Teen author targets 100,000 African youth
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday April 15, 2026 10:18
Zilwa recently visited Botswana as part of her growing continental outreach, engaging learners and sharing her journey of discipline, resilience and self-belief. Her story is one of early purpose. At the age of 13, she founded the Future Global Leaders Club, a platform dedicated to motivating and recognising academically driven teenagers who achieve 70% and above.
What began as a small initiative has now evolved into a strong community of young achievers, with some members going on to rank among the top 1% of learners in their countries.
“I realised from my own experience that being surrounded by like-minded peers pushes you to stay consistent and aim higher. That kind of environment sharpens excellence,” she said.
A year later, at just 14, she published her first book, Lihle’s Collection of Motivational Quotes for Teens, a compilation of over 300 quotes accompanied by her “10 Guides to Navigating Success” being integrity, ambition, courage, hard work, discipline, sacrifice, perseverance, image, success and resilience. The book has since gained international traction, with translations in French and Kiswahili, and more recently, a Braille version to ensure inclusivity for visually impaired readers.
Her work has not gone unnoticed. At 17, she received two continental accolades, the Youth Empowerment Award 2025 and the Next Gen Innovator of the Year Award. Yet, she views these honours not as personal triumphs, but as a call to action.
“To me, those awards were a responsibility. They pushed me to serve at a greater scale,” she explained.
It is this sense of duty that led her to make a bold decision. Despite securing admission to study Biomedical Science at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), Zilwa chose to defer her studies and dedicate a full year to her 100K Teens Challenge.
The initiative aims to ignite self-belief among African youth, particularly in environments where unemployment and limited opportunities often diminish ambition. According to Zilwa, many teenagers do not lack potential but to belief in themselves.
“As teenagers in Africa, we are growing in rough terrain. But just as trees can grow tall in such conditions, we too can rise above our circumstances,” she said.
Her approach focuses on mindset transformation, encouraging young people to dream boldly and take actionable steps toward their goals. Through school visits, motivational talks, and distribution of her book, she hopes to instill a renewed sense of purpose.
While her club primarily recognises high-performing students, Zilwa emphasises that her broader mission is inclusive. She believes her book serves as a bridge, helping struggling and average learners rediscover motivation and define their “why.”
“Once a learner understands why they are pursuing something, it becomes easier to figure out how to achieve it,” she noted.
Her visit to Botswana marks an important step in expanding the initiative beyond South Africa. Alongside Lesotho, Botswana is among the first countries she has engaged as she works to build partnerships and secure sponsorships to reach underprivileged schools.
Currently, the challenge is still seeking corporate and government support to fund book distribution and expand its reach. Despite the lack of sponsorship so far, Zilwa remains optimistic, revealing that there has already been significant interest from other African countries. In Côte d’Ivoire alone, over 10,000 book orders have been recorded.
She has also engaged various African embassies, including those of Senegal, Tanzania, Ghana and Gabon, in efforts to broaden her footprint across the continent. Beyond physical outreach, Zilwa maintains an active digital presence under “Lihle Speaks” on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where she shares motivational insights and encourages reflection among young people.
At the heart of her work lies a simple yet powerful message: self-belief is the foundation of all success.
“If you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t even allow yourself to dream. And if you don’t dream, you won’t take action,” she said.
As she continues her journey across Africa, Zilwa is determined to ensure that no teenager is left behind regardless of background, circumstance or ability. Her message to Botswana’s youth is clear: “Do not allow your circumstances to define your future. Believe in yourself, dream big, and take action.”