“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I can achieve it.” These words come to mind as a young woman from Nyanga details how she landed a job in one of Cape Town’s biggest radio stations.
“One thing I know for sure I had the flu and I was feeling run down, I really wanted to win but I also had a fear of failing and my friends told me if I don’t enter I will have a ton of regrets. And just the training and experience of entering could possibly open doors for me so I entered,” recalls Nosipho Tisani, who became the first GOODHOPE FM Campus DJ Search winner in 2010.
“I always jokingly say this, but it’s an accolade I’ve learnt to own and pride myself with. My confidence grew – I got to meet a ton of people I thought I’d never meet. People from my hood and neighboring townships always say, ‘You did it for us sisi,’ and many others who thought this would not be possible.”
Nosipho spends her time ‘on air’ but her humble beginnings still keep her grounded.
“In Nyanga I got to see the principles of Ubuntu in practice, because in a township, you are taught to share with your neighbours. There was no shame in knocking on your neighbour’s door to ask for sugar or to borrow some money for your taxi fare the next day. The dynamics of the township have enabled me to relate to people from all kinds of backgrounds, to be street-wise, open minded and non-judgmental.”
Just like many radio stations do, Nosipho wants to bring the world of generosity closer to people.
“Now that I am older, my childhood experiences make me appreciate every effort that my mom made to provide me with the best she could. I also recognise and appreciate the power of a community of people that stand together and support each other. That is the kind of community I want to build, through community work and public speaking.”
With the little she earned, Nosipho’s mom ensured that she invested it in her daughter’s education.
“I told myself that hard work follows passion and I had to stick it out. For three years I had no social life. I had to tackle third year, graduating and starting a new job, and never got any time to rest. So best believe I now treasure each and every moment I get to spend with my family and friends. I knew what I wanted my end result to be, and through the support of my mother I survived it and really did pay off in the end,” says Nosipho, who holds a National Diploma in Public Relations, and a Certificate in Digital Media and Social Media.
Currently she works as a strategist at Good Hope FM.
“My role has many responsibilities, which includes some that go beyond the core role. My primary role is to create digital brand campaigns from concept to execution. I work with clients and have the responsibility of presenting work to them. Another part of my role is content strategy and creation. This is the creation and management of monthly content plans for my brands where I will do copywriting. Fulfillment can only be achieved by doing work that you love.”
Nosipho may be on her way up the ladder but she’s forever connected to her roots.
“I have a big support in my hood. I’m eternally grateful about that. I think what sets me apart, is the energy, and the fact that I’m very relatable. I cater to the audience, and always have a smile on my face. I know and respect the audience and they can tell. I’m living my dream as the Ghetto Snob.”
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