BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MATSAPHA – Phiwayinkhosi Phila Dlamini (24) has built an inspiring journey that proves graduates can become job creators rather than job seekers.
Phiwayinkhosi was born and raised in Mbekelweni, Matsapha. He grew up in a home shaped by resilience. His father passed away when he was only five, leaving his mother, a dedicated teacher, to raise him and his two sisters on her own.
“Life wasn’t always easy, but my mother’s strength became our foundation,” he said. “Her resilience taught me to keep pushing, to dream bigger, and to build something from nothing.”
Phiwayinkhosi pursued a Bachelor of Science at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA), Kwaluseni Campus and has since completed his degree, but it was his entrepreneurial spirit that set him apart. His journey began in Durban, where he sold sneakers and helped a relative in curtain making. When he was asked to sew a few curtains under pressure, his first attempts were surprisingly successful. Encouraged to start his own curtain business back home in Eswatini, Phiwayinkhosi took the leap and never looked back.
Today, he runs his curtain business alongside multiple ventures, including motivational speaking, social media management, videography and photography, clothing sales for Toe Tag Son, a gizzard stall in Kwaluseni, and event hosting. His story underscores a key message for graduates: innovation, hustle, and perseverance are the tools to create opportunities where none exist.
For Phiwayinkhosi, being a graduate is no longer just about seeking employment, it’s about creating jobs, inspiring others, and turning challenges into opportunities. His journey serves as a beacon for young people across Eswatini, demonstrating that with determination, creativity, and a willingness to start from scratch, success is within reach. Graduates today are reminded: the future belongs to those willing to build it.
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Courtesy Pics)
