From Zululand to New York
Local businesswoman earned her place in the Mandela Washington Fellowship 2015.
BEING chosen as one of the members of the Mandela Washington Fellowship 2015 is the latest achievement of Richards Bay resident, Zibu Mthiyane’s.
The 34-year-old mother of three is even more thrilled as she will be jetting off to New York on 18 June, to pursue a Public Management course at Syracuse University.
After a rigorous application and interviewing process, Zibu was selected as one of 500 African candidates.
‘To have my name synonymous with past and future Fellows is a huge honour. To be recognised as a future leader of my country and a major player in my continent is overwhelming.’
The Fellowship is a flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative, and aims to equip the youth with the necessary resources to enhance their leadership potential.
In August, Zibu will sit with the other candidates, where they will be hosted by President Barack Obama at a town hall meeting, to discuss various issues.
This will be followed by a Presidential Summit in Washington DC.
‘I am proud that I get to fly the South African flag internationally and to showcase the knowledge capacity in rural women. I am no different from all the young girls growing up in Eshowe today.
‘I get to show them what is possible in today’s society, and what opportunities they can be afforded with when one stays in school,’ she said.
Before running her own engineering company, Zibu fulfilled the role of Portfolio Manager for Eskom KZN.
The self-confessed reading addict is grateful for her friends’ and family’s ongoing support, more so at this time.
‘I’m hoping to learn how we can translate public policy into instruments of change, and make it more accessible to women and girls in such a way that transforms their reality,’ she said.
