THANDEKA TURNS PASSION INTO PROSPERITY

By Lawrence Mashabela.

• Despite early struggles and personal challenges, Thandeka refused to be defined by her circumstances and used education and skills training as a springboard to success.
• With her mother’s unwavering encouragement and the resources provided by government programmes, she built a business that now supports her family and community.
• Thandeka’s journey demonstrates that with determination, resilience, and opportunity, young people can create their own futures and uplift their communities.

In an economy battling slow growth and rising unemployment, a young woman from Bophelong has refused to be defined by the odds stacked against her. Instead, she carved out her own path and created employment for herself through her passion for beauty.
At just 24 years old, Thandeka Jessica Sechele is the proud owner of Jessica Beauty Bar, a thriving salon she started to bring much-needed beauty services to her kasi community in Bophelong.
“I’ve always been a salon and beauty girl all my life. I love beauty, but for a long time I didn’t know where I could get the skills,” she said.
Her salon, located at 10170 Extension 17, offers a variety of services, including frontal installations, washes and revamps, eyelash extensions, makeup, and nail care, for both men and women.
Sechele’s journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t easy. After falling pregnant in 2020, she says she struggled with self-doubt and the fear of disappointing her mother. Despite these hardships, her mother stood firmly by her side and remained supportive.
Determined to redeem herself, Sechele enrolled at Dirang Ka Kagiso Skills Development Centre in 2022, an initiative funded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development. There, she completed End-User Computing and Life Skills programmes, and in 2023, she was selected for training as a beauty therapist. By 2024, she graduated with a certificate of competence and received a start-up kit that enabled her to launch her business.
“It was a dream come true. I finally found something that I believe will change my life,” she said.
At first, Sechele worked from home, often using her mother’s lounge late into the night to serve clients. Recognising her determination, her mother bought her a Wendy house to run her salon more comfortably from the family yard.
“Right now, my salon is up and running. I am grateful to my mother; she never gave up on me, and for that, I will be forever indebted to her.”
Today, Jessica Beauty Bar is thriving, supported by teachers, school children, neighbours, and the broader community. Sechele dreams of expanding her business, furthering her education, and creating more opportunities for herself and her family.
She also urged government officials who supported her training and start-up journey to visit and support local businesses like hers.
“Having my own small business makes me very happy. It allows me to earn money to support my family and secure my child’s future. Don’t take opportunities for granted, they will change your life,” she advised other young people.
Her mother, Maditaba Sechele (55), expressed heartfelt gratitude: “I am grateful to the Gauteng Department of Social Development for giving my child a second chance to better her life.”
With her passion, resilience, and support system, Thandeka Jessica Sechele embodies the power of determination and opportunity for young people to shape their own futures.