My Name is Hope and I am an Earthen Vessel according to God's Will and Purpose. It is therefore clear to me that as an Earthen Vessel my life was, is and will continue to be in His hands, and He will order my steps as a light on my path and a Lamp onto my feet.

The story of my life is to be told today because He must receive glory from it as it unfolds to everyone those I know and those I do not know…

All that I am is an Earthen Vessel, in which is contained and a precious treasure. Him, the Divine Light that is the Divine Hope, so that His exceeding power and greatness being not of me yet in me may be shown to be of God and not of myself. I am but a fruitful branch that is part of the tree of life - so that the fruits I bear maybe of a kind that shows that it is not of me but of the vine which is it’s source.

I believe in this affirmation because I have seen and experienced Him work and plant seeds of hope in me, through me, to others, leaving me amazed at what God can achieve through a frail human vessel that I am. I know therefore and believe that He fulfils His purpose and will through us.

Hope Ramaphosa was born on 1st November 1954. Born into the Mudau family. My parents are Mr Baldwin Mavhungu Mudau and Mrs Ethel Babsy Mudau.

Being a Sowetan and a South African, the hospital that hosted my birth was Baragwaneth Hospital. The Names I was given are Hope Mukondeleli Mudau. Mudau is my maiden Surname. The story behind Mudau being my Maiden Surname is linked to being born during the Apartheid Era in our Country South Africa. This story will not be a surprise to those who were born in this time in the History of our Country. My father related to me and my family as to how we ended up with this Surname. Like all blacks in that era, he went to apply for what was known as a Passbook, which is known as an Identity Card today. He stood in a very long queue for the whole day by the Pass Office which was manned by Only Whites then. When his turn finally came to fill out his application, he was asked to write his Name and Surname. He wrote the following: Baldwin Mavhungu Mulangaphuma. On the Pass Application form he also filled in his Nationality and his Language Group.

Firstly, he had to fill in his Langauge group in the Category called “Others" because in those days The Venda and Tsonga people did not have a Category and Space in the Pass Application form. Which meant that if you were not Zulu or Sotho then you were “Others”. The second challenge he faced was that the White Senior Pass Office official confronted him and said, “Your Names and Surname is too long and is a whole paragraph, if you are serious about getting a job and a Passbook in this country of The Republic of Suid Afrika then you must make up your mind about your Names and Surname and join the queue tomorrow with a “Kort Name and Surname”. Kort means short. Then he was thrown off the queue to come back with a short Name and Surname the next day.

My father decided to use our Tribe's Name Mudau and to remove our long Surname ‘Mulangaphuma’. That is how Apartheid changed my real Surname. Now my Tribe’s Name became my maiden Surname. In Venda we call the Tribe's Name “Mutupo". In Zulu it is known as “Isithakazelo". In Africa these Tribe Names are also used as ‘Praise Names’.

My Parents called me Hope. My father and Grand mother Whose Name is Mukondeleli which is my second Name after Hope my first Name, told me that my Name Hope is named to me so that I may become a ‘Beacon of Hope' for my family and my Nation.

My Name ‘Hope’ according to my Mentor the Late Reverend Derek Prince means “A confident expectation of good “ The Bible defines my Name as “A Confident Expectation of what God has promised and His strength and faithfulness to deliver on His promises"

I believe that is the reason I am never hopeless no matter how bad the circumstances in my life at any point in time. I am always optimistic, always expecting good to come my way. “Something good is about to happen" Because of this strong belief and confident expectation, good things are Always coming my way in my life and in the lives of those I pray for. Hope in my life works hand in hand with Faith – “The Substance of Things Hoped for, The Evidence of things Not Seen” Hebrews11:1

This kind of attitude has created and brought about many Miracles in my life. Those who believe in The Law of Attraction know how things happen because of the application of hope, faith and a consistent expectation of good. Those who understand its strength and its reality also know that even bad expectations happen when you hope and expect and with confidence. So, my parents influenced me to say “SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN"

My assertiveness and confidence brought about an independence at times that caused me trouble at home. My attitude of not wanting to procrastinate action on whatever was burning in my heart to do also caused me trouble with my parents. I would be too quick at times to act, thus would as a child growing up not waiting to ask permission to do some things, and this would land me some scolding from my parents.

