Teen visionary Lihle takes Pan-African youth mission to Botswana
Pini Bothoko | Monday April 20, 2026 06:00
Zilwa recently visited Botswana as part of her growing outreach, engaging learners and sharing her message of discipline, resilience, and self-belief. Her journey began early when she launched the Future Global Leaders Club, a platform that recognises academically driven teenagers who achieve 70% and above.
What started as a small initiative has grown into a network of high-performing learners, some ranking amongst the top one percent in their countries.
“I realised that being surrounded by like-minded peers pushes you to stay consistent and aim higher,” she said.
At 14, she published Lihle’s Collection of Motivational Quotes for Teens, featuring over 300 quotes and her '10 Guides to Navigating Success', including integrity, discipline, perseverance, and resilience. The book has since been translated into French and Kiswahili, with a Braille version introduced to enhance accessibility.
Her work has earned continental recognition, including the Youth Empowerment Award 2025 and the Next Gen Innovator of the Year Award. However, Zilwa views these honours as a call to serve more broadly.
Despite securing admission to study Biomedical Science at the University of the Witwatersrand, she deferred her studies to focus on the 100K Teens Challenge. The initiative seeks to build confidence among African youth, particularly in environments where limited opportunities often undermine ambition.
“As teenagers in Africa, we are growing up in rough terrain. But just as trees can grow tall in such conditions, we too can rise above our circumstances,” she said.
Through school visits, motivational talks, and book distribution, Zilwa encourages young people to define their purpose and take action. Whilst her club recognises top performers, she emphasises that her broader mission is inclusive, targeting all learners regardless of academic standing.
Her visit to Botswana marks an important step in expanding the initiative beyond South Africa. Whilst in the country, she met with officials at the Office of the President and paid a courtesy call on South Africa’s High Commissioner to Botswana, Thaninga Shope-Soumah. She also engaged with the Executive Director of the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA), Gloria Somolekae, and networked with local youth leaders.
The initiative is currently seeking corporate and government support to expand its reach. Despite limited sponsorship, Zilwa remains optimistic, noting strong interest from across the continent, including over 10,000 book orders from Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond in-person engagements, she connects with young audiences through her digital platform, 'Lihle Speaks', on TikTok and Instagram.
At the core of her message is a simple principle: self-belief drives 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, Zilwa’s message to Botswana’s youth is clear: believe in yourself, dream boldly, and take action.