Nokulunga Sweetness Shabalala

My name is Nokulunga Sweetness Shabalala, known by many as IamSweetNokuOnPurpose.

I am a daughter, a mother, a creator, a truth seeker and a believer in the power of purpose, healing and second chances.

The work I do today was not born from perfection. It was born through life itself. Through love, loss, disappointment, faith, growth and the difficult lessons that come with being human, I discovered that many people are simply looking for a place where they belong, a place where they can be understood, accepted and given an opportunity to become more than their circumstances.

The greatest influence in my life was my mother, Sr. Elizabeth Funie Shabalala.

She was a professional nurse, a caregiver, a servant leader and a woman whose life touched countless people. She taught me that every person deserves dignity. She taught me that forgiveness is not weakness. She taught me that people are imperfect, that life is imperfect and that healing begins when we stop defining people only by their mistakes.

One of her greatest lessons was simple:

"Do not cry over spilled milk. The milk is already spilled. Learn from it, clean it up and move forward."

She believed that people deserved opportunities to grow. She believed that no human being should be discarded because of a mistake. She believed that kindness costs nothing but can change everything.

When my mother passed away, I made a decision that her impact would not end with her life.

SR EF Legacy of Purpose Foundation was born from that decision.

This Foundation exists to continue the values she lived every day: service, compassion, dignity, healing, opportunity and hope.

Through Team I AM, community programs, healing initiatives, education support, leadership development, creative projects, spoken word, music, mentorship and future rehabilitation services, my vision is to help people discover who they are and who they can become.

While visibility can help expand impact, my primary goal is service, transformation and helping people discover purpose.

My goal is to help people.

To create spaces where people can heal.

To create opportunities where none existed before.

To help people find the courage to become themselves.

Most importantly, I want the world to continue experiencing the love, compassion, wisdom and service of Sr. Elizabeth Funie Shabalala through the lives we touch, the people we serve and the legacy we build together.