Name: Ms. Jabulile Buthelezi-Kalonji
Role: Founder, Township Press Africa
QN: What does wellness mean to you ?
To me wellness means, a healthy mind and soul, it means focus, clarity and balance. All these are linked to our capacity to function progressively, operate, live and lead meaningful lives, as best as we can in all spheres we encounter.
QN: Are you currently prioritizing your well being? Why? If Yes, how?
After getting it wrong for many years, I have taken a conscious decision to put more focus on my wellbeing in 2022, doing this was something I used put aside and take for granted, for many years of my life as a mentor and career woman, as a daughter, wife, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. I would wholeheartedly, focus more on ensuring by all mean necessary, the well being, comfort and significant progress of others, if it was within my control.
Life has taught me tough lessons over the past 22 months, I’ve had no choice, but to rethink my priorities in this regard, mainly were my health and mental health is concerned. Unfortunately, I‘ve had to be radical with good intention, I now have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to my peace, I’m not getting any younger, I still need myself – in my wholeness to successfully participate and lead in my purpose, functioning as me, in the world – this will help me serve better, as I aim to be a better human, daily.
QN: What can we do to make wellness a priority?
Based on lessons I recently learnt, in life:
– It’s important to first of all respect that when women have put boundaries and limits in place – these boundaries are not up for negotiation. Society, families, friends and even workplaces, should open themselves up more, to learning the importance of personal boundaries placed in place by women.
– The voices of women do not need to be channelled, and their efforts mainstreamed, the world need to learn to let women be, in their quest to sanity, peace, joy, greatness and productivity.
– When women say no, respect it, don’t debate it – respect the stance of women. No society can prosper sustainably, if is women are caged and reduced.
– Sectors and individuals need to regard women’s work in the creative economy and pay them for their contribution.
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Biography:
Jabulile Buthelezi-Kalonji is a Stakeholder, Media and Communications Senior Professional, with a career spanning over a decade in the industry. She is a dedicated economic and social justice activist, a writer, youth mentor and global speaker. Her work has made inroads into West, East and Central Africa, the U.S.A and Europe.
She has served as a Project Manager for Communications and External Relations for Eskom Power Stations, has upheld a role as a Stakeholder Manager for the office of the MMC of Economic Development; under the office of the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
She has also lead a role as a Senior Manager, for Media and Communications at Oxfam South Africa.