Twenty-four-year-old Mishumo Madima works as a
Foreign Service Officer at the department of International Relations. She was part of the team which hosted the COP17/CMP7 last year. Singer and songwriter Madima wrote the official song for the conference and she'll be releasing her single later this year. She’s young,
ambitious and ready to take on the world.
·
Nosihle: I
believe you are working as a Diplomat for the Department of International Relations, briefly tell me how you got into
the industry?
Interestingly enough, I didn’t study to
become a diplomat but, I wanted a job which would allow me to see the world and
what better way to do that than by representing my country in the process.
While touring with the University of Johannesburg Choir in the Czech Republic,
some of our diplomats from there came to watch us and I remember thinking,
“hey, that’s a cool job.” Three months later I saw an advert recruiting
graduates in my Department and the rest, as they say, is history.
·
Nosihle: What
did you study and at which institution?
Mishumo: I did a BA Corporate
Communications and a BA Honours in Development Studies through the University
of Johannesburg. I also have a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy through the
Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
·
Nosihle: What
are your responsibilities in your current position?
Mishumo: I work in the Climate Change
Section. This means that all the negotiations that happened that have to do
with Climate Change are our responsibility. This can be at a multilateral (like
in the United Nations) or bilateral (as in an agreement between SA and another
country) level. We work closely with the Department of Environmental Affairs
and other sister Departments as part of the South African Climate Change
negotiating team, especially for the negotiations under the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This year, South Africa holds the Presidency
of the UNFCCC through my Minister, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. I am
therefore very fortunate to have formed part of the team responsible for the
hosting of the 17th Conference of the Parties and the 7th
Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol (COP17/CMP7) in Durban from 28 November to 09 December last year. This year, we will continue to support the
Minister in her role as COP17/CMP7 President.
·
Nosihle: What
do you love about your job?
·
Mishumo: No two days are ever the same. There
is so much opportunity to meet people and learn so much about almost
everything, depending on the section you’re in.
·
Nosihle: What
are the pros and cons in your job?
·
Mishumo: Definite pro is the travelling.
The cons are that you’re working when you travel and may not really get to see
the country you’re visiting. The other pro is you can spend your life having
lived in many countries as part of our job is getting posted in one o f our
Embassies and Consulates abroad for four years. This also is a con because
you’re constantly saying goodbye to colleagues and will have to be away from
most of your friends and loved ones for a greater part of your life.
·
Nosihle: What
have been the highlights of your career?
·
Mishumo: I made the top ten in my
Diplomatic Cadet Training group. That was a major reassurance for someone who
was the youngest in class and had not studied International Relations. Because
of that, I was able to go and visit our Embassy and Consulate in Canada for a
month, in order to get a feel of how my posting would be like.
Being part of the successful hosting and Presidency
of the COP17/CMP7 is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience and
opportunity I am very fortunate to be a part of.
·
Nosihle: Besides
working as a Diplomat, are you involved in any other projects?
·
Mishumo: Yes I am a songwriter and singer.
I used to sing in the UJ Choir and I’ve only just started out as a solo artist
but, am very fortunate to have been chosen as the songwriter and one of the
performers for the official tribute to the South African National Defence Force
which used to play every week at the end of the “In Your Defence” show on
SABC1. I also wrote and sing the
official COP17/CMP7 song.
I should be releasing my singles soon and
am in the running to open for Usher as part of the Hansa Pilsener Talent
Search. My music is best classified as soul. It’s quite global, especially
considering the fact that I could be moved to anywhere in the world soon.
·
Nosihle: What
are some of the challenges you have faced in your career and how have you
overcome them?
Mishumo: I think a lot of us, at some point
in our careers will go through a phase where it seems as if nothing is working
out. That was last year for me. A lot of the career advancing opportunities I’d
hoped for just didn’t happen for me. I must admit I got really depressed in the
start. My faith pulled me through. I realized it is just a matter of time
before things do work out, that bigger doors will open for me and it’s no use
letting the bad circumstances get the better of me. I’m learning to take every
situation as a character-building exercise and to give it my best, regardless
of the fact that it isn’t what I had hoped for.
·
Nosihle: How
would you describe yourself?
Mishumo: I think I’m very considerate, kind and I love
to help people. I am creative and I appreciate beautiful things.
I’m talkative, love to tell stories and love
to laugh. But my friends and family will tell you that I’m very strict and
brutally honest. You can trust me to be brutally honest and give you the hard
truth.
·
Nosihle: As
a young woman what motivates you when going through difficult times?
Mishumo: I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t
for my faith in God. My life is in His hands and He’s promised me victory.
That’s what keeps me going in tough times, this too shall pass.
·
Nosihle: What
are you looking forward to in 2012? Did you make any resolutions, what are
they?
Mishumo: 2012 I’m looking forward to my
singles, music video and going on my posting. In also am looking forward to
watching my niece Tshedza, she’s 1, grow more. I don’t have resolutions but
goals. I need to study French this year and stay fit. Let’s see how it
goes.
·
Nosihle: Where
do you see yourself in five years time?
·
Mishumo: Coming back from my posting. Two
albums and tours done. Having taken a student or three to tertiary.
·
Nosihle: If
you could have a dinner with three people (dead or alive) who have been
influential in your life who would it be and why?
·
Mishumo: Oprah- because she’s taught me
nothing can stop you from shining your light if you don’t let it.
Corrine Bailey Rae_ love her music. She’s
made me be okay with the fact that my voice doesn’t belt out like Jenifer
Hudson’s and Whitney’s. Our sounds are very similar.
Mom- she’s Mom, and because I want to see
her have a conversation with Oprah.
·
Nosihle: What
is the most valuable lesson you have learned in life?
·
Mishumo: Love is always present, unconditionally
and is yours for the taking.
·
Nosihle: What
is your motto?
·
Mishumo: I am loved, I am light and I
deserve to shine.
·
Nosihle: What
do your do for fun or to relax?
·
Mishumo: I listen to music and colour-in my
colouring book. I love bookshops and botanical gardens.
·
Nosihle: I
believe your job involves travelling, what are some of the places you have
enjoyed visiting?
·
Mishumo: I love Kenya. Can’t wait for a
chance to go back there.
·
Nosihle: Is
there anything you have learnt from your travelling? If so please share
Mishumo: Doesn’t matter where in the world
we are, we all have the same desires: to love and be loved. Oh and language
isn’t that important, body language and hand signals have got me through just
fine, lol.
·
Nosihle: Twitter
or Facebook? Why?
·
Mishumo: Both. I get so much love from
facebook. Like 90% of my friends on facebook are people from Venda and I love
that no matter where I am, I can keep in touch with them. I learn quite a lot
from twitter from breaking news to the latest in fashion.
·
Nosihle: What
are the five items that you always have in your bag?
·
Mishumo: Eight Hour Cream for my lips, my
phone, shades, tissues for my sporadic sneezing and gloss.
·
Nosihle: Life
is…..? Please complete
Mishumo: Whatever you want it to be.
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