Former Banyana Banyana Captain Amanda Dlamini talks business in sports and wellness
Celebrating Women’s Month, on Thursday, 19 August, Nedbank hosted the Sports and Wellness YouthX Live event featuring former Banyana Banyana captain Amanda Dlamini. As a retired footballer, Amanda shared her story from humble beginnings to building her brand, which led to a career on TV as a football analyst and administrator at the South African Football Association (SAFA). The event forms part of the YouthX programme that is designed to inspire young people and share knowledge around careers and businesses, while providing financial education.
Consisting of three segments, Money Talks, TalkX and Power Panel, the fifth instalment of YouthX Live featured an all-female power panel, including Sisandile Cikido, Nedbank’s Head of Retail Investments; Thandy Matlaila, actress, presenter, athlete and entrepreneur; and Thato Moeng, award-winning sports broadcaster and TV and radio presenter. The event also covered various topics in sports and wellness, including challenges faced by women in this space, such as recognition, remuneration and lack of facilities.
Sharing her journey on the transition from being a Banyana Banyana player to becoming a football analyst, Dlamini gave tips for the youth on how to build a brand while still an athlete, and pursuing other careers when faced with retirement. She said: ‘Gone are the days when athletes or sports personalities relied on their agents or managers to navigate their lives for them, without you as an athlete having a say in the direction your career takes. It’s important to educate yourself, know how the industry works and identify opportunities. Another thing that I have learned is that it’s important to keep reinventing yourself and take on new challenges. While I urge young people to do this, I have also come to understand that not everything is for you; it is imperative to remain true to yourself.’
Dlamini also shared tips on how to use social media, how to conduct yourself during interviews and having the right team and mentors to guide you.
Launched in March 2021, YouthX is a programme designed to unlock young people’s potential by giving them the opportunity to learn from other young changemakers like Dlamini, Sho Madjozi, Rich Mnisi, Theo Baloyi and more, who are well on their way to becoming leaders in their respective fields.
Khensani Nobanda, Nedbank’s Group Executive for Marketing and Corporate Affairs, said, ‘Amanda’s journey is an inspiring one, we hope that the Sports and Wellness YouthX Live was insightful and that the youth took some lessons from our power panel. This year’s Olympics have exposed the challenges that are still faced by women in sports, therefore, it’s important for us to have these conversations as society and come up with solutions that empower young girls and women in the sports and wellness field. We also celebrate young women such as Amanda who continue to succeed despite all odds, and that is what the YouthX movement is all about. As Nedbank, through this programme, our aim is to inspire young people and show them that no matter where you come from or the challenges you face, you can still achieve your dreams.’
Young people can still register for YouthX by clicking on this link: https://youthx.liveevent.co.za/room/live-stream-july. Once registered, they will be taken to the YouthX webpage where they can watch the previous YouthX Live events and the upcoming Tech and Innovation YouthX live event.
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