An educator, avid reader and a writer: Meet the Author of finding me now Mpho Gift Digashu
1. Who are you?
My name is Mpho Gift Digashu, born in 1995 in a village called Masehlaneng, Mokopane. I now work as a Senior Education Specialist (curriculum advisor) and worked as an educator teaching Life Sciences prior. I studied at Wits University for my junior degree and several other certificates, and Regenesys for my postgraduate studies (cum laude). During my years at Wits I was honoured with an admission to the Golden Key International Honour Society, and I also worked at the Wits Writing Centre and Wits Computer and Network Services. I have had the privilege of being hailed Best secondary school educator in the National Teaching Awards 2022, becoming top in my District, Province and 3rd best in the country. I am also an Author of a book called Finding Me Now, a volunteer with several organizations such as the Faculty of Best Advisory (FBA) and Future of Tomorrow.
2. Which primary and high school did you attend?
I went to Motshitshi Primary School, Dikubu Primary school and Tshelammake Primary School. I then went to Radinong Secondary School to complete my basic education.
3. Which subjects did you choose and why?
I chose the science stream, being the top learner in those days meant following the science stream and that is what everyone advised me to do.
4. How did you decide on your career choice?
I studied towards my Bachelor of Education after high school, becoming a double Major in Life Sciences, with technology and Natural Science in GET. Honestly, I felt a huge calling towards teaching and some of that was influenced by my mother, who is a teacher. I knew I would become an Educator from the time I could make sense of anything and regardless of how much I was discouraged, especially considering that my teachers knew I could become anything I wanted, my mind was set and nothing was going to change that.
5. Tell us about your business?
I am what you would call a Bookpreneur. As I said, I am an Author of a book called Finding Me Now which talks about self-awareness and essentially seeks to motivate us to want to begin with self-mastery and figuring out ways to leverage on our strengths, whilst improving on our weaknesses . I first published the book in 2018 and I must say, there have been a lot of positive reviews. The second edition came out now in March 2023.
6. What made you want to own/start your own business?
What really motivated me to start writing was a difficult time in my life. Being at the end of my teen years and in 3rd Year, University posed a lot of challenges, as I felt the need to get a grasp of my life. In particular at that time, dating was a serious aspect of my life and I had just broken up with a girl I thought I’d spend my life with. This led to a lot of sadness which eventually led to me starting on a self-discovery ‘voyage’. I started reading self-help books and as I was reading realized that most of those books had a particular jargon that may not be pleasing to people my age. I then started writing a book that would be friendlier and more relatable. It took 3 years of writing and writers block.
7. What services do you offer?
In addition to selling this book, I am a public speaker and motivation speaker and I have also founded a Non-profit organization based on the book.
8. What is it like running your own business?
With most people just not seeing the value of buying a book, it is not easy selling these books. I have come across people who would just straight up say they would appreciate a free copy but are not willing to buy and some asking for soft copies to read from and even distribute. However, I have also had great support from people around me and other people who would even buy copies up to 3 or 4 for their loved ones. The magic is in pushing and even trying to sell to organizations. I was lucky to have the DoE buy 120 copies of the book 3 years ago.
9. What advice would you give someone who wants to go into a business like yours?
To anyone wanting to start writing a book, the journey begins with reading twice as much. The only way for a cup to pour out something is if it has got something inside of it, to begin with. The skills and artistry lies in how other authors have been able to do the same. To write, you must first read.
10. What advice or words of encouragement would you give to high school learners?
Something that my mom would say, that I still live with, “in order to live like a king in future, you must live like a slave now”. To be able to live the life you want tomorrow, you must be willing to give up everything for it today. A quote out of my book? “Stop focusing on the weed and start ploughing”. Most people focus on what could possibly go wrong and what has been going wrong, why they would not make it etc. but those who win, leverage on what they can do, to deal with what they cannot.