The 35 Under 35 is an annual awards programme that celebrates young people who are changing the world.
Ondela Mlandu, a 28-year-old-black-female is passionate about all things travel. As a multimedia journalist who has written for several publications on travel; a radio host and content producer, Mlandu is driven by her love for the African continent and sharing its history with the world.
"The gift of travelling is one I don’t take for granted. Travelling exposed me to the world and how it’s always better to keep an open mind.
"Realising the growth and knowledge gained from trying new experiences and exposing myself to different cultures, did wonders for me as a young black female. That is why travelling and exposing millennials to the country of South Africa, this continent and the travel industry is important to me."
I'm all about shifting mindsets and exposing the ins and outs of travelling especially as it may seem to be intimidating to someone who isn't used to it.
Mlandu shares more with us about being nominated as one of the under 35 changemakers; what inspires her about Africa and travel and what other youth can do to be a changemaker within their own communities...
It’s such a great honour to be selected and recognised as a young changemaker. The 35 Under 35 programme is giving the youth a platform to have a voice. It's also a great initiative to showcase some of the incredible work, the youth is doing across the globe.
I hope to showcase the many different cultures and creeds of Africa. My biggest aim is to create awareness of fun and exciting travel destinations in South Africa and the African continent, especially the lesser known regions.
What excites me the most about Africa is the people and the stories they have to share about our continent. There are multiple tribes whose customs, beliefs and traditions remain unspoken of. The way our African costume designs and film sets were portrayed in Black Panther’s mythical Wakanda is a good start to show the world the riches of Africa. If our continent is celebrated by many around the world we owe it to ourselves to do the same. Our narrative should be shared by us as Africans. We can only do that by educating ourselves on our history.
I take pleasure in the exploration of diverse lifestyles, culture and settings. This is an interest I have been so able to feed through travel and writing. The thing about travelling is that, I’m continuously learning and upskilling myself as I do something I love. Some of the greatest struggle heroes hail from this continent, including powerful African women stories. The more I read up on the African continent, the more excited I get to want to know more.
My radio show on 2Oceansvibe Radio, Take a Trip with Ondela M has allowed me to combine my two loves, media and travel. Take a Trip with Ondela M aims to excite and inform our listener’s about affordable South African destinations and how to make travel accessible, informative and exciting. The show provides content on adventures and places worth trying out, travel insurance, travel photography and so much more, while also providing listeners with historical information about the different places in South Africa.
Something that I am currently working on, is a written piece contrasting the linkage of South African tribes to other SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries. I want to focus on the similarities such as customs, traditions and similar languages between South Africa and countries up north.
I'm all about shifting mindsets and exposing the ins and outs of travelling especially as it may seem to be intimidating to someone who isn't used to it. Travelling exposed me to the world and how it’s always better to keep an open mind.
It’s about finding something you are passionate about, then creating awareness around that passion. If you see something you have a need to correct in your community then do it. It’s never too late to start, no matter how small the progress. It's all about purpose, determination and finding a solution, even if one person is impacted. That also matters.