Tintswalo Molelekoa, 30, is a scientist, PhD candidate and founder whose work stands at the intersection of resilience and innovation. Her early exclusion from school due to physical injuries propelled her towards academic distinction in plant pathology and a leadership role in postharvest science. At the University of Pretoria, her doctoral research addresses postharvest losses among small-scale tomato farmers, using omics technologies, microbiome mapping and smart logistics to improve food systems. Her work contributes to policy development, agricultural innovation and food security — including the introduction of “smart fruit” sensors to monitor quality along the supply chain. Tintswalo co-founded the Ku Hanana Foundation, a nonprofit that provides mentorship, bursary assistance and housing sup- port to under-resourced students. The foundation now runs community science events, career expos and donation drives across Limpopo and Gauteng — impacting hundreds of learners. Inspired by the compassion of her teachers and the strength of her mother, Tintswalo says science is not an exclusive pursuit — it is a community tool. Her legacy is one of access, transformation and the refusal to let adversity have the final say.
My mother — what a remarkable woman. A worker in a centre for children with disabilities, she later opened our home to accommodate and teach children who were excluded from formal education due to financial and accessibility barriers. Through her compassion and example, I learned the joy of helping others. Her legacy lives on through the foundation I now run, which empowers other young people who, like me, needed someone to believe in them. Mam Jacob and Mam Maunatlala, despite differences in ethnicity and race, went far beyond their official duties to ensure I received an education equal to that of any other child. They never saw me as less because I was a burn survivor. Instead, they embraced the responsibility of empowering me by teaching me science outside school hours, providing essential resources such as dictionaries, and welcoming me into their homes. Their actions gave me a glimpse of a world beyond our village and ignited in me a lifelong desire for personal growth and a passion for uplifting others. They taught me that true education is not limited to textbooks, but lives in the transformation of students’ lives. Professor Lise Korsten, my MSc and current PhD supervisor, has had a profound impact on my academic and professional journey. As a young woman in science, she has shown me the strength and leadership women can embody. Through her multiple roles — including co-director of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, academic reviewer and head of the Fresh Produce Safety and Quality team at the University of Pretoria — she has provided me with countless opportunities in research leadership, collaboration, mentorship and management. She taught me that if I work for it, I can achieve it.