Mamotebang Eva Segoe has turned personal trials into a calling, supporting mothers and families through faith, love, and action. This Mother’s Month, her story shows that hope grows where care and courage meet.
Mamotebang Eva Segoe of Mulbarton has transformed a life marked by uncertainty and upheaval into one of purpose, love and service to others.
From a childhood shaped by constant change to becoming a devoted mother, author and community builder, her journey reflects how resilience, faith and compassion can shape hardship into meaningful impact.
Early roots
Mamotebang was born in the Vaal in the late 1960s, entering a family that had hoped for a boy. ‘When I came out as a girl, there was a little bit of disappointment,’ she recalls. Her parents divorced when she was just three months old, and her early years were spent under the care of her grandparents.
Those formative years were filled with both complexity and compassion. Living in a shared yard in Evaton, Mamotebang witnessed her grandmother caring for multiple families, including adults living with mental illness.
‘Everybody in our yard was allowed to just go to the garden and pick fruits or vegetables, just to make sure that everybody ate,’ she says. ‘I think that’s where my caring spirit came from.’ While instability and conflict were present, love remained a constant thread.
‘There was a lot of fighting… it was a mess, but again, there was love,’ she shares. That combination of hardship and generosity helped shape her deep empathy for others and her desire to serve.
A changing world
Mamotebang’s upbringing was marked by frequent moves. After her mother remarried, the family relocated to Carletonville, where she completed primary school. For high school, she moved to Soweto, attending Immaculata Secondary School.
Each transition introduced her to new communities, languages and belief systems. ‘Every time I changed schools, I changed my mother tongue,’ she explains. ‘I was actually changing churches as well.’ Rather than unsettling her, these experiences broadened her worldview and strengthened her spiritual foundation.
After matric, Mamotebang entered the workforce before later studying public relations and eventually completing a BA in psychology and human resources. Throughout her career, one theme remained constant – working with and supporting people. ‘In everything that I’ve done, I was always attracted to serving people,’ she says. Her professional journey included roles in marketing, human resources and later within a church environment.
Yet she often felt a pull toward new directions. ‘After three years, my body’s like, I can’t continue going there,’ she explains. With time came clarity. ‘I’m neurodivergent, my brain works differently. I get bored with repetitive things.’ This realisation brought understanding and acceptance. ‘I’ve made peace with it now,’ she says.
Today, she runs her own company, Unshackle Your Worth Pty where she offers coaching sessions, private counselling, and transformative retreats designed to help individuals rediscover their value and step into their full potential.
Becoming an author
Mamotebang’s journey into authorship began unexpectedly.
Although she had often said: ‘I’m going through so much I can write a book,’ she never truly believed it would happen. After her recovery from Covid-19, she began writing, guided by what she describes as spiritual prompting. The process required perseverance.
‘I would have writer’s block, I even thought of getting a ghostwriter,’ she admits. When that option fell through, she continued on her own. ‘From that day, I sat down and I would write pages upon pages.’
The result was Hope Carried Me Here, a deeply personal account of her life and the lessons she has learned along the way. Her motivation was not recognition, but encouragement. ‘Every time I get a message from someone reading the book, I just thank God,’ she says. ‘Even if it was just for that person.’
Motherhood: Love, lessons and letting go
Motherhood sits at the heart of Mamotebang’s identity, a role that continues to evolve even as her four children have grown into adulthood. ‘I almost feel like I still carry them in my spirit,’ she says, describing the enduring bond that shapes her daily life.
At the same time, she has embraced the importance of allowing her children the freedom to grow. ‘You can’t tell them anymore what to do,’ she reflects, acknowledging the balance between guidance and independence. Her own childhood, marked by an absent mother, left emotional gaps she has spent a lifetime working to understand.
‘I grew up not knowing what a mother’s love is, and I’m learning now,’ she shares. These experiences shaped her intentional and compassionate approach to parenting. She believes motherhood requires humility and perspective. ‘It’s not about you; you were the passage that God used to bring this being into the world,’ she says.
Her journey has included significant challenges, including raising a son living with schizophrenia – an experience that tested her resilience, her marriage and her faith. Through it all, she found strength and perseverance. ‘It can only be God that helped me and that my marriage and family is still together,’ she says. For Mamotebang, Mother’s Day is less about gifts and more about reflection, gratitude and connection. Her encouragement to other mothers is simple but powerful: ‘Don’t allow yourself to be swallowed by what the child is going through.
There must be a balance between who you are called to be and being a mother.’ Ultimately, motherhood for Mamotebang remains a lifelong journey of love, learning and letting go.
Purpose in action
Today, Mamotebang channels her experiences into community work. After receiving training, she began running support groups for women, particularly mothers navigating difficult family situations. Meeting weekly in a shared community space, the group offers emotional support, practical activities and spiritual encouragement.
‘It’s our safe space,’ Mamotebang explains. ‘We just come together and say it’s tough, but we renew our strength.’ Their work extends beyond meetings. The group has adopted a local orphanage, organising annual Christmas celebrations funded through their own contributions.
They also prioritise self-care, saving small amounts to enjoy outings together and strengthen their bonds. For Mamotebang, these efforts reflect her commitment to building hope and community.
New chapters and lasting hope
Mamotebang is already working on her second book, focusing on marriage and the realities often left unspoken. Drawing from her own experiences and those of others, she hopes to offer insight and encouragement to younger generations.
‘Marriage is not only about love, there’s internal work that must be done,’ she shares. Her message remains rooted in hope. ‘Life’s challenges are not without purpose. Never lose hope. Whatever you’re going through, there’s a lesson in that.’
As she puts it simply, ‘Nothing is wasted with God.’
To get your copy of Hope Carried Me Here, email mamotebang@unshackleyourworth.co.za
You can also follow her on her socials, visit her website or get in touch via WhatsApp: 0730865148, TikTok: @unshackleyourworth, Facebook: Mamotebang Eva Segoe and IG: @MaE_Segoe
Styling: Pick n Pay Clothing and Miladys. Photographer: Brendon Koeberg (BK Photography). Make-up: Arlene August. Hair: Rodah Moyo. Text: DESNAY PETERSON
