Episode 05 - Kabinga Mazaba | Migrant Soul
Confronting Your Past: Reclaiming Identity, Healing, and Self-Worth
A migrant journey through trauma, resilience, and learning to start again
What happens when life forces you to start over… again and again?
A new country.
A new culture.
A new identity.
A new version of yourself.
For Kabinga Mazaba, migration was never just about geography.
It was about transformation.
In Episode 05 of My Migrant Soul, Imran Abul Kashem sits down with the award-winning author, speaker, and transformational coach for a deeply honest conversation about resilience, identity, healing, and the courage it takes to confront your past instead of running from it.
Growing up in Zambia
Kabinga was born in Zambia, surrounded by family, culture, and community.
Her childhood, like many migrant stories, was layered with both love and hardship. While she speaks warmly about growing up around cousins and community, she also reflects on the difficult experiences that shaped her understanding of resilience from an early age.
Those early experiences would later become the foundation of her work, her message, and ultimately, her book.
Because sometimes the parts of ourselves we spend years trying to hide… become the very things that help others heal.
Starting over across multiple countries
Kabinga’s migration journey began in 2002 after marrying her husband and moving from Zambia to South Africa.
From there came Scotland.
Then Australia.
Then Darwin.
Then Melbourne.
Each move brought a completely different culture, climate, system, and way of life.
And with every transition came the same quiet question many migrants carry:
“Where do I belong now?”
She speaks openly about the emotional side of migration that often goes unseen - the loss of familiarity, the challenge of rebuilding community, and the feeling of constantly needing to reinvent yourself.
But instead of allowing those experiences to shrink her identity, Kabinga used them to expand it.
One of the most powerful reflections from the episode is her belief that:
“Identity is not fixed.”
It evolves.
It adapts.
It grows alongside the experiences that shape us.
Life as a migrant spouse
One of the most relatable parts of the conversation comes when Kabinga reflects on her experience arriving in new countries as a spouse and mother.
While her husband’s professional qualifications were recognised, she often found herself rebuilding from the background - managing family life, supporting everyone else, and trying to rediscover her own sense of purpose at the same time.
Like many migrant women, she had to navigate the challenge of asking:
Who am I outside of simply surviving?
That journey led her through countless side hustles and reinventions.
Selling beauty products.
Cleaning businesses.
Laundry services.
Cupcakes.
Tupperware.
Community networking.
Not because it was easy.
But because she refused to stay stuck.
Every small step became part of a bigger transformation.
Learning to confront the uncomfortable
Kabinga’s award-winning book C.O.N.F.R.O.N.T: Reclaim Your Life was born from years of journaling, healing, reflection, and self-discovery.
But writing the book meant doing something even harder:
Facing the parts of her story she had spent years trying to move beyond.
The book explores trauma, resilience, limiting beliefs, and the emotional narratives people carry for years without realising how deeply they shape their lives.
As Kabinga explains throughout the episode, healing starts when you stop avoiding the uncomfortable.
Because the uncomfortable is often where growth begins.
Her message is simple but powerful:
You cannot change your past.
But you can decide what happens next.
The power of finding your voice
One of the most inspiring moments in the episode is hearing Kabinga describe what happened after publishing her book.
Before becoming an author, she admired speakers and writers from a distance.
She doubted herself.
She questioned whether someone like her could ever stand on a stage and share her story publicly.
But once the book was released, everything shifted.
The same experiences she once viewed as painful became the very things helping others heal.
Today, Kabinga speaks internationally, mentors others, and uses her platform to empower migrants, women, and individuals navigating their own healing journeys.
And perhaps that is what makes her story so powerful.
It is not a story about perfection.
It is a story about choosing growth anyway.
Building community beyond borders
Throughout the conversation, Kabinga returns to one recurring idea:
Community matters.
But she also challenges the idea that the community must look a certain way.
After living across multiple countries and cultures, she believes community is not about staying inside one group or identity forever.
It is about finding spaces where you are accepted, supported, challenged, and encouraged to grow.
For Kabinga, true belonging came when she stopped limiting herself to one version of identity and allowed herself to evolve.
More than survival
If there is one message woven through this entire episode, it is this:
Do not just survive.
Learn to thrive.
Kabinga’s story is a reminder that resilience is not about pretending life is easy.
It is about continuing to move forward anyway.
One decision.
One step.
One reinvention at a time.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
Kabinga’s migration journey from Zambia to Australia
Growing up with trauma and rebuilding self-worth
Life as a migrant spouse and mother
The emotional reality of starting over in new countries
How identity evolves through migration and growth
The power of confronting limiting beliefs
Publishing an award-winning book and finding her voice
Lessons on resilience, healing, and personal transformation
Key Takeaway
“You can’t change your past — but you can confront it, and in doing so, reclaim your future.”
About the Host - Imran Abul Kashem
Imran Abul Kashem is the founder of Westend Business Hub, Westend Photography, Westend Digital, Westend Podcast, and Wyndham Entrepreneur Connect. An award-winning photographer and serial entrepreneur, Imran brings ideas to life at the intersection of creativity and business. As an author, investor, business advocate, and cultural ambassador, he is passionate about building platforms that empower communities and spark meaningful conversations.
About the Guest - Kabinga Mazaba
Kabinga C. Mazaba is a Melbourne-based author, international speaker, and transformational coach whose work centers on trauma recovery, resilience, and personal empowerment. Her Amazon #1 best-selling book, C.O.N.F.R.O.N.T: Reclaim Your Life, has garnered international acclaim, including first place in the Body, Mind, Spirit & Healing category at the 2025 International Bookfest Awards.
Born in Zambia, Kabinga migrated to Australia in 2008. Her early life was marked by significant personal challenges, including childhood trauma and the loss of her parents. These experiences, compounded by cultural taboos surrounding mental health, led her to a path of self-discovery and healing. She found strength in confronting her past, a journey that inspired her to write her debut book.
In C.O.N.F.R.O.N.T, Kabinga introduces a resilience model designed to help individuals face their fears and overcome limiting beliefs. The book serves as both a memoir and a self-help guide, offering readers tools to navigate their own healing journeys.
Beyond her writing, Kabinga is pursuing a degree in counseling and coaching, furthering her commitment to supporting others in their personal growth. She balances her professional endeavors with her role as a mother of three, embodying her philosophy that "life is a journey; embrace uncertainty."
Kabinga's work continues to inspire individuals worldwide, encouraging them to confront their challenges and reclaim their lives.
If this story resonated with you, share it with someone who needs the reminder:
Your past may shape you, but it does not have to define you.
Special Thanks to Our Partners
This podcast is proudly supported by our incredible partner businesses, whose ongoing support helps bring these conversations to life:
Westend Business Hub
Westend Digital
Westend Photography
Westend Podcast
WeConnect
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