In the heart of the Kingdom of Eswatini, a daughter of the soil is crafting a legacy rooted in resilience and an audacious global vision. Colisile Tfwala, born and raised across the vibrant hubs of Ezulwini, Nhlambeni, Matsapha, Mhlaleni and Mbabane, describes her identity as deeply intertwined with the beauty and warmth of her homeland.
Raised by three parents in what she terms a rare and beautiful blessing, Tfwala credits her discipline and guidance to their influence. Although she has lost two of her guardians, she continues to cherish her Dlamini father. As the fifth of seven children, she mastered the balance of leadership and humility early, traits that saw her rise to deputy head girl at Masundvwini National High School.
Her trajectory shifted significantly when she secured a scholarship to Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa. Pursuing an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma exposed her to the concept of global citizenship.
“It taught me that a girl from a small African kingdom can belong in global spaces without losing her identity,” she says. Tfwala later fortified her academic foundation with Bachelor’s and Honours Degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, followed by a Master of Commerce from the University of the Witwatersrand, specifically focusing on youth entrepreneurship development in Eswatini.
A Mission for Generational Wealth
Currently, Tfwala is driven by a singular, bold mission: To assist at least one billion Africans and people of African descent in building generational wealth. To achieve this, she operates a social enterprise dedicated to entrepreneurship development and financial literacy.
Through the Busisiwe Bhembe Foundation, established in memory of her late mother, she mentors young people in servant leadership. Her work is not confined to the boardroom; she is a frequent speaker at conferences, an MC and a panel moderator. Her influence has expanded beyond Eswatini to Lesotho and South Africa, with plans for global expansion this year.
Interestingly, Tfwala only began her journey as an author in 2023. Since then, she has become an award-winning writer, with her debut book, ‘Financial Freedom and Wealth Creation: A Workbook for Personal Financial Management’, earning her the Author of the Year title at the Swazi Writers’ Awards.
Tfwala is defined by her faith in God, which serves as the spiritual foundation for her purpose. She describes herself through the lens of servant leadership and a genuine desire for Africans to thrive.
“I am defined by my refusal to accept that poverty is Africa’s destiny,” she asserts. Her career journey reflects this refusal to conform. Starting as a buyer for a hardware company in Manzini, she quickly realised the role lacked alignment with her purpose. She moved to World Vision to focus on economic development before leading the Commonwealth Local Government Forum Office in Eswatini, where she worked with urban authorities on poverty alleviation.
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