Yaya Nomusa Sphiwe Mavundla was born in Untunjambili and grew up in eWosi, a rural area in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal. Born on the first day of National Women's Month, she was raised by her grandmothers, Sphiwe and Rhoda Mavundla, after her mother fled when she was two months old. Mavundla later added her grandmother's name, Sphiwe, and her mother's name, Nomusa, to her ID. Growing up, Mavundla did not know transgender women existed. There were no artists or entertainers whose lives could serve as reference points. Her family had no television, while newspapers and magazines were unavailable in her area. Her connection to the outside world was Ukhozi FM. She walked for hours to and from school, living that reality until she was 16.Mavundla's family hoped she would become a radiographer or dentist. She initially believed that was her path. At 16, she moved to Durban and encountered a world she had not known existed. At 24, she moved to Johannesburg and entered the entertainment industry as a blogger and self-taught publicist. Over the years, she became an activist, artist, writer, fashion entrepreneur through her clothing line Queer Comfort, curator, host and brand ambassador.She taught herself every profession she entered. She is working on a book and has curated exhibitions, among them Zanele Muholi's Brave Beauties: Stories of Identity, Visibility & Courage at Constitution Hill's Women's Jail. Mavundla has hosted the opening ceremony of Global Black Pride and its Gala Excellence Awards in Paris and participated in a global KLM pride campaign during WorldPride in Amsterdam. Her work centres on visibility and creating spaces where people can be seen, celebrated and represented. She supports transgender women, victims and their dreams, while making herself available when they need help. Her upcoming podcast, The Trans Journey, aims to take families and society on an educational journey and empower transgender women's voices.After experiencing homelessness twice, including living under a bridge in Durban, Mavundla says her greatest achievement is what her existence and courage make possible for those who come after her. She has a matric certificate and Services Seta management and business administration NQF levels 4 and 5.