From Orphanage to Opportunity: The Journey of Two Young Men from Rural QwaQwa to SA’s Burgeoning BPO Industry
In the bustling contact centers of iContact BPO’s Johannesburg operations, two young men are quietly reshaping their life stories. Thabo Skosana (24) and Vusimuzi Nhlapo (23) currently work as Asset Controllers, managing, controlling and maintaining the company’s assets used by its 1000+ contact centre agents. But their titles only tell part of their story – one that exemplifies the transformative power of impact sourcing and the profound difference that opportunity meeting purpose can make.
Just months ago, Thabo and Vusimuzi were facing the harsh reality that confronts countless South African youth: the seemingly insurmountable challenge of finding meaningful employment in a country where youth unemployment hovers at nearly 70%.
Today, Thabo and Vusimuzi represent hope, resilience, and the extraordinary potential that lies within South Africa’s BPO sector to change lives for the better.
Thabo and Vusimuzi’s journey began in a rural village in QwaQwa, where they spent their formative years at the Jehovah Jireh Mustard Seed Orphanage, the largest in the Freestate Province. Very far removed from the economic heartlands of South Africa, these young men grew up without any exposure to the business world and no access to the family and professional networks that often open doors to job opportunities.
Like thousands of their peers, they had been applying for jobs – any jobs – with no success. The combination of their rural location, lack of any formal work experience, and the brutal realities of South Africa’s job market seemed to create an impenetrable barrier to their aspirations.
But sometimes, the most extraordinary journeys begin with a single, unexpected encounter.
When Scott Johnson, a businessman and co-founder of Jehovah Jireh Mustard Seed Orphanage met with Clinton Cohen, CEO of iContact BPO, about a business venture, the seeds of opportunity for Thabo and Vusimuzi were planted.
Meeting Thabo and Vusimuzi – two young men who had aged out of the orphanage system and were desperately seeking opportunities to build meaningful careers – Cohen recognized the opportunity that iContact BPO could provide them with. “The decision to bring Thabo and Vusimuzi into our organization wasn’t just about filling positions,” explains Cohen. “It was about recognizing human potential where others might only see obstacles.”
Leaving everything familiar behind, Thabo and Vusimuzi embarked on a courageous journey to relocate from rural QwaQwa to Johannesburg – one of Africa’s most dynamic business centers. iContact BPO didn’t just offer them jobs, the company provided comprehensive support to ensure their transition would be successful. Through a donation to Jehovah Jireh Mustard Seed Orphanage, iContact BPO arranged accommodation in a rented, furnished apartment close to their workplace.
Starting work at iContact BPO in March 2025, Thabo and Vusimuzi have embarked on a learning journey that extends far beyond their job descriptions. They are mastering the intricacies of the BPO industry from the ground up, developing professional relationships with work colleagues from diverse backgrounds, and learning the crucial hard and soft business skills and work etiquette that so many of us take for granted. But their growth isn’t limited to the workplace. They are simultaneously navigating personal development milestones – learning to manage their finances and income independently, adapting to urban city life, and discovering the vast career opportunities available within South Africa’s expanding BPO sector.
For Thabo and Vusimuzi, the transformation has been lifechanging.
“The work culture is amazing and the people we work with – from co-workers right through to management – are incredibly supportive and friendly. We really are blessed to have this opportunity. The best part is knowing that this is just the start of our journey at iContact BPO. We are encouraged to go further and learn new skills and progress our careers – and the doors are all open for us to do so,” says Thabo.
Vusimuzi adds: “At first, we were anxious about leaving everything we know behind and moving to Johannesburg, and how and if we would manage. But that anxiety was quickly put to rest as we had so much support in getting settled and finding our feet. It feels good to know we have so many people who believe in us and the support structure at work is next level. If someone had said a year ago that we would be here, I would never have believed them. Being able to share our experience with our Jehovah Jireh Mustard Seed family is the most fulfilling part – I know its impact on every other young person, as a message of hope and motivation, is huge.”
iContact BPO’s commitment to Thabo and Vusimuzi extends well into the future. Both young men will be enrolled in learnership programmes through SA Business School, a sister company within the Alefbet Group. These programmes – available to all iContact BPO employees – provide them with formal NQF-registered qualifications backed by practical work experience – credentials that will open doors throughout their careers. This investment in education and professional development reflects iContact BPO’s understanding that sustainable impact sourcing requires long-term commitment to employee growth and development.
The impact of Thabo and Vusimuzi’s journey extends far beyond their personal achievements. Back at the Jehovah Jireh Mustard Seed Orphanage, their siblings and peers have two extraordinary role models who embody hope and possibility.
“What strikes me most about Thabo and Vusimuzi is their hunger for learning,” observes Cohen. “They show up every single day with incredible motivation, drive, and an appreciation for every opportunity to develop their skills. They take absolutely nothing for granted. For me as a CEO and business leader, they’re the real inspiration here and I see it in the impact they have on their work colleagues who learn about their story and how they got here. Seeing how Thabo and Vusimuzi are growing into their roles in leaps and bounds, in our business, is the most incredibly rewarding aspect of my job. Their learning trajectory – both in hard and soft skills – has been extraordinary and rapid. I know that I speak for the entire iContact BPO team that we are incredibly excited to be part of and invested in their journey.”
The journey of Thabo and Vusimuzi highlights the potential of impact sourcing – a strategic approach to recruitment that prioritizes hiring from disadvantaged and marginalized communities. At iContact BPO, it’s a core business strategy that drives exceptional results not only for the business, but for thousands of young people who get that first break into career-shaping opportunities.
Approximately 90% of iContact BPO’s employees are recruited through impact sourcing principles. The average employee age is 23, 65% are women, and 10% are disabled – reflecting the company’s commitment to creating opportunities where they’re needed most.
“Financial constraints and limited job market access mean that earning a stable living is a daily struggle for more than half of South Africa’s young, disadvantaged youth,” explains Cohen. “By implementing impact sourcing as a strategic focus, we’re able to create opportunities for disadvantaged and disabled people who would otherwise face bleak career prospects.”
South Africa’s BPO sector is uniquely positioned to lead social transformation while driving economic growth. With the industry consistently ranked among the world’s top offshoring destinations and projections of 500,000 new jobs by 2030, the potential for impact sourcing to create meaningful change is enormous.
As Thabo and Vusimuzi continue to grow in their roles at iContact BPO, their story serves as a powerful reminder of the potential that exists within every individual, regardless of their background or circumstances. Their journey from a rural orphanage to the dynamic world of international business process outsourcing demonstrates what becomes possible when opportunity meets determination.
“Today’s customer service agent could be tomorrow’s team leader, HR professional, trainer, or payroll manager,” notes Cohen. “We have young people from disadvantaged and disabled backgrounds who started with us in entry-level roles and have progressed to senior management and leadership positions.”
In a country facing significant socio-economic challenges, Thabo and Vusimuzi stand as beacons of hope, demonstrating that the future can indeed be different – and brighter – than the circumstances of the past.
As Clinton Cohen concludes: “There is real satisfaction that impact sourcing provides in being able to do well as a business, by doing good in our community, for the people who need the door opened the most.”
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.