Nothando Hlophe
Nominee's Province:
Free State
Project Name/Description:
Social Support Officer – University of the Free State
Nothando Hlophe has eight years of working experience in higher education, specialising in project management, community engagement, governance, social support and administration.
She is currently working in the Social Support Office of the University of the Free State and is a chief administrative officer at the South African Association of Student Affairs Professionals.
Hlophe obtained a BA Honours degree from the University of the Free State.
She also completed an MA in sociology, focusing on leadership and inter-organisational collaboration of student political associations in a given South African university. Among Hlophe’s career highlights is the UFS Men’s Wellbeing Programme, which promotes the wellbeing of young men through a series of activities such as hiking, dialogue, sports festivals and more.
As an activist, she has co-founded Ikusasa Decolonisation Libraries, an organisation that supplies libraries in quintiles one-three primary schools.
Her belief is that the quality of higher education starts at the level of basic education.
Hlophe believes that inclusivity for women needs to be intentional and purposeful.
“Women must not only be included to meet quotas and to drive a narrative that ‘something is being done’, but women must participate actively in all spheres of education, government, judiciary and the private sector.
“We do not need any more symbolism for a transformational agenda regarding women. Intentional development agendas are needed that aim to enhance female leaders to advance the equal representation as well as opportunities.”
