What stays when everything changes?

MY STORY

I started working at 15. I read my first book at 25.

I grew up off the grid in rural South Africa, from Mafikeng to outlying parts of Gauteng. Mine was a blended, mixed race family, and for much of my childhood we welcomed children through foster care. Our family taught me early how much there is to learn from people whose lives are different from our own.

I was 15 when my first sister died by suicide. The loss shook our family, and I couldn’t continue school. I ran a small tuck shop to help support us and worked as an assistant in rural schools and communities. Many young people in South Africa know what it’s like to take on adult responsibilities before they’re ready. When I finally read my first book at 25, I was learning how to begin again on my own terms.

Little girl, get up

Years later, my second sister died by suicide. Around that period, I became critically ill with an autoimmune condition and lost some of my hearing and sight. I now use a hearing aid and have an implant in one eye. I had to learn how to navigate the world differently and ask myself again who I was when things I’d taken for granted changed.

My sister wrote that “life is a constant fight against poverty”. Her words still make me think about the money, resources, education, love and sense of belonging that people can go without. They also make me ask what helps us hold on to our sense of worth in a world that keeps moving.

For me, the answer is rooted in my faith in Jesus. My name, Talitha, means “little girl”. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus calls a little girl to rise. That story is personal to me. It reminds me to be still before God and gives me courage to get up again. It’s also a reminder to stay curious, adventurous and teachable, and to see the worth in people from every background.

Getting into rooms and building them for others

Over the past decade and more, my work has taken me to more than 12 countries and into industries as different as explosion protection manufacturing, fashion, technology, fintech and media. I’ve worked on growth and enablement in fintech, presented on camera and hosted live events. The girl who used to watch Top Billing went on to become a Top 5 finalist in its Presenter Search.

Qualifications can open doors. I know what it feels like when a piece of paper seems to decide whether you belong in the room. Determination helped me find my way into those rooms. What matters to me now is what I can do with that access, especially for women and young people who deserve the chance to build something of their own.