IMBO Magazine Issue 33: One Love | Page 65

When it comes to her personal journey, Phuti gives thanks to her parents, the greatest inspiration in her life. With overwhelming sincerity she told me their story, “They came from Soweto. And they had big dreams. In the old South it Africa it was difficult for them - but they still had dreams that they wanted to achieve.” when you consider the amount of support Shanduka shows for those who dream big. A powerful example would be the Black Umbrella initiative - created to nurture young, black owned companies by providing resources ranging from office space all the way through to mentoring programs. Phuti reminisced further about her father “… someone who went straight out of Highs School to selling goods on trains to being the businessman he became… it’s an incredible journey for me to reflect on.” She speaks with conviction, “I believe all of us are here for a purpose. It may sound idealistic, but when I look at my own life I know that there is so much that people can do. If I could reach to where I’ve been able to reach, then how much more can The legacy of dreaming big has other people do?” certainly filtered through. Especially 65 IMBO/ ISSUE 32/ '14