My name is Patience Nxumalo, I am a brave girl. This title suits me best because when I look over my life, I see a girl who had to be brave, in many areas of her life in order to get to where I am today. I am the Visionary and a founder of The Brave Girl Initiative. I am more courageous today than I was 15 years ago. I am that girl, that is for girls, women, ladies, chicas. I enjoy educating young girls, through mentoring, teachings and literally spending time with them. When I was a child, I learned about what a purpose is. I wanted one so bad, and I wanted to know which one was mine. I was told, it was just something God given, and something you feel passionate about. I read my bible and saw so many people who had all kinds of purposes. I always, thought a living a purpose filled life, you had to be a pastor, a missionary, a Paul, a Moses, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, a teacher, but one day as I was reading my bible, I just saw it, I actually saw it and felt it…I am an encourager, a motivator filled with compassion and love for others, especially girls, women and children. And with that I searched out how I can encourage and be a blessing to others.

It wasn’t until I was homeless, sitting on an OC Transport Bench in Canada that the Lord started leading me to a journey towards my purpose. How I ended up there, was only through lack of knowledge about finances and support. I called a friend to ask if I can stay at her house, and she came immediately to pick me up and set me up in her basement, that was filled with boxes, a washing machine and no bed except cushions from an old sofa that I turned into a bed. After a few weeks of feeling sorry for myself, asking how I got here at the age of 24, I decided to go to the library and read. I read and read and read. But there was just one book that completely changed my life. Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza. Her story was one set in the grueling times of the genocide in Rwanda. And when she overcame all she did, I knew I could too. She was the very second Brave Girl I knew. The first was myself…but that time in life, I just didn’t know it.

After being able to reenroll back to college I switched my major from Mass Communications (I wanted to be the next Oprah lol) to Psychology with a double minor in Business Management and Family Science. From that time on, God and I worked to ensure that I knew who I was and who I was meant to be in this world, for His kingdom and His people.

I enjoying working with people, giving them information I wish I had growing up in order for them to make the right decisions. I love to help those in need, and knowledge is definitely power. I noticed upon returning home to Eswatini that a lot of girls especially in the rural areas, do not have the right information, resources, or mentorship available for them to get support, ask questions in order to make good decisions for their lives. And that is how The Brave Girl Initiative was born. We held our first conference in 2022, where we tackled breast cancer, a relationship with God, self-defense and how to achieve your dreams in spite of your circumstances. I am privileged to be doing this work and I hope to be mentoring and motivating girls all over Eswatini for a long time to come. We can change the outcome of many girls in underprivileged communities through mentorship and education outside of school. The afterschool programs, mini conferences, which we do, are helping with this and The Brave Girl Initiative is more than ready to continue with this challenge.

For more information or to support please us, please email me on patience@thebravegirlinitiative.org or message us on Facebook @ facebook.com/bravegirlinit or follow and DM us on Instagram @bravegirl_init                                                           

Growing up I had a lot of dreams, I was determined to achieve every single one them too. In the past it all seemed possible, I had imagined myself meeting Prince Charming and living in a Castle, I guess we can all blame Disney for that. Fast forward years later, I am a teenager in high school and now my dreams were based on fame, money and all that seemed cool. I started dancing and at some point even thought I could be the next Missy Elliot. It was until I was in my final year in high school that I was truly passionate about something and the dream of being a philanthropist was introduced. A female teacher greatly motivated me to follow my dreams and even told me to write a book but still I wasn’t too sure if that was my purpose. Being a doctor, lawyer or pursuing any of those sophisticated profession was what seemed right.

Now you know that even if you are not sure about something, life is still moving and you have to try and catch up or else you will feel hopeless and worthless. I had imagined myself doing journalism or law but fate had other plans and I found myself doing Education. As an introverted child, it felt like I was thrown into a pack of wolves and there was no way out. I remember I use to travel a 2 hour drive every weekend just because I felt lost, I mean this was the last place I had imagined myself being at. Eventually I grew a pair and I started making friends who have since become family. My time in college, helped me gain self-confidence and got to really uncover what I inspire to be.

Three years later, I obtained my diploma in Education and God being great I got a job. For months, still trying to fit in I eventually got a hang of it but still it was not fulfilling. I started jotting down ideas on how I can do more for the children I was always with. I then started an afterschool program for young girls which sometimes included boys. Talking to the girls, getting to experience life through their eyes was an eye opener. I wanted to do more than just talk to them, the ideas were to enhance self-confidence, self-actualization and self-worth. At some point I was thinking of establishing my very own organization which was crazy.

The brave girl initiative found me at a place where I thought I knew what I wanted to do in life but man the talks and empowerment I have experienced has made me realize how broad this life thing is like. Each and every event and memories shared, reminds me that I can still be all I had imagined myself being. The fact that it is all embodied in Christ is worth all the late nights I spend dreaming about where I see this organization going. Being part of Brave Girl Initiative is my dream, it makes me feel my best knowing I get to empower young girls. It allows me to be the guidance, consultant I needed when I was also their age. I desire for all of the girls in the world to understand that each and every stage is worth it, I personally wanted to jump a few levels just so I could be where I am right now. Now I understand that for me to get to where I am right now is because of all the experiences, losses, and wins I have been through. So now I am created to be great, called to inspire and Chosen to serve all my fellow girls.

I became a teen mom while doing my form 4. I was 17. It was not the plan. But as they have said many times before, it only takes one time.

I come for a very poor background. We lived in a stick and mud house growing up. And when it rained we were not allowed to move about in the house because the roof could come down at any moment and crush us. So it was best to stay sitting when the rains poured. My mom is an Albino so for some reason she could never really find work. And I think that crippled her confidence. I didn’t like how we lived at home. And going to school I was an insecure person. My friends would come and tell me about parties they attended and how these men who we referred to as “bo Daddy” would buy them gifts and throw money at them. I mean E1000 to give to a school child was nothing to them. Well one day I went to one of those parties and I met this 45 year old soldier. He immediately started flashing his m