Nelisa Ngqulana

I've always wanted to write. As a child, I was fascinated by stories, and even my choices in academia were shaped by trying to figure out what I could do that would allow me to express my creativity.

I spent much of my early career writing. Then, almost by accident, I found myself in public relations. What I discovered was that I could combine my love for writing and storytelling with something else that increasingly fascinated me: strategy.

I've always been interested in why things happen, how they connect, and what influences people to think or act differently. Over time, that curiosity became one of my greatest professional strengths. I found myself drawn not only to telling stories, but to helping shape the thinking behind them.

That has guided much of my career.

I've been unapologetically Pan-African in my approach to work, and I've always believed that communications can be a strategic tool for development. Not simply a way of telling people what an organisation is doing, but a means of influencing behaviour, informing decisions, encouraging participation and ultimately contributing to change.

I've pursued that belief through the jobs I've held, the projects I've worked on, the businesses I've built and the initiatives I've started.

I keep returning to many of the same issues: inclusion, financial inclusion, gender equity, health, climate and economic development.

I think some of that goes back to where I come from.

I grew up in Nyanga, Cape Town, towards the end of apartheid. I came of age at a time when South Africa was changing, and began my professional career in the early 2000s. Many of the opportunities that became available to me were made possible by people who had fought for greater access, equality and representation.

That history has stayed with me. It has shaped my interest in social justice, the choices I've made in my career, and the importance I place on using whatever opportunities and platforms I have to contribute to something beyond myself.

Sometimes that has meant personal activism. Sometimes it has meant championing inclusion and representation in the advice I give clients, the stories I help tell, or the initiatives I choose to build.

And while my professional interests have evolved, the things that first drew me to creativity have never really left.

I've always loved photography, beautiful visuals, writing, poetry and books. Those interests have stayed with me since childhood, sometimes taking a back seat to work and life, but always finding their way back.

These days, I'm particularly fascinated by the intersection of media, technology and power. Who gets to tell stories? Which narratives are amplified, and which are ignored? How is technology changing the way we access information, form opinions and understand the world?

I'm also increasingly concerned about media and digital literacy across Africa. As technology evolves, I think there's an enormous amount of work to be done to ensure that people have the skills to engage with it critically, confidently and meaningfully.

In many ways, I'm still following the same curiosity that first made me want to write. I'm just finding new ways to explore it.