Cwenga Koyana Kotu-Rammopo

What does your company do?

Talitha Together is a youth-led, youth-serving nonprofit organization in South Africa that empowers adolescent mothers in Africa through perinatal education, extra school lessons, mental health support, entrepreneurial skills development, essential resource donations and teen pregnancy prevention talks at schools and clinics. Founded to address the systemic challenges faced by teen mothers, Talitha Together delivers innovative programs that promote academic reintegration, digital literacy, perinatal education, and economic independence. The organization works at the intersection of UN SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10, advocating for gender equality, improved health outcomes, quality education and social mobility. Talitha Together transforms the stigma of adolescent motherhood into a platform for leadership, opportunity, and long-term impact. Our vision is to see lives changed by helping to fulfil the destinies of girls and young women from poverty-stricken backgrounds in Africa.

What is your biggest success?

One of my greatest achievements has been transforming the lives of over 3,000 adolescent mothers from poverty-stricken communities across Southern Africa through Talitha Together. Empowering these young women with education, vocational skills, and mental health support has not only changed their futures but is also breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty. Being recognized for this work has been deeply humbling. Winning awards such as the She Leads Africa 2025 Top 50 Under 30 Motherland Mogul, News24 Young Mandela Award 2024, and the Young Entrepreneur Award 2023 by UN Women and Generation Equality are milestones that affirm the impact of our mission. Additional honours like UCT Inspirational Graduate 2022 & 2023, NYDA Trailblazer 2022, and being a Top 3 Finalist in the UNESCO Christian Dior Dream for Change Project have all been incredible acknowledgements of the work we are doing to uplift and empower young mothers across the continent.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

My biggest hurdle has been the lack of local support and funding from government structures and corporate CSI in South Africa. Despite the urgent need to support adolescent mothers, accessing local resources is often hindered by red tape, bureaucratic delays, and rigid eligibility criteria that overlook grassroots, youth-led initiatives like Talitha Together. This lack of funding limits our ability to scale programs and reach more vulnerable girls, especially in rural and township communities. While international stakeholders have shown support, the absence of strong local investment makes it challenging to build long-term, community-anchored solutions. Overcoming this requires constant advocacy, persistence, and self-funding, which can be exhausting for a youth-led nonprofit. Nonetheless, we remain committed to our mission because we see firsthand the transformative power of our work in the lives of young mothers.