By Phuthego Nthoke
“As a mentor, the SEED mentorship sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities gained me invaluable knowledge and guidance from other seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts.”
This was the experience of the SEED programmes’ Mentor of the Year 2023 award recipient, Winston Letwaba. His journey started in 2021 when he first joined the mentorship programme as a mentee and that was the beginning of his successful entrepreneurial journey that has led him to establish multiple businesses that give back to the community.
The guidance and support of Mrs Karen Snyman and his former mentor, Lonwabo Myoli, sparked an entrepreneurial spirit within him as they acted as a catalyst for his growth.
“I give credit to my late Mom, KelebogiIe Letwaba and Grandmother, Mieta Letwaba, for seeing the talent within me that ignited the spark that led to the creation of our Online Tutoring academy. I was in denial about it for many years, it is only after their passing that what they saw in me flourished and came to life and now provides employment to over thirteen tutors who are students in the top fields of engineering, accounting, and medicine,” said Winston as he was recalling his first steps in the entrepreneurship space and the people who were his support system.
He often finds himself looking back on his journey and incorporates some of the teachings learned from the SEED programme in his tenure as a seasoned SEED mentor.
He plans on using his expertise and wisdom to not only inspire his mentees to dream bigger but also provide practical solutions assisting in the challenges they encounter along the way.
The future is bright for Winston as he plans on launching a donation drive to fund child tutoring classes for underserved communities. You can be part of the initiative by either donating money or spreading the word by volunteering. You can reach out through his social media Facebook account @Advanced Academy of Excellence.
“Together, let's harness the power of education to unlock the limitless potential that resides within every child.” – Winston Letwaba
Published in April, 2024.