Tumi is a determined South African who is making his own dreams come true! This is his inspirational story.
“I have a name” is an awesome photo series showcasing everyday South Africans in the most phenomenal way. Proudly South African… one story at a time.
The stories are told by the incredible South Africans… raw & unedited. It’s a showcase of humanness, a reminder that behind every face, is a name.
Meet Tumi… a South African making his own dreams come true!
You will never meet anyone quite so excited and passionate about fitness as Tumi. His full name is Boitumelo which means ‘Happiness’ and it is a fitting name!
His dreams have always been to run his own Gym, to get certification to be a personal trainer, to compete overseas, and through his hard work, hopefully move his family out of the squatter camp.
“I was born in Limpopo, but moved to Johanesburg when I was a few years old and went to school in Witkoppen. Later, I attended Ferndale High. I wasn’t a book learner though and didn’t make it to matric. I’m really good with my hands, and I can tell you everything about fitness, the body, muscles, nutrition… but book learning was never my thing.”
Tumi’s Dad did Karate and introduced him to it at a young age. When he was 17, he joined a boxing club and also started teaching himself body building at home with a crate and cement blocks.
“My dad’s friend had some weights and when he saw how interested and passionate I was about body building he showed me how to group muscles and how to use weights.”
The determined young South African met a coach called Claude a few years ago, who has become like a second father to him. Before meeting Claude, Tumi taught himself how to pose by watching YouTube videos but thanks to the coach, he has acquired many skills.
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Tumi currently lives in Itsoseng, also known as the lionpark settlement, next to Cosmo City.
A couple of years ago, he decided in order to make his dreams come true, he would need to start somewhere so he built his own little shack Gym called “Rippa” and started training people from within the community.
“At first the roof leaked and I had to replace it with wood – which still leaks – and I was able to get 2 pieces of gym equipment.
“Since then, many people donated equipment for the gym and I was even offered a free course through the ‘Trifocus Fitness Academy’ to become a certified personal trainer.”
“For the past 5 years I have been helping train others in the community.”
The gym grew quite quickly with many of the community members signing up to be trained by him and through the assistance of individuals and with his own determination, Tumi dreams are coming true.
“Perseverance, determination and self discipline is all what is needed to really make a success.”
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