Grit, Resilience, and Hope: Amelia’s Entrepreneurial Journey

Morwadi Amelia Ramagaga was born and raised in Sharpville, Tsepiso, in the Vaal. Her parents never worked for anyone but themselves. Her father left school early to build a fruit and vegetable business. Saturdays meant waking up at 3am to go with him to the market. Her mother was a seamstress and a chef, running her own small enterprises.

“Both my parents were entrepreneurs. We sold, we stitched, we cooked. I think they moulded me to become the person I am,” she says.

By high school, she was already selling muffins to pay for her matric dance. “We bought our own clothes and paid for the farewell ourselves. That’s when I realised if I want something, I can work for it.”

After matriculating, she studied journalism, but her life shifted toward youth development when she presented a proposal for a video magazine to the BTP Youth Development Centre. The project manager loved the idea and offered her a job as a youth coordinator. It was there that she was introduced to Activate.

“At the Centre, they said there’s this programme called Activate. I joined in 2012 and went back again in 2016. Activate gave us small budgets to host dialogues in our communities. I was always the first to raise my hand to say: I’ll do it.” This willingness and openness to opportunity became a hallmark of her journey, especially as she continued developing her skills through new experiences.

Training and Development

Years later, Amelia entered a facilitation training funded by Activate. Despite years of working with youth, she realised she had been doing it wrong.

“I was teaching, not facilitating. Facilitation is not about you, it’s about the learners – how they feel, how they engage. It’s about creating space for them.”

She qualified in January 2024 through MI Learning, becoming a certified and credited facilitator. Stepping into her next role in May, she joined Junior Achievement South Africa (JASA) as a programmes agent in Gauteng, allowing her to put her new skills into practice.

Building ProAmelia

In 2019, Amelia registered ProAmelia Productions and Projects, originally for catering. For years, it was a side hustle—like hiring out tents and tables or selling clothes. It wasn’t until she was audited in 2025, after building her business alongside other ventures, that she realised its true weight.

“I saw that this is not just a hustle. Writing proposals, managing budgets, training facilitators – this can be a sustainable business,” she says.

Activate’s name gave her credibility when applying for work. “When I said I had run programmes with Activators, it carried weight. Activate was a reference for me.”

The Bootcamps: One Story, One Business at a Time

Today, Amelia runs JASA’s four-day entrepreneurship bootcamps in Gauteng, each hosting between 105 and 120 young people. Teams learn, plan, and pitch their business ideas.

“Even a simple business can win if you make it your own,” she explains.

She recalls ideas that stood out – a catering business run on monthly premiums, a drone-assisted security company, a funeral cover that included grief counselling and financial training for children.

“Sometimes they arrive just for the food. But by the last day, when they stand in their suits and pitch, you see something has changed. They realise they are capable.”

And the results are visible. One learner’s NYDA grant increased from R10,000 to R50,000. A young woman who thought she was “just average’’ went on to secure a contract with Heineken. Another doubled her sales of amagwinya during the bootcamp.

“The testimonials are heartwarming. To see a young person arrive without hope and leave saying, I can build something – that is the best feeling for me.”

No journey without struggles

The journey is not without difficulty. Communities often expect stipends, not opportunity. She has had to fire vendors, cancel contracts, and navigate power cuts in makeshift venues.

“Sometimes you use your heart, sometimes your head,” she says.

Managing people was another lesson. “At first I wanted people like me, but I had to accept that everyone is different. As long as the work gets done, it’s okay.”

The challenges have prepared her for bigger things. “Now I know I can be a CEO. This work has shaped me.”

Collaboration with Activators

Amelia no longer works for Activate, but her bond with the network remains strong.

Her coordinator at JASA is a former Activator, as are many of her recruiters and facilitators. “The more the merrier. With Activators, I know I can trust their leadership.”

Activate gave her her first training, her first platform, and her first reference. Today, she employs Activators herself – proof of the ripple effect.

Empowerment: Leading as Women

Asked what empowerment means to her this Women’s Month, Amelia is clear.

“It means taking up spaces authentically – being yourself, being feminine, understanding the power you hold as a woman. Too often, we are told to act like men to lead. But the women of 1956 fought as women, not men. That’s why they won.”

Her philosophy is simple. “If I want to wear a pink suit to work, I will. Leading with emotion is not weakness – it’s compassion. It’s care. And it works.”

A Call to Young People

Asked about her message to young people, she doesn’t overthink it.

“Go out there and occupy spaces. Don’t be scared. The biggest injustice you can do to yourself is not to try. When I applied for big positions, I didn’t have all the qualifications. But I said, What’s the worst that can happen? If it’s meant for you, it will happen.”

Closing

Morwadi Amelia Ramagaga’s journey is rooted in Sharpville but stretches far beyond it – from selling muffins in school to raising millions for youth projects, from Activate facilitator to JASA programmes manager. Through grit and resilience, she has turned side hustles into a sustainable business and hope into opportunity.

In celebrating Women’s Month, we honour Morwadi Amelia Ramagaga – a woman who carries Sharpville with her into every room, and who insists that rising means bringing others along.

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About the Author:

I’m Aphelele Mtwecu, a proud member of the Activate Change Drivers Network and a 2016 Activator. I am a 33-year-old ambivert who works as a content writer, activist, and creative. My true passion lies in youth development, transformation, and making a meaningful impact. Every day, I encounter the world seeking healing, innovative solutions, and fresh methods to drive social change on my personal journey. My work and advocacy reflect my unwavering commitment to fostering positive change.