Biography

Zama Mnisi is a sustainability and environmental management professional from a small township called Matsulu in Mpumalanga. She holds a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Sustainable development, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management from Stellenbosch University. She built a strong academic foundation in climate conscious development, sustainable livelihoods and community centred approaches. Her academic journey strengthened and deepened her interest in understanding how people and nature interact. She gained experienced though roles such as the Iimbovane Outreach Project (Environmental Educator), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Research Assistant) and Abalimi Bezekhaya (Sustainability Intern), where she supported biodiversity education, field research, and community sustainability initiatives.

Outside of her academic knowledge she is passionate about community empowerment and sustainable food systems. Zama believes that accessible, organic healthy food should not be a luxury but a basic necessity, and that sustainability must be designed in a way that allow all communities to benefit from. Currently serving as a CorpsAfrica/South Africa second cohort Volunteer, Zama is committed to contributing to sustainable, community-led development at the grassroot level. Through this role, she will apply her knowledge in practical context by supporting locally led solutions, co-create and capacity building within the community that she is serving in.