Uplifting Communities with the Uplift Development Foundation

In 2024, Nondumiso Mthethwa stepped into a leadership role as Director of the Uplift Development Foundation, an organization based in eSikhawini. For her, the journey has been both rewarding and deeply challenging. One of the biggest hurdles she faced was finding the right team- people who not only understood the vision of the foundation but also aligned with its purpose.
“I had to learn self-mastery early in life,” she reflects. “That allowed me to make the right decisions in choosing people who would contribute positively, based on both my strengths and my weaknesses.”
Nondumiso describes herself as someone with “a big heart for people.” Her greatest motivation is to see individuals become better than they were before. To her, success is not measured in grand gestures but in the small, consistent steps that make a positive difference in someone’s life.
On the 30th August 2025, the foundation hosted its first free learning event under the theme “Uplift and Arise.” The gathering sought to empower the community through storytelling and leadership, creating a space to learn, unlearn, and reframe perspectives. Guest speakers like researcher Mr. Langa Nzuza and a visual artist shared wisdom and transformative stories, sparking dialogue that encouraged participants to embrace the present while looking to the future with hope.
For Nondumiso, every initiative is a step closer to her mission of changing narratives and empowering communities. With vision, compassion, and resilience, she continues to lead Uplift Development Foundation toward making a lasting difference.

Written by Mvelo Ngobese