I would act on whatever I believed and conceived. Sometimes parents expect you to ask for permission and I would have jumped the gun by then.

I was also very outspoken from a young age thus at times I would be in trouble also for being inquisitive and asking a lot of questions all at once.

I remember saying that I did not believe that a bird called a ‘stork‘ delivered babies to our parents. I refused to believe that a bird brought me and my little brother to my home at night. They sold us this story and I outspokenly said I did not believe this story, and I was in trouble with Mom and Dad. Eiiiissh!

I remember quite vividly this particular day, it was my birthday when mom and dad gave me such a wonderful surprise. They had organised a surprise birthday party for me.

They invited my favourite friends from school and in the neighbourhood for lunch. They had bought me a beautiful birthday cake, a multi-coloured dress with matching shoes, handbag and headband. I got such a surprise when I was told that I should wear the new clothes on my bed. When I came out of my room dressed to kill, my friends were standing in the dining room and shouted a big happy birthday and started singing with my mom and dad, the happy birthday song.

I was so happy that day and posed for photos with my friends and little brother.

This is my fondest childhood memory.

The greatest challenge I always remember with sadness, is that my father was a devout political activist for the African National Congress. He would come home with lots of manuscripts and books on our honourable late President Mandela. The sad challenge was when the police would pounce on us at home to search my home for Mandela’s material- and if any was found, my father would be handcuffed by the apartheid regimes policemen.

The worst thing was that we would not be informed as to which police station or prison he was kept, so we would wait with uncertainty each time they took him away. This to me was painful and sad, my mother would cry and I would have to say nice things to comfort her. One day my mother chewed on a document when they knocked roughly and loudly on the door and windows because we knew it was them.

Then she flushed the chewed up document in the toilet. That day they searched in vain for that document, then set my father free with bruises after having tortured him. This was most challenging, our lives were not safe during the rule of the apartheid regime.

It was exciting for me to meet someone with whom I could share same interests- that is when I was still at Mphaphuli High School and he was already at Turfloop University of the North.

Both Cyril (Ramaphosa) and I were in the S.C.M that is the Student Christian Movement and SASO the South African Student Organisation which was a political platform for activists in our day at University. Cyril was a leader of both these organisations. It was a blessing to have a partner with whom we could stand side by side and with all the challenges we faced even with the apartheid regime at University, at least we could overcome adversity and oppression to start life with a confident hope to build a family together in the future. I graduated in 1978 without my friend and soulmate because he had been arrested and sent to Pretoria Central Prison.

At least we managed to celebrate my graduation in 1978 together, and soon after we got married. It was a happy day for both us and our families on the day of our wedding.

Life for me as a wife even before I could even be a mother was challenging. I’ve always said it is amazing that we learn so much at school and University but none of the subjects actually prepares us for married life nor parenthood.

Life as a mother is even more challenging because you realise for the first time with your first child that having a real baby in your hands is far different from playing doll House with Barbie dolls.

I had nowhere were I could practice being a real mother except when we played doll House with my friends when we were young. Much as it is fulfilling to have your own child it was a challenge for me just as it is for many people. I got married at 22years of age, there was really a lot to learn especially being a “makoti" in my husband’s home.

Change of environment and new expectations and responsibilities in a new family setting needed a lot of adjustments to be made. As a Christian I relied on my faith in God to make it. But it still was not a bed of Rose’s for me.

My marriage had its ups and downs, but I did not expect it to fail yet it did fail. In those days failing as a Christian in your marriage was unacceptable as though it was a serious ‘taboo’ unlike these days.

The blessing though was that we did not carry any bitterness or resentment towards one another thus we could still be friends and co- parents to our children.

I learnt that the Marriage Institution can only be run properly under God's guidance and that maturity in family affairs is also brought through abiding in the Lord.

Andile and Nakisani are more than just my children to me. They’ve become my real true friends and are warm, loving and give me so much care . They are such an inspiration. We sit for our discussions together and openly discuss issues like adults.

They are open with their views, even about how they believe I should use my gifts. They are my best advisers because we share the same values and moral standards that I instilled in them as a parent.

I have a special kind of bond with them as their mother. I love and cherish them so much.

They describe me as a warm loving mother, who expects them to hold on to the values and principles of life they received from me.

My favourite song is Muvhuso Masakona in the album True Worship 2014 recorded at The Worship House.

