BY Nkosazana Ngwadla
In 2022, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants named Nolwazi Mdunge, 29, the top 35 under 35 chartered accountant in the country and she was also awarded the NPC Executive of the Year by Abasa.
As a finance business partner at Mondi, she offers financial consultation to decision-makers and assesses the feasibility of new revenue streams, managing a R250 million budget. At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nolwazi founded the Little Miss Sunshine Foundation, which is a non-profit company aiming to promote early childhood development, and women empowerment, and address some of the social ills faced in South Africa.
Its first project was donating food vouchers and parcels to over 500 families. Together with Rise Against Hunger, an international organisation that co-ordinates the distribution of food, it delivered 500 meals to families. Among the Little Miss Sunshine Foundation’s other projects are donating shoes to primary schools, giving a year’s supply of sanitary pads to two high schools and assisting university students.
Nolwazi is driven by the need to “make an impact in society and address the social ills faced in communities. Leaving people in a better condition than I found them is rewarding and motivates me to keep assisting where I can.” Her advice to her younger self would be: “Take time to enjoy life (responsibly) because it passes by so quickly. Don’t stress about the future, you’re on the right track. Everything works out in the end.”
Image: LinkedIn
