The Marcia Lebambo Foundation, established in 2012, has become a beacon of hope for learners in under-resourced schools across Southern Africa. The non-profit organisation focuses on improving literacy among children in townships and rural areas by teaching reading and writing skills through engaging programmes such as storytelling, writing clubs, book summarisatio, and its flagship initiative – the Spelling Bee competition.
As South Africa marks Women’s Month, the story of the foundation’s founder, Dr Marcia Lebambo, highlights the power of resilience, vision and academic excellence to transform communities. Rising from the rural villages of Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, Dr Lebambo has built her career on the belief that education and entrepreneurship can drive meaningful change. Today, she serves as Section Head: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
In her academic capacity, she specialises in entrepreneurship policies, small business development, technological entrepreneurship and management, as well as youth entrepreneurship in rural and township contexts. Driven by the aspiration to become South Africa’s most sought-after Entrepreneurship Professor, she continues to influence discourse and policies aimed at reshaping socio-economic conditions through self-employment and innovation.
Among her proudest achievements is mentoring postgraduate students, especially women and first-generation scholars, many of whom have gone on to graduate, publish in journals, lead community initiatives, pursue doctoral studies and even earn PhDs. Her leadership as section head and as chair of her department’s Research and Postgraduate Committee has further advanced research development within the Faculty.
Like many women in academia, Dr Lebambo has faced subtle gender discrimination and dismissal. She overcame these challenges by remaining assertive, building confidence and completing two prestigious Women in Leadership programmes offered by TUT’s Business School and the Nelson Mandela University’s School of Education. These initiatives equipped her with practical tools in self-awareness, leadership and resilience.
Her influence reaches far beyond academia. Through the Marcia Lebambo Foundation’s literacy initiatives, more than 5 000 learners in South Africa and Lesotho have been empowered to read, write and dream bigger futures. By combining her research with grassroots impact, Dr Lebambo embodies a holistic approach to education that bridges scholarship, leadership and community development.
To young women aspiring to venture into academia, her advice is unwavering: “Take the leap, even if you’re unsure and scared - do it!. Success waits on the other side of fear. Embrace every role you hold and never leave any part of yourself behind. Seek out your tribe of mentors, family and supporters because the journey is not easy. Do not compare yourself to anyone - most importantly give yourself grace and permission to start again as many times as you need to.”
Dr Lebambo’s journey reminds us that academia is more than knowledge production – it is about shaping lives, influencing policy and building stronger communities.
Dr Marcia Lebambo, Section Head: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and founder of the Marcia Lebambo Foundation