The song is titled: Ndi ima nga Ipfi la Mudzimu. I love the song because of the message in it. This song says “Lord I stand by your Word because your word has Power and Victory in it”.

It is an affirmation that I stand by the Word regardless of any circumstance.

My first career highlights is as follows: At school I was a disciplined student and I love to learn. In September of 1998, I received as a student at the public relations institute of South Africa –PRISA, the top PRISA-Protex Engineering student award and a distinction in Community Relations.

At completion of my studies at PRISA, I had qualifications in the following:

- Public Relations Intermediate - Public Relations Writing - Public Relations Management - Public Relations Final - Community Relations

Recognised as one of the top 3 PRISA student in South Africa. She also received recognition as a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner and was awarded the CPRP Certificate. In the public speaking arena at Dale Carnegie in February of 1999.

At Dale Carnegie I received the following:

- The outstanding speaker performance Award

- The Human Relations Award

- The Highest Performance Award

At Tianshi Health & Beauty Products

Received in 2009 the train the speaker certificate

At Christ Embassy-2007

Ability to teach others and impact their lives Hope received the Arising Award after she had assisted Christ Embassy to establish a branch of Christ Embassy to reach the Venda community, this done as volunteer, done for the purpose of reading the word of God. Becoming teacher and organiser of all Christ Embassy activities in the branch of Thohoyandou Venda.

I’m humbled by what I was able to achieve through the guidance of the Lord based on a difficult decision I had to take after having started on a part-time basis in Youth Ministry to Adopt Schools, which had a bad pass rate in the Vhembe district from 1999 to which some were at a 0% pass rate.

A few of the schools 1st one being Thivhilaeli high school at 0% and 1999 were adopted by Hope, based on a Value of Principles Script she prepared. (These schools are spelt out in the document attached. Divine Seeds of Hope Foundation Ministries.)

The schools had a miraculous change in results, just to mention one as an example:

- Thivhilaeli improved matric results in one year of adoption from 0% - 72% pass rate.

- Ratshikhwe khwete high school followed and after that as spelt out in the foundation business plan, many others were adopted due to the recognition that was given to Hope

In 2003 the milestone was the formal recognition of Divine Seed of Hope as a partner to the Department of Education-Vhembe district. (Attached is the letter from the Dept. of Education.)

2003 - The registration of Divine Seed of Hope as an NPO. Attached copy of registration. Attached copy of the Value & Principle Script used to adopt schools.

4th April 2004 - The birth of Mbeu ya Fulufhelo Seed of Hope Gospel talk show as a result of the youth ministry.

2005 - The birth of Seed of Hope/Mbeu ya Fulufhelo, Bible study group as a result of the Youth Ministry.

2015- The birth of Divine Seed of Hope Bible School- course 1- sponsored by Derek Prince ministries.

2017 - Graduation of the class of 2015 from course 1 - Sponsored and certificated by Derek Prince ministries - Supported by the University of Venda- Prof Mutambedzo and Christian Worship Centre - Dr V.W. Madzinge (church where Hope attends) - Birth of course 2 – laying the foundation course - Hope in Christ School of Ministry is the administrator of course 2 studies under Divine Seed of Hope Ministries registered.

2020 -Birth of the Hope Ramaphosa Brand

Birth of The Essence of Hope Boundless Beauty House under the Substance of Beauty Pty Ltd a new company for Beauty Ministry. (2021)

Birth of Hope Ramaphosa Ministries and the opening of the Ministries's You Tube Channel. (2021)

The Completion of the Essence of Hope Boundless Beauty Brochure and Training Manual. (2021)

The Registration of Distributors for Essence of Hope Boundless Beauty House-these Distributors being Earthen Vessels for The Spreading of the Word of God through Christ Centered Businesses and Christ Centered Ministry. (2022)

The Opening of a Cosmetic Ministry Online Training Programme. (2022) The re-opening of the Seed of Hope Learning Institute hosting The Seed of Hope Bible School and the Hope Ramaphosa Spiritual Life Coaching Institute. (2022)

The Licencing and Authorisation of our Product Distribution Channel for Online Shopping of Essence of Hope Boundless Beauty Products at the e Commerce Online Shop. (2022)

The Opening of other Digital Marketing Avenues in social media. (2022)

The first memorable moment is personal. It has got to do with the day my son Andile was born in February 1982. By the time Andile was born, C.R and I had parted and I had to stand the challenges of this day alone. When I agreed to part, I had not realised that I was pregnant, only found out eight weeks later. I was crushed and excited all at the same time. It’s so paradoxical – I had lost and received within the same season.

