A word about our Alumnus Emmanuel Malepe
Posted / 30 September 2021
Emmanuel Malepe is a 23-year-old Columba graduate and former learner at Kwena Molapo Secondary High school. Though not academically inclined in high school, he stood out because of his conduct and leadership qualities. Despite his challenging background and social circumstances, Emmanuel has turned his situation around. Speaking about how his life was impacted by Columba Leadership Emmanuel says, “Columba Leadership values actually assisted me to find my purpose and the value that I add to this universe, to understand who I am and my calling.” Drawing on the skills he gained from the Columba Leadership programme, Emmanuel secured a learnership at Nedbank in 2019. The Nedbank team was impressed with his leadership style, learning agility, communication skills, and his extraordinary community service, and he was appointed to a permanent position within six months! Emmanuel is currently working as a Team Leader at the Nedbank contact centre having worked in the same department at a junior level prior to this. Because of his great communication skills, he has also represented Nedbank in a number of marketing videos. “I faced a lot of challenges such as difficulties in understanding myself and the role of a leader, dealing with different people, consistency, and adapting. However, I have managed to overcome every single one of them by polishing my professionalism; communication and connecting with my team. I have also put an end to being change-resistant”, says Emmanuel. He also discovered his passion for teaching while attending the Columba Leadership academy in 2015. This later developed to motivational speaking for which he gets invited to different schools to share on the importance of leadership values and change. Among the many projects Emmanuel is involved in, is high school development. He initiates high school projects such as gardening, cleaning and Grade 8 tutoring campaigns aligned with each learner’s learning style. The advice that Emmanuel would like to share with the youth is, “Start by knowing yourself and your worth, to remain humble and execute well.” He also believes that remaining passionate and compassionate about other people’s well-being is key to growth. Emmanuel sets an example of how to use Columba values and leadership skills to strive for excellence.