An anti-apartheid activist has published a deeply personal memoir of her journey of growth and self-discovery.

Alison Weihe’s debut book – Belonging: Finding Tribes of Meaning – tells the inspiring story of her life and how she made the journey from a child who felt invisible during her upbringing in apartheid-era South Africa to being a political activist and eventually an award-winning entrepreneur. The book was launched at a high-profile event at Exclusive Books in Victoria Wharf  Cape Town on August 29, which was live-streamed on YouTube.

During her career, Alison worked for the South African president Cyril Ramaphosa when he was general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers. A copy of her book, which includes a reference written by him, has been hand delivered to President Ramaphosa.

Alison says: “Writing Belonging made sense of my whole life. From political activist to award-winning serial entrepreneur to now becoming a speaker and a writer, my life has come full circle to focusing on legacy work. 

“I now hope to be a voice of hope and healing in this land at a seminal time in the history of South Africa. The book launch was an incredible event and a profound, emotional experience.”

In Belonging, Alison talks about her transformation from being a child who felt she didn’t belong, even in her own family, to becoming a global citizen passionate about uniting people separated by economic, social and cultural divides. She shares her journey of self-discovery, overcoming shame, failure and fear to finally reach a point where she felt she belonged.

At the launch of her book, Alison spoke about pivotal moments in her life, including her decision as a 19-year-old to shun the whites-only bus she was expected to take and ride with the rest of the community in the midst of the 1970s uprisings. She also talked about how a mistake she made when working for a trade union left her feeling such deep shame, she considered ending her own life.

After her career as a trade union activist and political journalist, the 65-year-old, who lives in Johannesburg, spent 25 years as an entrepreneur in the South African construction industry. In the last six years, she has become a speaker and award-winning coach, empowering others to live a life of meaning.

Alison is a passionate believer in owning your story, living with grace, and stepping into the power of who you were truly meant to be. Belonging: Finding Tribes of Meaning is available now at https://alisonweihe.com