There’s enormous power in authenticity and using that vulnerability to help others, as Kovini Moodley, CA(SA), GRC thought leader, change maker and founder of philanthropic digital empowerment platform Boss Babes of South Africa, has found out.
Hands up if you’re sick of the same old influencers, fluttering their fingers over yet another giveaway they’re trying to promote (“Hey guys, I refuse to gatekeep this secret! Get ready with me and I’ll tell you more!”).
It’s a story of sameness that has turned many people away from social media. But Kovini Moodley insists that, used with intention, those same platforms become powerful tools that help us shape our narrative and, hopefully, give others the space to do the same.
She’s speaking from experience. After all, her platform, Boss Babes of South Africa, is the largest organically grown digital empowerment platform in South Africa, with more than 100 000 followers across Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and a reach of around one million on all channels.
And it all started with Kovini’s determination to “show the good, the bad and the ugly” of her time in lockdown. “Like many South Africans, I was experiencing levels of anxiety that were entirely new to me,” she recalls, adding that her stress was exacerbated by the knowledge that, as doctors in the public sector, her twin sisters – specialist doctors Melisha and Trisha – were facing danger every day. “At the time, most people used Instagram to show off their highlights … the fabulous destination that they had just visited or the amazing meal they’d just enjoyed. I wanted to do something more real, showing people what I was going through so that they would feel safe to do the same.”
Kovini’s willingness to be vulnerable clearly struck a chord. Within months, she had amassed an astonishing number of followers, with the platform gaining even more exposure as media outlets hastened to spread word of the young woman keen to give South Africans a glimpse of what it’s like to live according to your purpose and passion. Driven by the attention the platform enjoyed, Kovini opened it to others, so that it became not only a source of inspiration but also a place to access guidance from mental health advocates and experts, life coaches and therapists.
Boss Babes of SA has grown beyond anything Kovini could have imagined during the dark days of the pandemic. Today, the platform targets three main pillars. There’s the mental health pillar, where mental health experts selflessly dispense advice on a voluntary basis. Mzansi moments, which speak to the heart of who we are as South Africans, encouraging us to laugh at our foibles even while stirring our pride in our unique culture. And #MeThree, which provides support for women who have been victims of corporate gender-based violence (the subtle, insidious bullying that many women are exposed to in corporate situations).
Going forward, her goal is to see Boss Babes of South Africa entering more collaborations with like-minded brands. There is so much possibility, she points out, especially as the platform caters predominantly to an audience of corporate career women, entrepreneurs and females in professional settings. Kovini’s dream is to see partners stepping forward to offer bursaries or other opportunities that would open doors for the platform’s followers.
Although Kovini no longer personally creates content, having passed this responsibility to three young social media managers in the name of creating opportunities and employment for the youth, all posts are a reflection not only of her lived experience, but of the issues that are close to her heart. Most importantly, they speak to her convictions as a philanthropist and changemaker. “These are qualities that have always been important to me and my sisters,” she says, attributing her drive to her upbringing in the small KwaZulu-Natal town of Shallcross.
“We came from humble beginnings, but our childhood was filled with love. This was a place where people could stop by for a visit at any time, where the entire village was involved in raising a child.” And where everyone got involved when help was needed: Kovini has vivid memories of helping out at the soup kitchen hosted in the Shallcross Hall – which was also the site of all the weddings and other landmark events in the community – from the time she was four, and helping out at the clinics held for community members who couldn’t afford medical aid.
She continues to uphold these values while promoting transparent, ethical leadership. “As a CA, these values mean everything to me. But I think that we should all embrace them in our personal lives. More than that, we need to find ways to be ourselves wherever we can, to honour the light inside us and inside others, remembering always that the love you give out is the love you get back.
That’s what being a Boss Babe is all about,” Kovini says. “We celebrate everything about being South African – our drive to do better, our resilience, our sense of loyalty. And we find ways to celebrate others, by reminding our followers to buy local instead of supporting international brands, for instance. And we are always celebrating the small wins – the fact that South Africa was recently voted the friendliest country in the world is something we need to congratulate ourselves on, for example. Things like that are little sparks of joy in between all the news of commissions and corruption.
“Being a Boss Babe has never been about physical appearance,” Kovini continues. “A Boss Babe is someone who values soul connections, who knows their worth, advocates for their truth and takes action to drive their life forward; someone who is intent on using their unique skills to create meaning and positive impact for everyone around them.”
Become a Boss Babe
Kovini’s tips for making your space a better place:
1. Impact does not have to be huge and public. Sometimes, it’s the little things like being kind to new coworkers.
2. Live authentically and with purpose, and inspire others to own their truth, their journeys and stories.
3. The world has enough cruelty at present. Choose to be kind, but remember that being kind is different to being ‘nice’.
Details: www.bossbabesofsouthafrica.co.za
Article by Lisa Witepski. Image was supplied.
