By: Nonkcubeko Mkwalo
Taking the decision to follow and pursue your dreams, at a very young age can be overwhelming and terrifying. However, this does not apply to Nandi Nene, a 19-year-old young woman who decided to step outside her comfort zone- and begin working towards her goals and dreams. Growing up in a small town like Ixopo can make one believe that certain goals are impossible to reach, but Nene did not let that discourage her in any way- which turned out great, looking at how far she has come in her career.
Nene fell in love with writing at a very young age, where she would always carry song books to write out her poems and other sorts of writing.
“I’ve always been a lover for writing, and a diary type of girl,” she said in an interview.
It wasn’t long after until her first book titled ‘Wrongfully Wedded’, was published in 2018. The romance novel tells a story about young people who fall in love and plan their future during their high school years, but things take a turn when they reach tertiary- as one finds themselves married to someone they don’t love. Nene emphasized during the interview that the novel does relate to real life events, as it also portrays a very profound message.
“Always remember to fall in love for the right decisions, and not materialistic things,” she said.
According to the young author, one of the things that keeps her motivated and encouraged is the power behind her pen, including challenges and difficulties she faces in her life. With every problem she comes across, she uses it as the reason to keep going and keep writing. With this in mind, Nene published her second book ‘Friday night on a Monday morning’- which is one of her favourite books to both write and read.
“The story behind ‘Friday night on a Monday morning’ is the power that the youth has on older people, and it’s about finding someone who gives you the kind of happiness you only get on a Friday night,” she said.
This young dreamer has always been a fan of romance, as both of her published books are linked to romance and love. She believes that it is important to spread the idea of love, and to portray the type of message that love will always win, no matter the circumstances.
Although achieving most of your goals at a young age can be inspiring and an amazing experience, Nene did face some challenges when it came to finances, being a young writer and doubting herself. However, she managed to work hard and face any shortcomings that came her way.
Apart from being an author, Nene is also a traditional healer- which is widely known as “iSangoma”. She was called into “Ubungoma” when she was 14 years old, where she got to learn and experience a different part of her life. Although this changed her life for good, Nene admits that it can be overwhelming and wonderful at the same time.
“It was the worst yet best experience of my life, but I am very proud of who and what I am,” she said.
This young woman isn’t only limited to writing poetry and novels- as she is also a brand ambassador; radio presenter; entrepreneur and CEO of her own company ‘Nandi Royalty’- which deals with different subsidies.
Nandi Nene continues to be an inspiration, to most young women- as she has shown us that it is highly possible to get what you want, only if you’re willing to put in the work.