Skip to content
Faith Mangope | ecomafrica.org

Women In The Digital Economy – Faith on Massiv Disruption

Women In The Digital Economy – Faith on Massiv Disruption

In this post, I have an interview with Faith Mangope of FTA Media.

In my modest view, you are a force to be reckoned with! You are currently disrupting Africa in many ways! Can you tell us a little bit about your journey?

Well my journey started off in the broadcasting space, as a call screener working on Talk Radio 702. Within three months of being on that seat I was promoted to executive producer of my own show. The rest as they say is history.

I have gained experience in the broadcasting industry over the years, working at numerous broadcasting houses, such as Power FM, YFM, Talk Radio 702, Hot 91.9, e.tv, ENCA. I have also been a columnist for the New Age Newspaper. My passion however has always been entrepreneurship and development.

As my entrepreneurial story would have it, the first business I established at 22, failed dismally. Though failing it did however start a fire within me. And I have been an entrepreneur ever since. The technology bug bit when I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Global Women Entrepreneurship Initiative by the University of Georgia in Atlanta.

The experience propelled me to seek technological solutions for some of the challenges we are confronted with daily as a society. This then opened the door to inventing the New-G App, which is a mobile application linking graduates to work opportunities within their area of qualification.

As a former station manager and now Head of Business Development for a digital radio station MassivMetro your business model is quite unique - how did this idea come about? Is there opportunity to scale this model across Africa?

Massiv Metro is a combined brain child of Massiv Media as well as Leadership 2020. The view was not to establish a digital radio platform but rather a content hub which would cut across racial and socio economic barriers by being Rocking, Real and Relevant.

The radio station does not just exist online, but we are plugged into 800 taxis in the Gauteng province, giving us a captive listenership of 804,000. Such can be done across the country and continent, by simply creating a Massiv Metro for the Western Cape, and plugging content into the taxi industry, through our devices. Then replicate the model for all provinces, and the continent.

You introduced former President Barack Obama to hundreds of African Leaders, at a summit, in Washington D.C where you were part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. How have these global experiences impacted the work you currently do?

I believe that exposure, such as the ones I have been given, shift perception, that perception elevates our expectation, and expectation changes reality. Let me elaborate, the experiences I have been really fortunate to have shifted my perception about purpose. I realise that my purpose is greater than having a good job, two and a half children and living happily ever after.

For me, I have been challenged to think about what to do with the opportunities I have been given. How do I implement on the learnings? What is my role in the world, and how do I contribute to it? My perception and self and purpose drives me to take risk and try new innovations each day. The expectation of myself, has thus been elevated. I am no different to anyone, I’m just a girl who was given a chance.

However what will define my character, is what I do with the chances I have been given. Most importantly however, I strive to change any negative reality. If reality would change, because I made it better in some minor way, then purpose is fulfilled. Mine is to live in the fulfilment of purpose.

Can you tell us about the Faith Mangope Foundation?

The Faith Mangope Foundation, is a change agent. Through the initiatives which we will be embarking on, we hope to bring about tangible change for the better on our continent. Ours is to create those realities and leave evidence which changes the narrative about the continent. What I can say at the moment is …..Watch This Space.

Your dream is to make the African continent smaller - how will the Faith Mangope Technology and Leadership Institute achieve this?

The Faith Mangope Technology and Leadership Institute is established to align Africa’s youth, particularly women, with a working environment governed by the 4th Industrial Revolution.

To Educate, Empower, and Equip African women about Jobs 4.0, thereby assuming the role of catalyst for the success of their future career endeavours . We also want to provide a support structure for women who are interested in working and becoming entrepreneurs in the ICT Sector.

To expose African women to global opportunities in the ICT Sector and to facilitate their participation in the sector. We are beginning this initiative with women in mind at first given the trends of participation of women within the technology industry. Women have for a long time either felt like they should not occupy a seat on the technology table, or have felt drowned out by a presumably more masculine industry. Ours is to level that playing field and provide equal opportunities.

We begin with women, but we will be moving to working with both men and women in the space.

If this story inspired you, comment below or nominate a woman who inspires you.

Leave a Comment





Mpho Sekwele

Mpho Sekwele, a Dartmouth College (USA) Mandela Washington Fellow for Young African Leaders Initiative, has over ten years of corporate work experience in the retail industry for Blue Chip retail companies in Africa. Mpho is an alumnus of the University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand and holds an Executive MBA from IEDC Bled School of Management (Slovenia). Mpho is passionate about youth and women empowerment; through sintuonline.com an eCommerce platform where contemporary African Heritage Clothing and Accessories made by young women in Africa, are sold globally; as well as BantuHikers a wellness, networking and mentorship platform for first generation students.
Faith Mangope | ecomafrica.org

Nominate A Woman (Or Yourself) In The Digital Economy

Know another woman in the digital economy you would like to see featured? Send us their details and we will make contact with her. Or even nominate yourself!

  • 100 Words or more