Namhla Dotwana Celebrated With Four Major Wins at the 2025 Grassroots Innovation Awards

Namhla Collection is proud to announce that our founder and CEO, Namhla Dotwana, has been honoured with four prestigious awards at the 2025 Grassroots Innovation Awards held at the CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria during the annual Science Forum South Africa.

These awards, hosted by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology & Innovation (DSTI), recognise innovators whose ideas uplift communities, drive inclusive development and showcase the power of grassroots creativity.

A Historic Night for Namhla Dotwana and Namhla Collection

At this year’s ceremony, Ms Dotwana received the inaugural Professor Keolebogile Shirley Motaung Grassroots Innovator of the Year Award, winning a R100 000 prize for her pioneering work in sustainable beauty and indigenous knowledge systems.

This award carries special meaning, as it honours the legacy of the late Prof. Motaung, a visionary biomedical scientist, innovator and champion for women in science.

In addition to the top award, Ms Dotwana was recognised across three other categories:

• 1st Prize: Outstanding Youth Grassroots Innovator (R100 000)
• 3rd Prize: Outstanding Women Grassroots Innovator (R30 000)
• 3rd Prize: Social Innovation Award (R30 000)

These achievements make her one of the most celebrated innovators of the evening and mark a historic moment for a rural, women-led business rooted in Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

Innovation Rooted in Indigenous Wisdom

From her home village of eGotyibeni in Tsolo, Eastern Cape, Ms Dotwana has built a rural-based enterprise that transforms local plants—especially imphepho—into premium skincare, haircare and home spa products.

“Receiving an award named after a visionary like Prof. Motaung carries deep meaning for me as a rural woman entrepreneur. With TIA’s support, I am committed to carrying forward her legacy by advancing Indigenous Knowledge and delivering impactful solutions for rural communities,” said Ms Dotwana.

A Celebration of Grassroots Innovation in South Africa

The Grassroots Innovation Awards form part of the DSTI Innovation for Inclusive Development Programme implemented by TIA. Through initiatives like these, innovators working outside formal structures are empowered with grant funding, technical support, skills development and mentorship.

This year’s awards highlighted South Africans who are transforming challenges into solutions—especially rural innovators, young people and innovators with disabilities.

Deputy Minister Dr Nomalungelo Gina emphasised that grassroots innovation “debunks the notion that innovation is for an elite few,” reinforcing government’s commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind.

A Milestone for TIA and for Local Innovation

This year also marked 15 years of TIA’s work in advancing South Africa’s innovation agenda. With 292 active grassroots projects, 50 commercialised innovations and over 148 jobs created, the programme continues to prove that local ideas can become global solutions when given the right support.

TIA Board Chairperson, Mr Loyiso Tyira, reaffirmed that under TIA 2.0, award-winning innovators will receive the support needed to move from prototype to market through the Quadruple Helix Model—a collaboration between government, academia, industry and communities.

A Proud Moment for Namhla Collection

These awards are not only a reflection of Ms Dotwana’s dedication, but also a recognition of the rural communities, Indigenous growers, local women and young people who form the backbone of Namhla Collection.

We remain committed to:

• Building Africa’s leading agro-processing natural cosmetics brand
• Creating sustainable livelihoods in rural communities
• Preserving and commercialising Indigenous plant knowledge
• Expanding our impact across South Africa and beyond

This historic achievement marks only the beginning of a deeper journey of innovation, sustainability and community transformation.