BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE– Sihle Seema (26) was raised with little, but through her grandmother’s love and her own determination, she has grown into a young woman shaping her future one step at a time.
Seema was raised in Ndlinilembi, grew up under the loving care of her grandmother. Though her childhood was marked by poverty, her grandmother’s warmth and guidance made her feel rich in all the ways that mattered.
“Despite the struggles, my grandmother’s love made me feel like we had everything,” Seema said. Her world shifted when she lost her grandmother while in Grade 6. She was then taken in by her uncle, who tragically also passed away not long after. From there, her journey became one of survival, courage, and ambition.
During her high school years, Seema lived alone in a rented one-room house, a rare and difficult situation for a teenager. She supported herself by selling biscuits at school, even though it was against the rules.Unfortunately she was unable to complete school.
“I was in school up to Form 4, but due to financial difficulties, I had to drop out,” she said. “Still, I stayed determined. Selling biscuits helped me save money, and I eventually opened a small market.”
Seema later grew that small market into a spaza shop. Along the way, Sihle taught herself business management, customer service, and financial planning , not from textbooks, but from real-life experience.
Today, Seema operates several income-generating ventures: a well-established mobile money business, retail of Avon and Botle Buhle beauty products, and sales of preloved clothing sourced from Mozambique.
Each business shows Seema’s determination and her deep understanding of customer needs.“I grew my mobile money business from a phone-based service into a shop with loyal customers and steady daily income,” she said.
Seema is not only building a business she’s building people. With every sale and every service, she is showing what it means to rise with dignity and purpose. “I think about my younger siblings all the time,” she shared. “They need a role model who shows them that success doesn’t come from luck, but from consistency.”
Through her earnings, she supports her family’s basic needs, especially her siblings’ school expenses. Seema believes that no situation is too small to begin with. “Don’t wait until you have everything to start, start with what you have. Even if it fails, you’ll have learned something,” she said.
Her advice to young people is to take small steps, be brave, and surround themselves with those who uplift them. Seema’s story is far from over. She continues to dream bigger and plans to grow her shop into a fully stocked mini-mart. She also wants to open mentorship sessions for other young women in business.
“I’ve grown so much. I’m more confident, more focused. I’ve learned to speak up, take risks and stay grounded no matter what,” she said.
Sihle Seema, 26, from Ndlinilembi, transformed a life of hardship into one of enterprise and empowerment. Raised by her late grandmother, Seema faced early loss and financial challenges but pushed forward by starting a biscuit-selling business in school. Today, she runs a mobile money shop, sells beauty and clothing products, and financially supports her family. Known for her resilience, she continues to inspire young people with her message of starting small, staying consistent, and building a future with purpose.
(Courtesy Pics)
