A humanitarian at heart, Nomzamo Mbatha is known worldwide for her desire to uplift women.
The actress started the Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation alongside the Hollywood Foundation to help women in the business space.
Speaking to TRUELOVE, beaming from the success of her Empowering Her seminar, she says the seed was sown during lockdown in 2020, where many businesses did not survive the pressure of the pandemic.
“I suppose it started during Covid-19 when I had a very beautiful long-standing relationship with Hollywood Foundation and Hollywood Bets, and so, with Covid-19 hitting we saw that a lot of bigger businesses were getting grants and attention. But we thought to ourselves ‘what about the women who are in the communities whose businesses are most affected’?”
The Empowering Her seminar took place on 2 September 2023, at the plush Langhams Lifestyle, Johannesburg, in the wake of spring with lavender flowers filling the space.
The actress dons many hats but one she wears without fail is being a humanitarian. Though it started off as a “virtual thing”, in 2022 she had a light bulb moment of having “a panel-filled day where we invite women from different sectors to come in”.
“[This is] outside of us honoring the women who need the support, the financial support. Why not have people to educate us on branding and marketing, financial planning and legal and compliance because women can be able to get the money but they also need the resources when it comes to how to spread that in the most effective way?”
Nomzamo has been basking in the success of Mzansi’s loved historical series, Shaka iLembe, where she is an executive producer and stars in as Queen Nandi.
READ MORE | Nomzamo Mbatha on retelling the story of Queen Nandi – ‘We wanted to have a perspective of the women’
Though she says patrons thought it would be “tribalistic”, it has received a positive reception. Although Shaka iLembe’s finale episode aired on 3 September 2023 and has been renewed for a second season, the Coming 2 America star promises more surprises in the bag that will leave us jaw dropped.
@truelovemagazine At the premiere of Shaka iLembe, Nomzamo Mbatha dripped in gold wearing a gown by Cape-Town designer House of Ayi. The look was topped off with an #isicholo (Zulu hat)-inspired headpiece. Playing #QueenNandi and executive producing the show, Nomzamo tells us more about her look. #nomzamombatha #shakailembe2023 #shakailembemzansi #zulu #safashiondesigner #safashion ? original sound - TRUELOVE
“There's an exciting announcement coming soon [but] I don't want to say it right now, and I have a couple of speaking engagements that are going to be happening around the world,” she says ecstatically.
“Now the pressure's on because of Shaka. I think I'm in a very positive space right now and a very motivated space. You know, as a creative, you go through like different waves, you know, a wave of being motivated, then a wave of being like so discouraged.”
