SHARPEVILLE.- There is an old saying that ‘dynamite comes in small packages’.
The same can be said about the young designer, Mbali Mbele. This 11-year-old youngster was the youngest designer who paraded her outstanding work during the Fashion Expo held in Sharpeville Exhibition Centre recently.
This Parkridge Primary School grade 6 learner who was accompanied by her Mother Motlagomang (Mbele), shared her story of how she ended up being a designer. Little Mbali is one of the learners who had to experience bullying at a young age.
She told the packed Sharpeville Exhibition audience that she was a victim of bullying because of her small stature.
She said she used her God-given talent to deal with all her challenges which is designing clothes. Speaking to Sedibeng, Ster, her mother, said Mbali showed her talent at the age of six, using some old rags.
“Mbali started to do this at the age of six and I still remember it was in 2020 during the national lockdown and she kept herself busy doing what I was teaching her older sister. She would watch me when I taught her sister how to design clothes. She learned more from her sister because her sister would also teach her what I taught her. It was a ‘each one teaching one’ kind of situation. Remember during the nationwide lockdown schools were closed and they had nothing to do. They would be indoors the whole day and this is how she started keeping herself busy learning to design clothes,” said Mbele.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Mbali said her dream is to become a top designer and travel the world to promote her brand.
“I was a victim of bullying and other kids used to tease me because of my appearance. I decided to do something and the only thing that I could think about was to use my talent to design clothes. I learned this from my mother and sister and I want to thank them for their support. I want to make a name for myself and make my mother and sister proud,” she told Sedibeng Ster.
