Bonisiwe Kumalo
Nominee's Province:
Gauteng
Project Name/Description:
Founder: Buhlebelanga Energy Solutions
Miss Kumalo is a young and incredible woman whose energy is dedicated to leveraging her expertise to address critical issues in her community and empowering future generations across South Africa.
She is a social entrepreneur with a first-class honours degree in Entrepreneurship from the African Leadership University (ALU) in Kigali, Rwanda.
Her academic career has been marked by proactive engagement in entrepreneurial activities, from planning events and pitching business ideas to leading the Entrepreneurship Club at ALU, and providing consulting services. Her education equipped her with the skills for problem solving and to drive impactful change.
Miss Kumalo says her journey into entrepreneurship was marked with a clear vision to empower young people across SA’s townships, particularly those focused on building their local economies.
At Buhlebelanga Energy Solutions, she leads innovative projects aimed at solving educational and environmental challenges. One of her flagship initiatives, a mobile learning facility powered by solar energy, is designed to provide underserved communities with access to digital tools, the internet, a learning and fabrication space, as well as experiential educational resources.
Miss Kumalo says her future goal is to mentor young South African entrepreneurs, helping them develop ventures that address climate change and promote sustainability and consequently providing financial empowerment to the youth.
Through her mentorship programme, she aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders capable of tackling pressing environmental challenges through entrepreneurship. This is what South Africa needs!
She says in conclusion: “In the quest for a brighter future, education is the most powerful tool to transform our impoverished neighbourhoods. By applying what I’ve learned, I strive to address critical issues and inspire a new wave of entrepreneurial leaders in South Africa.”
