A journey of impact: Nokuthula Zama’s mission to make meaningful change

There is a well-known saying: “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” These words perfectly capture Nokuthula Zama’s approach to life and her career. Nokuthula has held numerous positions throughout her career – from human capital development (HCD) intern, assistant, practitioner to eventually becoming a manager at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Today, she leads a team of dedicated change-makers as the Country Manager at the Moshal Programme. Nokuthula has made it her mission to put people first, with a career rooted in transformation and purpose.

When she started, the HCD office was newly established, giving her valuable hands-on experience in programme administration, student support and strategic planning. During her time there, Nokuthula gained skills and expertise in capacity building, pipeline development and identifying and nurturing critical and scarce skills within the organisation. She also played a key role in building strategic partnerships to attract and retain top talent. “Joining the CSIR at a time when the HCD office was newly established allowed me to gain hands-on experience in programme administration, student support and strategic planning,” says Nokuthula.

She had the privilege of working on various initiatives, including bursary programmes, studentships, learnerships, post-doctoral fellowships and in-service training.

Over the years, her contributions led to several key milestones:

· Extending the CSIR’s reach to remote and rural areas, helping to diversify the organisation’s science, engineering and technology talent pipeline;

· Implementing psycho-social support initiatives to enhance student success;

· Actively participating in industry events and networking opportunities to drive human capital development;

· Advancing her own education, earning both Honours and Master’s degrees; and

· Progressing from a coordination role to a leadership position, where she mentored the next generation of professionals.

These experiences laid the groundwork for her next chapter at the Moshal Programme.

At the Moshal Programme, Nokuthula continues her mission of empowering others. She leads efforts to enable economic mobility through higher education. The programme funds academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students by providing not only financial assistance but holistic support to ensure their academic success and seamless transition into the workplace. “With over 700 alumni, many of whom now earn up to eight times their families’ combined income, we see a full return on investment within their first year of employment,” she shares. “While repayment isn’t required, we encourage our students to ‘pay it forward’ by mentoring others – fostering a powerful cycle of empowerment and success.”

Nokuthula’s journey has not been without challenges. Transitioning from the CSIR to the Moshal Programme in 2017 meant stepping into the unknown. Leading a remote team required providing clear strategic direction, setting strong key performance indicators and fostering a culture of trust and accountability. She navigated these challenges by prioritising mentorship, coaching and continuous learning.

Reflecting on her journey, Nokuthula finds the greatest reward in the lasting impact she has made. “Helping students break the cycle of poverty does not just change their lives—it uplifts entire families and contributes to economic growth.”

As for balancing work and personal life? “I’m still figuring it out,” she laughs.