Zuko Komisa
Glade is honoring the exceptional women in our lives with a special series called “In My Era” on Girl Let’s Talk every Wednesday.
This week Andy Maqondwana and guest host Hulisani Ravele interviewed 47-year-old Hope Matlala, who is an extraordinary woman with an inspiring story of resilience and hope. Hope was nominated by Amogelang Matlala, who describes her as a special woman in her life.
Amogelang shared how she survived being abused from age 5 until 10, and then again at age 13 by my grandmother’s boyfriend. She stayed in different people’s houses all her life, moving from one place to another. Yet, she never lost hope.
“She took herself to school until she finished matric and hospitality school. She is a chef. She opened her own restaurant but lost everything. Yet, she didn’t mind starting over. She opened her own juice business with nothing but the little she got from SASSA. Her juice is now in a few retail stores. She got stuck, but she kept fighting. She loves people, especially the youth, and gives so much even when she herself doesn’t have much. She stays months without electricity, but she doesn’t look like her problems. The biggest challenge she is going through now is that she is blind due to diabetic complications. But through that, she still graduated in April from International Trade by USA and Womanomic.”
“I have gained so much strength”
Speaking on Feel Good with Andy Maqondwana and guest host Hulisani Ravele, Hope spoke about how all the trial and tribulations have been a blessing in disguise that has given her some of the most important life lessons.
“I was saying earlier on that it took losing my eyesight to be where I am, not here in the studio, but in life. To see who is there for me and who is not. To see my strength cause I have gained so much strength. I had to dig within myself to see that strength coming out.”
Listen to the full conversation here:
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