Sometimes I would feel sad, yet there was my hope to continue living inside my body. On that day I knew it was time when my water broke, I was rushed to hospital by my mother and there I waited all afternoon for my son to be born. He did not come. Suddenly at midnight Andile was born. I did not see how exact the time was until the doctors came to congratulate me for giving birth to a 4kg bouncing baby boy.

The questions they asked me was the name for him and then the second question blew my mind? What then do you choose as his birthday? I could not really understand, that’s when they told me that it could be 19th or 20th, but I should choose because midnight is neither the or the next day.

I chose the 19th. Till today we joke about Andile being born with two birthdays. My grandchild by Nakisani, called Hope, can’t get over it, she will say granny lets have two birthday cakes for uncle Andile.

Andile’s Name means ‘Abundance of blessings’ whilst Name means Hope- ‘A confident expectation of good with the faith in the Strength of Gods faithfulness to keep His promises.

The Birth of Nakisani, my daughter meant that only beautiful things will happen because Nakisani means ‘To Beautify’.

The Birth of Hope my grandchild by Nakisani strengthened my hope. Whilst the Birth of Anzani confirmed our increasing Abundance of Faith and Hope even success in our efforts as a family. Anzani means multiplication of blessings

Aluwani, who is Andile’s son means ‘there shall be growth and maturity' All these are but memorable moments that have shaped me into who I am today.

It is the way in which I received my calling, which has inspired me. I was in government doing very well- receiving awards and in my post as the Director of Communications for the Dept. of Economic Affairs, when one night I could not sleep a wink. I had a vision that left me sweating and screaming.

In my dreams I saw the children of different schools in Venda walking in rows of about 12, as though they were marching - just like in a protest march. They were wearing the uniforms from their respective schools. I could recognise the uniforms because I had been adopting schools through the Values & Principle Script since 1999 and this was in 2002.

I saw myself standing on the shoulders of the road as they went past me. I called out to them because suddenly I realised that they were walking on a black conveyer belt that transported them faster than their feet could carry them. They were being transported as they walked into a big fire!

I saw the fire in front of them, but they seemed oblivious of the danger they were walking into. They marched on in the scorching sun silently so. Before I could stop them, they were conveyed into this fire that grew bigger and higher.

They were falling into a very big dark fiery furnace. I screamed and called them to stop walking. The conveyer belt moved them faster and faster into the deep dark, fiery furnace.

I heard a voice say: “Unless you hear me, they won’t hear you!” I suddenly realised that there was sound proof just like the radio studio walls, so they definitely will not hear me no matter how much I screamed. I got so desperate to touch them, I fell off my bed and woke up in a sweat and my heart beating so fast, so hard I could feel the smoke of that very fire in my room.

The Vision shook me, shocked me, scared me, but most of all it inspired me to stand up and receive my calling to be an Earthen Vessel of The Living God regardless of the cost and sacrifice I would have to make.

I knew that I would have change my life completely to be a Living Sacrifice unto The Lord by serving Him without clarity as to how I would be provided for because it meant leaving my plush job as a public servant and to be an Evangelist in the School Ministry so that the souls of the children I saw in the Vision may be saved.

I also knew that I would have to live and believe that “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH”.

I resigned from my plush job in the public sector and started what is known today as Divine Seed of Hope Foundation Ministries- A Youth and School Ministry.

In short, the vision inspired me. I know without a doubt, this is my purpose and that it is my life to be planted as a seed in the lives of the youth today, and that now it does not stop there because their parents will a must be touched as they see a positive impact my life has had, is having and will continue to have in their lives as I live out my calling through the three pillars I have identified through the Hope Ramaphosa Brand.

Hope Ramaphosa is a change agent. I believe that I am equipped for this mission that God has planned for me. I am anointed and empowered by the Creator of the Universe. I believe that all the bondages and limitations that I had have been broken off of me. I believe that there is a time for every season, a time for every purpose.

