Born to Give Back: How Marshalline Martin is Transforming Lives in the Western Cape
Some passions are so deeply rooted that no circumstance can dim them. For 42-year-old Marshalline Martin from Paarl in the Western Cape, that passion has always been service — using her skills and voice to uplift others. A qualified actress with a background in Arts and Culture, Literature, and Tourism, Marshalline’s journey of giving back began when she was just 14 years old.
While still a Grade 9 learner, she stepped into a role as a juvenile facilitator, undergoing eight weeks of training that would set the tone for the rest of her life. She started freelancing her skills until one bold decision changed everything; the launch of Zisa Ithemba, a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), Non-Profit Company (NPC) and Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) dedicated to equipping the people of Drakenstein with opportunities they never thought possible.
Through Zisa Ithemba, Marshalline offers business mentorship, model coaching, acting and presenting classes — not as mere workshops, but as life-changing experiences. Her work has led to students graduating from college, winning beauty pageants, and even launching their own businesses.
Her PBO focuses on skills development, youth leadership programs, Gender-Based Violence awareness, drug addiction prevention, and capacity-building leadership initiatives open to all ages in the community.
“After these training programs we help them with finding work,” she explains. True to her word, she has successfully placed women into jobs after completing home-based care courses, in collaboration with companies that value her graduates’ skills.
Marshalline’s impact reaches beyond training rooms. At Groenheuwel Primary School, she introduced anti-bullying and GBV awareness programs, even intervening successfully in incidents already affecting learners. “It’s about building your profile,” she says, her tone both firm and compassionate.
With an unwavering commitment to change, she sums up her mission simply: “I must be about development and making a change.”
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed. In 2021, she was nominated as a Community Hero in Drakenstein, and in 2025 she will be among 14 award recipients for the Prodigious Leaders South Africa title at the Women’s Lifestyle Network Awards, to be held at JC Le Roux Wine Estate on 20 September 2025.
Now, Marshalline is calling on businesses and individuals to join her mission. “Any SARS registered individuals can donate or contribute to us with anything, it could be food and/or equipment,” she urges, her voice carrying both hope and determination.
In a world where passion can fade under the weight of daily struggles, Marshalline Martin stands as proof that when purpose is at the core of one’s life, it only grows stronger — and it changes everything around it.
