Zikhona Sodlaka Gets Emotional Reflecting on Her Childhood at Girls’ Graduation

Last Updated: October 14, 2026By The Insight Team

South African actress Zikhona Sodlaka has opened up about the girl she once was after witnessing 25 young girls graduate from a mentorship and leadership programme in the Eastern Cape. The actress, who attended the graduation ceremony hosted by Walter Sisulu University in partnership with South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID), said the experience was deeply personal, reminding her of a younger version of herself who had big dreams but was not always certain her voice would be heard.

The graduates, aged between 12 and 17, completed the Her Rising Leadership Programme for Girls, an initiative designed to nurture confidence, leadership skills and self-expression among young girls. According to SAWID, the programme provides opportunities for girls to develop their voices, engage in meaningful dialogue and prepare themselves for leadership roles in their communities.

Sodlaka took to Instagram to share photographs from the occasion, describing her attendance as an honour and reflecting on the importance of creating safe spaces where young girls can be heard, supported and encouraged to reach their potential.

“Recently the world celebrated the girl child. In a packed auditorium eastern Cape, 25 of them graduated.

“For months, Walter Sisulu University and South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID) walked beside girls aged 12 to 17 through dialogue, mentorship and leadership training. They did it because too many girls carry burdens far too heavy for their age, and because their voices deserve a safe place to be heard before the world tells them otherwise. They called it the Her Rising Leadership Programme for Girls. And they rose.

“I was honoured to stand in that room as a guest, and I’m still holding it in my heart.”

The initiative reflects a broader effort to expose young girls to opportunities that can help them envision a future in leadership and higher education. In July 2026, Walter Sisulu University reported on its partnership with SAWID through the Her Rising Leadership Programme, which brought 15 girls from Mdantsane to the university’s Potsdam campus for discussions about university life, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, mental health, gender-based violence and other issues affecting young women.

For Sodlaka, however, the graduation was about more than celebrating the girls’ achievements. While she had come prepared to speak about resilience, self-belief and the value of education, seeing the young participants prompted her to reflect on her own childhood and the support she wished she had received.

“I came to speak to them about resilience, about believing in yourself, and about how far education can carry you. But the truth is, I looked at those girls, and I saw me. A girl with big dreams, a quiet voice, and no guarantee that anyone was listening. I wish I’d had a room like that when I was their age.”

The actress also shared an encouraging message for girls everywhere, reminding them that their voices and ambitions matter now, rather than only when they become adults. She urged them to keep pursuing their dreams, regardless of their circumstances, and to support other girls when they have the opportunity to do so.

“To the girl child all over the world: you are not ‘the future.’ You are already here. Your voice is already enough. Where you start is not where you end, and the dream you whisper to yourself today can one day be said out loud, into a microphone, with the whole room listening. Keep going. And when it’s your turn, reach back for the girl behind you.”

Sodlaka concluded her tribute by acknowledging Walter Sisulu University and SAWID for investing in the young participants and creating an environment where they could learn, grow and recognise their potential.

“To everyone at WSU and SAWID who built this safe space and held these girls with so much love: thank you for inviting me into it. It was one of the greatest honours of my journey. To every girl reading this: you are seen. You are worthy. You are allowed to rise.”