Nombulelo Gongqa

Business adviser, Change agent, Christian, Concerned citizen, Consultant

I am an inquisitive and energetic person who leads with love and compassion. I believe that being curious can offer opportunities to listen and be present to different stories that are presented to us. I am energized by genuine human connections and I lean in to vulnerability as much as a I can as a way to relate, connect and reach the people and what is around me. I studied social sciences and I believe that I am well on my way to becoming a social scientist. Learning about people keeps me inspired and gives me fuel to do the work that I currently do. I am currently an ambassador and advocate for transformation, transfiguration and impactful change in the space of diversity and belonging. My role requires me to see people and seek connections that encourage belonging, solve conflict, and inspire conversation. People and community are the core of the work I do and without engaging with them the work would not move forward. I have have worked as a Talent and Organization Management Consultant for Accenture, where I was part of teams that lead change management for different corporate environments and it is my understanding that the process of change can make people vulnerable and when they are encouraged to bring their concerns and stories forward it strengthens their relationship with the change that is happening around them. I hold a Master's in Industrial Sociology this has opened me up to being interested in society and community, particularly how people co-exist in a world where their circumstances are different. Part of the work I do now is to facilitate difficult conversations for learners who come from different communities and face different struggles. My work involves making people understand that social justice is in everyone's best interest. I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts and watching videos that expose me to people's experiences of life. This has always been a way to open up my world as I grew up in Makhanda which is a small town in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. Whilst I there were moments of exposure to the world in the above mentioned town, I always wanted to know more about the world, and I am still interested in understanding how different people live in their own communities.

People and their stories. I am also passionate about creating spaces for genuine human connections.

Listening to self and those around is a form of respect and shows people that they belong. A way to take ownership of ones self is to listen to themselves. If listening to self fosters self-awareness, imagine what it can do for communities. Listen is a form of radical love.

Change Management, Mentorship, Social Responsibility and Community Partnerships, Transformation, Diversity and Belonging

I have been enjoying TED videos and stories since my first time finding platforms where people share videos. Ted exposed me to people's stories and perspectives without ever being in their circumstances. I got the opportunity to learn and with TED I have found content that assists me to facilitate discussions within the diversity work I do. I have always dreamt that I would one day get an opportunity to share my experiences at a TED conference where people of the world can get to know me and the town I grew up in. This dream has not disappeared, however a colleague had a conversation with me in 2022 about conducting and organizing a TEDx where people in our community would get an opportunity to tell each other stories and learn about each other. This is how TEDxMakhanda came about, the dream has now grown from one of wanting to get a platform to tell stories, to one where I am part of a team that organizes a platform for other people. I believe my TED story is growing, and I am inspired by it.

Telling Stories