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Be a Nelson Profile
Thuso Pejane
Stellenbosch, Western Cape
About Thuso
My name is Thuso Pejane and I am from Rockville, Soweto. I grew up with a single mother who worked as a domestic worker, and I knew education was the only ticket out of our struggle. For a while, football was my greatest hope.
In January 2023 I left everything behind and moved to Stellenbosch with nothing but a dream. I missed application deadlines, could not speak Xhosa or Afrikaans, and had no place to stay. I arrived with only R800 and struggled to find safe housing and food. I slept on the streets for two days before a street photographer offered me a place in a squatter camp shack.
During this time I kept telling myself, “Tomorrow will be a better day.” I joined the World of Work program at Pinotage Youth Development Academy and learned crucial job-hunting skills. After two months of unpaid rent, I was offered a barista job at Seattle Coffee Co., but I still had to find a place to live. I eventually rented a room and began rebuilding my life.
At PYDA I met Nico de Klerk and joined the Be a Nelson Movement. Be a Nelson gave me coaching, mentorship, and a global network that expanded my vision. In March 2024 I took part in the MasterPeace South Africa walk, where I gained courage, hope, and the belief that anyone can achieve greatness regardless of their background.
Today I am building ResPlek, a student accommodation app designed to simplify verified housing and end scams. ResPlek is near completion, and I am focused on the IT and legal work required to launch in the first half of 2025.
My journey is a testament to perseverance, community support, and the power of turning struggle into purpose.
Story Highlight
From Streets to Dreams: Meet Thuso
My name is Thuso Pejane from Rockville (Soweto), south of Johannesburg. A place where having enough to eat was never a guarantee. I was raised by a single mother who was a domestic worker. I knew that education was the only ticket out of this cycle of struggle, that is why my family was so proud when I completed my diploma in Accounting and Estate administration back home. Football gave me hope, happiness and for a short moment I also thought of pursing it to a professional level. Studies and football were the only hope to drive me out of the hardship also to improve the standard of living at home.
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