Refilwe Modiselle Celebrates One Year of Zizi’s World
OkMzansi | 01.07.2026 18:16
Model, actress and author Refilwe Modiselle is celebrating a major milestone as her groundbreaking children’s book, Zizi’s World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes, marks its first anniversary.
Taking to Instagram, Modiselle reflected on the journey of bringing the book to life and the impact it has made over the past year. She described the milestone as more than just celebrating a children’s book, saying it represents a movement centred on representation, inclusivity and creating a lasting legacy for future generations.
Sharing her excitement with her followers, she wrote:
“Happy 1st birthday my “Zizi’s World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes”
Today last year would mark a milestone of the launch of the first book of its kind for children’s education in the world, because of the subject matter! It’s been an honour taking Zizi to the world. When God made me marry pen to paper & give birth to this book, I didn’t know I would be planting an eternal seed for the trajectory of representation & inclusivity & an everlasting legacy in literature.
Thank you to everyone who has ever supported, bought a book(s) or been impacted by Zizi’s World. So much so that this time last week, one received the honour of approval from the @nelsonmandelafoundation to say
“Aluta Continua as I carry on in the quest to change lives….” with every book bought, every book read & every book reading done. I hope to visit more schools & places soon.., perhaps cross borders too.
I’m eternally grateful it’s been a year of strength to solidity & grace to glory! THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE!
P.S Zizi really is the purest form of love. Think about it metaphorically… but also have you felt the love “Aunty Fifi” brings through #ZizisWorldz.”
Her heartfelt message thanked everyone who has supported the book over the past year, whether by purchasing a copy, attending book readings or simply embracing its powerful message. She also expressed her excitement about continuing to visit more schools and, hopefully, taking the book beyond South Africa’s borders.
At the heart of Zizi’s World: Through Her Vanilla Eyes is Zizi, a young girl living with albinism. Through Zizi’s experiences, the story explores themes of courage, kindness and embracing differences while encouraging children to celebrate who they are.
As it celebrates its first birthday, Zizi’s World continues to inspire young readers while promoting inclusion and representation in children’s literature.
For Modiselle, the anniversary is not only a celebration of the book’s success but also a reminder of the meaningful impact it continues to make in the lives of children, families and communities, one story at a time.
