrow up the road and having to not care about being the pretty girl from a poor family taught me to be a strong and determined young woman who knew her worth."
The actress said she used to walk 10km to school, sometimes in the rain but it was those challenges that pushed her to never give up. She added:
"There were tragedies and the many transgressions that I had to overcome in my life, from having to take care of my father, who was HIV positive, changing his nappies, yet still praying for his peace and for his healing."
Nomzamo Mbatha also had to deal with the loss of her aunt, who was like her mother. SowetanLIVE reported that the star shared a heartwarming message on her Instagram page following her aunt's passing. She wrote:
"I don’t want to hear 'it is the will of God' because my question then is 'how dare that will not consider me!' I also don’t want to hear 'you’re going to get through this' because it’s simple, this is not the thing I wish to get through!"
4. Makhadzi - From performing at Taxi ranks to an international brand
Makhadzi grew up in a dusty village in Limpopo but she never let her humble beginnings deter her from reaching her goals. Anyone who follows Makhadzi knows she started her career by singing and dancing in front of shops and taxi ranks until her big break.
TimesLIVE reports that the award-winning singer admitted that she struggled a lot when she started off but that did not stop her from persuing her dream of becoming an international star. She said:
"Looking at how far I’ve come, I struggled a lot when I started but at that time I enjoyed what I used to do because I didn’t start by making music. I wanted to make money through music. I was doing music because I liked dancing so I was doing it out of love and not knowing I will be where I am today."
Who would have known that the young girl dancing to put food on her table at taxi ranks will one day be one of the most sought after stars in Mzansi.
Makhadzi has been filling stadiums, bagging awards, having overseas tours and endorsement deals.
5. Phindile Gwala - Becoming a widow at a young age to finding love and having a successful career
Phindile Gwala rose to prominence when she played the role of Nonny in the popular SABC soapie, Muvhango. What fans didn't know was that their fav was dealing with a lot behind the scenes.
The actress reportedly lost her first husband in a horrific car accident when their baby Thato Gwala was still little. She went on to date a few men who were only with her because of her fame. That didn't deter her from looking for love.
The Imbewu star later found her prince charming, Armando Ngandu and married him after dating for two years.
Gwala has had her fair share of setbacks but she is determined to keep trying. The star had to close done her Tshisa Nyama and car wash businesses due to the pandemic but she is looking at starting new ventures. Speaking to Drum Magazine, Gwala said:
"We all know how the pandemic affected businesses, and we were one of those. We didn’t recover because even the owners of the industrial area where we opened the business moved overseas and sold the premises."
Briefly News 2022 Women of Wonder aims to inspire women
Briefly News wants to celebrate the female changemakers of 2022 by honouring a few influential, inspiring women.
The team looked for women who made a success despite some of the tough challenges they faced in their respective sectors.
Our goal is the create inspirational content that shows our audience what the embodiment of a resilient and strong South African woman is.
Briefly News wants to motivate other women to go beyond their limits.
If you want to participate in our next special project or want to be featured in one of Briefly News' women empowerment articles, please email contact@briefly.co.za with Women Empowerment in the subject line.
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Source: Briefly News
