Lydia Hlongwane is the managing director of the Imbali Group of Companies, the co-founder I.C.A.R.E, a life coach, a leadership maestro for South African chapter and motivational speaker.
She is a bubbly, confident, caring and virtuous young woman who stands up for what is right. She completed her Secondary school and post graduate studies passing with great results attached with great accolades of merit in public speaking, poetry writing and few subjects. She worked in the public management department as a learner assistant for the two years she served in the Student committee then worked for the City of Tshwane metropolitan municipality at Local Economic Development department in partnership with Operation Hope.
She is responsible for campaigns pertaining every social issue which can affect the youth and the country as a whole for example anti-rape, anti-xenophobia, anti-discrimination, children and women’s rights and any campaign which deals with HIV/AIDS, cancer and any other diseases. She is also helping young women get over their pain from such instances and help them recuperate so they can move on and get a better life for themselves as well as young men who have been through the same with the help of professionals qualified to help. She is currently working on a few projects such as the:
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“Mpumalanga Creative Art Summit”, gathering of 500+ World Arts Professionals, New Talents and Global Icons prospecting on opportunities within the Arts. The Mpumalanga Creative Arts Summit composes of a dedicated all-day music dialogue as part of the summit, a Fashion Show, Talent Showcase and Arts Exhibitions.
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“Treat Her Like A Queen Campaign” giving girls an opportunity to experience life out of the rural area by giving them gifts and pampering them.The initiative is in partnership with a company owned by a 21-year-young-lady called Dress by Her who rents out the dresses at a very reasonable price as a way of giving back to the community. That has seen 10 young ladies from different provinces seeing their dream possible.
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The “Groom a child campaign” where she does sexual orientation talks at schools, centers for adopted girls and the broader community. During Covid-19 season, she is still ensuring the kids are getting their toiletries, their tutoring lessons and mentorship. The programme serves 200 matriculants, 15 girls at the center for girls in Midrand and 10 girls through the mentorship and tutoring programme.
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The “Rare disease fundraising campaign” which helps young people who are diagnosed with rare diseases from previously disadvantaged families to get transplants, specialised care from Milpark and Sunninghil hospital as well as equipment they need to survive until operation dates with the help of Gauteng department of health and other immediate family members.This has gone on without any financial assistance but rather from immediate family, her own pocket and a great law firm that decided to support her dreams. In 2019, she was able to raise the amount of 3.8 million rands (240,000 dollars) for a transplant beneficiary, doing the same of 1.42 million rands of their youngest beneficiary who was 7 at the time. In 2020, they were able to help out the young people with toiletries, care packs and ensure that that oxygen needs are attended to by the department of health as top priority.
Lydia HLONGWANE is an international award holder for her philanthropic work. She was nominated and awarded a few awards namely, nominee of “Inspiring Fifty awards” in 2018 and received the “Owami Woman award” 2018 as well as the “Mandela of the Future award” 2018, a presidential award in 2019, and was selected as one of the “100 Top SA Ambassadors” for 2020. She was also nominated for the “African youth leader Award 2020”, named as one of the “Ackerman’s women heroes” 2020, received the “Woman of Wonder award” 2020, had her name added to the “Hall of heroes” 2020, “South Africa top 100 influential youth list” 2020 and received an award by the Africa Brand Summit 2020. She is one of the “young African Leadership Initiative fellows” and the Brand South Africa Ambassador for “Play Your Part”. She is also the finalist for the “Africa4women awards” humanitarian category 2022 and the international “Women of inspiration awards“ 2022.