Rotshidzwa Valencia Maphupha
Nominee's Province:
Limpopo
Age:
28
Project Name/Description:
Founder: The Maria Maphupha Foundation
In 2020, Rotshidzwa Maphupha launched The Maria Maphupha Foundation in honour of her late mother, Nyadzani Maria Maphupha—a respected teacher and principal at Pharani Primary School. Maphupha followed in her footsteps and is now a teacher at Munau Primary School while pursuing a BEd Honours in Education Leadership and Management at the University of Johannesburg. The foundation offers free after-school programmes for learners who can’t afford private tuition. It aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning. Many of the learners come from low-income households and benefit from extra academic support. “My mother’s love for education inspired me to follow the same path,” says Maphupha. “She taught me that education isn’t just a profession—it’s a way to change lives.” Starting the foundation during the COVID-19 lockdown came with serious challenges, especially finding tutors. Maphupha had to rely on her siblings to keep things going. She also pivoted to an expensive but necessary online teaching model, where educators recorded lessons and shared them with learners remotely. Her long-term goal is to collaborate with similar initiatives, including those led by the provincial education department. She believes that building a network will help improve education quality and expand access to underserved communities.
