Braids, business and freedom: what one woman entrepreneur taught me about resilience

I RECENTLY found myself in a local salon, getting my daughter and niece ready for the upcoming school term.

- TSAKANI NKOMBYANE

It was supposed to be a routine visit; just a little back-to-school grooming, but as I settled into the comfortable chair and watched the buzz of women working around me, something far more meaningful unfolded.

The salon owner, Sibongile, moved confidently between her clients, her voice calm, her hands assured.

As someone who works with entrepreneurs, I'm always alert to stories that don't make headlines but quietly shape our communities.

Sibongile's story, as she shared it while gently parting my niece’s hair, struck me deeply.

She began her business in 2015 with two chairs, one mirror, and a dream.

The garage where she started has since transformed into a vibrant hair studio, a place of economic activity, mentorship, and sisterhood.

“I didn't know where it would go,” she said, “but I knew I had to try.”