UMAMFUNDISI we Tourism, Pastor Gaopalelwe Saleka, is now making strides abroad. She was honoured with a Hopee Award in the US.
Pastor Gaopalelwe (50) from Zeerust in the North West, who is popularly known as Lady Gao, was honoured with the award on Saturday, 19 August by the founder of the awards, Dr Rosalind Lewis Tompkins for her work as a motivational speaker, life coach and author.
The awards recognise people who help empower others and give their communities hope.
Speaking to Daily Sun about the award, Lady Gao said: “This award means heaven’s approval of the work that I do to ignite hope in communities. I feel it is God saying ‘yes’ to the work that I do in encouraging and impacting communities, and bringing hope to the hopeless. It is a stamp of approval that says I am on the right path."
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She said the award has encouraged her to take her practice as a life and relationship coach to the next level.
Lady Gao got the name “Umamfundisi we Tourism” because she travels to various cities and countries, preaching and giving her motivational talks.
“This award gives me an opportunity to enlarge the Circle of Hope that I started in 2020. I am also looking forward to partnering with more like-minded people to help families on the African continent with feeding the hungry, paying school fees for orphans, buying uniforms and granting them start-up packages for business.
“I want to empower more girls and women to spread the message of hope in their fields, church and communities by creating an academy that focuses on teaching soft skills such as etiquette, deportment, relationship and marriage 101, and parenting for girls,” said Lady Gao.
She said that everyone is born to fulfil God’s purpose and that’s what she’s doing.
“When we live our purpose, we don’t work to get awards but to get fulfilment and joy of doing what I was born to do. It also becomes effortless when you live your purpose,” she said.
