Entrepreneur. Business leader
Based: Johannesburg
Popularly known as the Programme Director of the 16th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture delivered by President Barack Obama, 24 year old Busi Mkhumbuzi-Pooe is a Social Entrepreneur and Speaker recognized by Forbes Africa as one of thirty young business leaders in the continent.
At just 16 years old, Busi established the South African chapter of V-Girls, an anti-violence network for girls by girls.
Briefed to “mobilise girls and ignite their activism”, Busi’s work with the network was replicated by chapters around the world, and helped her secure an invitation to present at TedWomen.
This was the start of Busi’s career as a global activist, catapulting her to more stages, including the 2020 Education Summit at Oxford University and the TedX UCT Conference.
In 2018, Busi was appointed as the Programme Director of the 16th Annual Nelson Mandela Lecture delivered by President Barack Obama. She shared her experiences at the Marie Claire Power Summit.
She recently hosted the Forbes Africa #Under30Meetup, sharing the stage with movers and shakers, including the youngest billionaire in Africa, Mohammed Dewji.
In 2016, Busi co-founded Tshimong, a social enterprise which started as an organisation providing professional debating services to corporates and charities.
Tshimong has since pivoted into an organisation serving the youth through education, media and social investments. As Chief Executive as Tshimong Social Investments, Busi is able to follow her life’s passion and purpose: social justice.
Busi has long been cognisant of the need for redistributive justice in South Africa, calling this a developmental imperative. She believes that CSI is part of doing business in South Africa, thanks to a legislative framework which encourages corporates to ‘give back’ as a matter of law. However, Tshimong Social Investments makes it possible to go beyond these requirements to make a significant and lasting difference.
Tshimong was recently recognized in the Business Category of the Forbes Africa #30Under30.
