Changing lives

I remember the date and day so vividly because I couldn’t believe this great organisation had seen potential in this little girl with no work experience. I served as a community manager until December 2020. During my time there, I acquired immense skills that are helping me in my current role at Digify Africa’s partner Wunderman Thompson. The skills I acquired were the following:

• Creative social media copywriting
• Leadership skills
• Presentation skills
• Reporting skills

Being a part of this project taught me flexibility and being able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of social media platforms. I was able to learn how to strategically apply myself and my mind to everything (most things) around me in order to come up with great ideas that appealed to the Standard Bank community.

On the 4th of January, I was given the opportunity to help community manage one of Wunderman’s global clients and since then I have had the privilege of assisting other local and international brands. This may not have been possible without Digify Africa and the Dinaledi project.

I was part of the LiveMag programme, a writing and multimedia training programme that widened my skill set. I joined the Dinaledi team in March 2020, as a Community Manager, growing to co-team leader, and then to stand-in Senior Community Manager, until the 10th May 2021. I have since joined Wunderman Thompson permanently as of 11th May 2021 as Senior Community Manager on their Standard Bank account. Being part of Digify Africa provided me with greater work and networking opportunities and continues to grant me access to professional spaces where I would have otherwise not been privy to.

My love for the digital industry all started at Digify Africa. I have Digify Africa to thank for all my knowledge and skills in the digital industry. From the day I started my LiveMag internship to my last day at Digify Africa, working with Facebook. I was given the opportunity to work with amazing partners Red Bull Amaphikho, British Council (Cosy), Facebook (Iliwze Lam and Virtual Bootcamps) and Standard Bank. I was also given the opportunity to grow and learn and help others learn as well.

During my time with Digify Africa, I also managed to get my Facebook Blueprint Certification. On the 3rd of May, I started my new job with Wunderman Thompson, a partner of Digify Africa that I worked briefly with on the Standard Bank account. I will use all the skills I obtained at Digify Africa to succeed in my current role and grow within the global community.

My experience at Digify is one that I’ll never forget nor take for granted. I was able to develop my leadership and digital skills while meeting a lot of great people in the process. It was really the perfect springboard from which to catapult my budding digital marketing career.

In September 2019, I had the honour of being part of the Digify Pro 10.0 cohort. The ten-week intensive digital marketing program provided me with a hands-on learning experience that combined theory and practical skills. In March 2020 I joined the Dinaledi team as a Community Manager working on the Standard Bank account. I was later promoted to a co-team lead position.

June 2021, Wunderman Thompson hand-picked me to join the company permanently as a Community Manager on Coke. Prior to my start date, I had completed the social media training offered by Digify Africa. This has helped me perform better in my current position.

Digify Africa has greatly helped me build professional connections and unlock doors I previously lacked access to.

I graduated from the Digify Pro programme in December 2019, where I acquired valuable digital marketing skills and knowledge about the industry. In January 2020, I joined the Dinaledi team as a Community Manager. After six months, I was allowed to be the acting team lead and later was offered the role permanently as a co-team lead. I was a stand-in Senior Community Manager at Wunderman in June 2021. In October 2021, I will be joining Wunderman Thompson permanently as a Senior Community Manager on their Standard Bank CIB account.

I am grateful for my experience with Digify Africa as they have been able to equip me with skills and opportunities that I would not have been able to have access to so easily. Digify Africa has enabled me to seamlessly change careers, grow my knowledge and skillset, and teach me lessons that I will take with me far.