Rastafari nominated for best community developer and best researcher

Waterval — Community developer, social entrepreneur and cultural mentor Sista Molebogeng Miyene has been transforming rural communities in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal since 2008 by creating jobs, training youth and women, and promoting cultural and environmental development.

Miyene, born and raised in Tzaneen, Limpopo, now resides at the Rastafari Ecotourism Centre in Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality. Her dedication recently earned her nominations for Best Community Developer and Best Researcher at the MIA Creative Writing & Literature Awards on 20 October 2025.

The MIA Awards recognise individuals and organisations who use creativity and culture to drive positive change in their communities. They are a transformational talents-and-skills institution established to unleash raw talent that might otherwise be wasted in provinces affected by issues of alcohol abuse, drugs and other social challenges.

Miyene’s journey into community development began long before the awards. With a background in Anthropology and Public Relations, she formally qualified as a Community Development Worker through a learnership programme offered by the Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA).

“I have been a community developer since high school,” she said. “It has always been my passion to lend a helping hand and to create opportunities that will benefit the youth, vulnerable women and marginalised cultural groups.”

In 2008, she joined Gauteng Provincial and Local Government as a Community Development Worker, serving as an agent for change and advocate for local needs.

But her calling soon extended to join the Bikoland Centre in one of the sanctuaries in Dannhauser, KwaZulu-Natal. There, she acquired skills that enabled her to design and produce clothing items made out of leather.

She subsequently launched Bikoland Creations, a social enterprise that strengthened the local circular economy and earned her recognition as a Social Entrepreneur Champion.

“I have a deeply rooted burning desire to bring meaningful change into the communities and end poverty,” said Miyene.

Despite challenges such as limited financial support, projects sabotage and communities hesitant to participate in development initiatives. She continues to be a community developer and mentor in the creative industry.

Through her work with Bikoland Creations, Ijima La Bandu and the Siyabuswa Art and Lifestyle Foundation, Miyene has become a driving force for empowerment and transformation in the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality. Her efforts in job creation, training and cultural development have touched hundreds of lives across Mpumalanga and beyond.

Through her initiatives, she has facilitated at least over 200 jobs in the arts industry, referred another 80 and trained at least about 160 youth in rural areas, focusing on leather craft skills, entrepreneurship and cooperative creation. She has also helped 12 small businesses to register and formalise in line with national business regulations.

Miyene has helped several non-profit organisations and private companies in Mpumalanga to get grant funding. In 2024, she initiated a ‘Recycling and EnviroCare’ project in Siyabuswa, promoting environmental awareness and creating green jobs in a waste economy.

In addition, Miyene manages the RasTafari Social Cohesion Culture, which produces natural personal care products such as hair foods and soaps using dagga.

She continues to inspire young artists and cultural practitioners to professionalise their craft using innovation and technology.

“Let’s bring the awards home,” she said, urging the community to support her nomination. Through every endeavour, Miyene has shown that true community development is not just about projects, it is about restoring dignity, creating opportunity and nurturing a culture of self-reliance.