My mantra that I shall spell out for everyone is personal and has been with me in my soul and spirit, although I had not yet articulated it in the manner, it remains my affirmation that motivates and inspires be to be my best self. It is the root and the foundation on when I stand. I have never believed that bad times come to stay forever. I believe there is a purpose for every season as much as there is a time for every purpose under heaven.

I therefore believe that my determination to succeed will always out-way whatever obstacles that are on my path and failure cannot overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.

1. The idea that I must stand and help my people, my country to go through the rough time we have faced, are facing even today.

2. The idea that our government needs people who are willing to contribute their gifts to help our communities. My name is Hope, and I believe it is my lifestyle to be a beacon of hope whenever and wherever I am needed. I can identify easily the areas where I can contribute. I believe I must die empty.

South Africa is experiencing tough times even more now with diseases like Corona Virus –Covid-19, during a tough economic era where there is so much lack and suffering. People need to have a living hope as a nation that we still go past this time and stand again.

Our president in his maiden speech spoke of a new dawn. I believe in it, I expect it to come.

I believe that the true significance and substance can only be appreciated as to its true value, when it is audible and visible not only in my thoughts constantly but actually acted out and manifested to impact my communities in my country.

My public speaking engagements in the community in and out of the country will continue to motivate, inspire hope, and build the people and not to give up and despair. I believe in community work.

I believe I also struggled to find myself. It was not easy to accept my call because on the physical and material side my call did not promise a life of glamour and glitter, nor any immediate benefit, so I also hesitated to accept my call.

I made a final decision to follow my call full time in 2002 after being haunted by the souls of people, became no longer a just a hobby but a God kind of call through the vision I saw, as I explained earlier.

A repeated vision of people falling into fire right in front of me – the pain and suffering I saw, and that convinced me to reject my life of comfort glitter and glamour in government to go for my call and find myself. Some people called our lives in government as the “gravy train”. God’s call in the vision was clear, I decided to take the step and obey Him if I really love Him, and that was in 2002. I left government without even serving a notice.

I left immediately, just packed my clothes and went to Venda where I had no home there anymore. I stayed in my car, washed there, fed there and slept there, during the day I went to speak to the youth about a message that would change their lives.

Later on I prayed for a new home there, got it and moved to start in earnest. Following my call, then it was Youth School Ministry- now it has grown into many pillars.

Geographically it is Rio de Janeiro Brazil, this amongst the 24 overseas countries I’ve visited is most beautiful.

Spiritually it is the country I live in now where I want to experience peace because I ‘am doing what I’ve been created for spiritually, love because I have so much to share with the poor, the broken hearted and those who are bound by different spirits that keep people captive. I want to restore them spiritually, I have to live in a way that is nostalgic about where I hope the spirit come from. I long to be with the Lord yet I know I must finish the race that has been set before me.

I believe in destiny written and engraved in the hands of God, acted here on Earth an Earthen Vessel. As a branch that bears good fruit.

A branch that is connected to the tree that gives life and a new hope to people for them to stand and soul seed which they will reap in abundance. I do not believe in luck, I would not gamble even because of my believe in “you reap what you sow”.

My BIBLE because in it I can see myself as it reflects the areas of my life I must still work on to reach the prize of the high calling of God upon my life.

It is a constant reminder of how short life really is, how each one will stand before the Creator to give account of our lives. It marks my wrongs, it keeps me humble.

I notice their character, behind their appearance. I do not get easily influenced by their looks. I look deeper, I try not to look at the vanity of their beauty, I look at what I can see in their character. Their posture tells me a lot.

For life itself because it gives me an opportunity to manifest who I am.

The one thing I would do is share the insight of the value of the inner beauty of the souls I meet, so as to help them restore if broken, revive if lacking in confidence and rebuild in a way that makes them see just how unique and special they are, that they have a responsibility to bring their inner beauty out to bless someone else. In short I would give them a chance to realise themselves for the life they have been given, to discover their unique purpose on Earth.

In Seed Of Hope Learning Foundation, I want to continue winning souls ‘one seed at a time'.

In Hope Ramaphosa Ministries, I want to continue transforming mindsets and helping people to find their purpose in life as in God's Will.

In Essence Of Hope Boundless Beauty house, I want to transform God’s people into real useful and fruitful Earthen Vessels unto the living god for his glory.

In my personal life …I want to love and serve and to die empty.