Yamkela Njapha: My gsport Journey ~ From Follower to Family
Content creator and photographer Yamkela Njapha followed gsport from 2019 before answering the call for volunteers at the 21st gsport Awards, and here she shares what she found.
My name is Yamkela Njapha. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with a specialisation in Criminology, Forensic Studies and Psychology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology.
On paper, that’s who I am. But in my heart, I am someone who is passionate about sport and driven by one big vision, which is to bring about equality in sport. My mission is to help bring visibility and real change to women’s sport, particularly in Africa, starting right here in South Africa. It’s the work I wake up thinking about. It’s why I’m currently working towards enrolling with the Football Business Academy.
I came across @gsport4girls on Instagram in 2019. At first, I didn’t fully understand the depth of the mission. But something about it made sense to me immediately. I followed the page so I could watch closely.
The more I learned, the more it became part of my dream to work with the gsport community. So when the announcement came that gsport was holding the Awards and looking for volunteers, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I followed the newsletter for four weeks straight, which carried the clues ‘WE’, ‘BUILD’, ‘THIS’, and ‘STAGE’, and which made one eligible for the application.
I didn’t apply for a specific role because I believe change comes from every angle. If there was a gap, I wanted to fill it. If there was work to be done, I wanted to do it.
The Thursday before the Awards, I got a call from gsport to check my availability to assist with content creation and photography at the Hall of Fame Luncheon on Friday, 7 August 2026. I was thrilled and nervous at the same time.
Creating content is something I always do, but creating it in a professional setup, for an initiative I value so deeply, felt different. I had no intention of failing.
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I showed up, head held high. What I found was a community that was amazing and welcoming. That warmth made everything smooth. Sitting in that room, listening to the stories of women who had paved the way, I felt a deep sense of pride and responsibility behind the camera. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was home. I didn’t know it then, but the luncheon was only the beginning.
Awards night, on Saturday, 8 August 2026, was surreal. To actually feel the excitement in the room, to be surrounded by women and men who share the same vision and love for sport, in this case women’s sport, really moved me.
A moment that will stay with me was the speech from the Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe. It was so heartfelt. It made me emotional to know that the Department is also behind the initiative and advocating for us. Doing all of this on the eve of Women’s Day in South Africa made everything about it stick. It felt bigger than an awards show. It felt like history, a history I was proud to be a part of.
I was inspired. More than that, I was constantly reminded that there is always room for growth.
Seeing founders, partners, athletes, finalists and media houses all in one space, all aligned around the same vision, made so much sense to me. It showed me what’s possible when people come together with purpose.
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From these two experiences I walked away with something bigger than photos or tasks completed. I left understanding the power of unity and resilience. I left understanding that before one can run, they need to walk.
The gsport community is filled with people who actually practice what they preach. People who will stop at nothing to fly the flag of women’s sport high.
gsport gave me more than a volunteer opportunity. It gave me confirmation. Confirmation that my mission matters. Confirmation that there is space for me in this world. And confirmation that when we show up for each other, we all rise.
I’m grateful to the entire gsport team, and every person who made me feel welcome.
Main Photo Caption: Volunteer content creator and photographer Yamkela Njapha lent her lens and her energy to the gsport community, describing the experience as a homecoming that confirmed her mission to build visibility for women’s sport in Africa, at the 21st gsport Awards at Wanderers Club, Illovo, Johannesburg, on Saturday, 8 August 2026. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Njapha has followed gsport since 2019, answering the call for volunteers to work at an Awards platform she had long admired from a distance.
Photo 3 Caption: Behind the camera at the Hall of Fame Luncheon, Njapha captured the stories of women who paved the way for the generation now rising in sport.
Crédito: Link de origem