In a quiet rural town tucked away in Ward 9 of Dondotha under uMfolozi Local Municipality, a force of nature is quietly weaving together science, culture, and entrepreneurial spirit and her name is Nokwazi Prudence Mbhele (26).
At 26, Nokwazi is the kind of young woman who breaks stereotypes and builds bridges between tradition and innovation. A crocheting artist since the age of 8, she was first taught by her mother in Grade 3. But it wasn’t until 2018 that she began selling her work and it was the 2020 lockdown that turned her side hustle into a real business. With time on her hands and passion in her heart, she began making real money from her hands.
“I owe a lot to Nokwethemba Mngomezulu,” she says, crediting the person who taught her the business side of crocheting including that golden rule: “The customer is always right.”
But this is only one side of Nokwazi’s story.
A proud graduate of Aquadene Secondary School, Class of 2016, she went on to study Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Zululand, and she’s now pursuing a Master’s in Microbiology. Her groundbreaking research soon to be published focuses on:
“Optimizing culture conditions of kombucha tea SCOBY isolate for bioflocculant production, characterization, and its application in wastewater treatment and dye removal.”
In simpler terms? Nokwazi wants to create a powder that can clean contaminated water. Her vision is bold and deeply rooted in solving real-world problems. “I want to change how water is treated in rural areas,” she says. And she’s not stopping with two degrees already in hand, she’s aiming for her PhD, becoming the first graduate in her family to chase such heights.
She doesn’t drink. She doesn’t smoke. She’s focused, grounded, and family-oriented.
This July’s fashion show was her first and she made her mark. She’s now looking forward to her second show on August 9th, with a newfound fire. As job applications continue to go unanswered, she takes it as a divine sign: It’s time to take her craft seriously and fully monetize it.
With hands that stitch art and a mind that brews science, Nokwazi Mbhele is living proof that rural doesn’t mean limited it means rooted, ready, and rising.
