By DESTHEA THERON
What happens when women come together to share their stories of love, loss, grief and ambition? An afternoon filled with inspiration, motivation and a reminder of the strength found in womanhood.
The Love, Loss, Grief and Ambition Wellness Luncheon was the place to be for anyone looking for inspiration, motivation and a celebration of womanhood.
The event started with a warm welcome from the lovely and vibrant host, Lucia Mtshake Ntshona, who was joined by four wonderful speakers: Pastor Ayanda Mpungose, attorney Sonja Tifloen, Dr Fikile Ngcingwana and keynote speaker Nomndeni Sethole.
Finding Faith Through Loss
Pastor Ayanda Mpungose started the afternoon with a prayer before sharing Isaiah 43:2, which reminds us that God is with us when we pass through the waters.
She lost her mother in 1999, her sister in 2010 and her husband in 2020. During these difficult times, she questioned God about why she was on this earth, even asking Him to come and explain.
In 2021, she lost everything and was left with only the Word.
She ended her talk by saying: “If you want to know God, it’ll cost you some losses. God saved you, don’t look like what you have gone through. Always let the latter be greater than the former.”
Success That Has Meaning
The second speaker was BLC’s managing director, Sonja Tifloen.
Born and raised in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth to parents who had not received secondary education, she shared how her parents made sure that all their children received an education.
She initially chose to study medicine but changed to law shortly after starting.
She opened with the words: “Sunflowers are built for the storm, but that doesn’t mean that the storm doesn’t hurt.”
She described losing her mother as one of the hardest things she has had to deal with, but also shared her belief that God never gives you a cross you cannot carry.
Since 2022, she has owned 68% of BLC’s shares.
She lives by the quote: “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
She ended by reminding the audience that the goal is not simply to be successful, but for that success to have meaning.
From Surviving to Living
Dr Fikile Ngcingwana, described as the only paediatric neurologist in Gqeberha and one of two in the Eastern Cape, spoke about the importance of self-discovery.
She explained that our journey starts when we are born and that we need to figure out who we are and what our purpose is in life.
This takes inner work and self-discovery.
She ended with a powerful reminder: “Nobody is supposed to be surviving, everybody should be living.”
Owning Your Voice and Your Story
Keynote speaker Nomndeni Sethole, founder of Agenda Woman, reminded the audience that the only person who is always present in your life is you.
Her message was about owning your voice and owning your story.
“You are a brand. You need to tell your story, otherwise someone will do it for you.”
She started her first business, Fuse Academy, with DJ Zinhle.
In 2016, she lost everything. This difficult period forced her to figure out who she was without everything she had built.
In 2018, she started Agenda, driven by a longing for connection and a desire to talk to other women.
In 2019, she travelled to New York to figure out how to turn this idea into a business.
She returned in 2020 and experienced what she described as her best year.
This year, she opened a permanent shop valued at R1.2 million, which she says is the first of 20 she hopes to establish. She also envisions opening a store in New York someday.
Sethole shared that people can often sum you up in three words. Her advice was to decide what those three words should be and embody them.
She encouraged women to be intentional about what they show the world.
She ended with the reminder that if you don’t know who you are, you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing.
More Than Just a Luncheon
The afternoon was about more than inspiration. It was a reminder that behind every success story are experiences of loss, challenges and moments of self-discovery.
From finding faith in difficult times to building meaningful success and learning to own your story, each speaker brought a different perspective on what it means to navigate life as a woman.
And perhaps that was the biggest takeaway from the Love, Loss, Grief and Ambition Wellness Luncheon: our stories may be different, but there is something powerful about sharing them.
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