A young Gugulethu community activist,Kgotso Hope Lekau, is determined to better the lives of young people not just in his own community but across Africa.
The 19-year-old is a cancer survivor-he was diagnosed with leukaemia at 13-and says he was shocked and confused at first, but later found the illness helped him realise what his passion and purpose were in life.
Kgotso is one of the youngest people recognised recently by @News24 as one of Top 100 Young Nelson Mandelas of South Africa.
He made the list from more than 5 000 people around the country.
He says that after coming out of hospital hearing he was free of cancer, he decided to work on community projects helping the youth.
In 2015, his community work land him a nomination for the Future African Leaders Award. And, he says, that’s when he decided to start his own organisation, New Generation International, to empower the youth all over Africa.
He believes Africans must be at the forefront of building the continent and benefiting from its bounty.
To do that, he says, it’s critical to change the attitudes of young Africans and encourage each of them to do their bit.
His organisation has branches in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana and so far they have reached more than 50 000 young people, making a positive impact in their lives.
In 2015 he was asked to join the World Economic Forum’s community of Young Global Leaders and last year he was appointed to be its Southern Africa region leader, overseeing 12 countries.
“This allowed me to impact Africa at large. We have different leadership programmes.
“We will soon launch programmes that talk about developing yourself as a young person.
“I believe you can be anything you want to be if you sent your mind to it. I was in Grade 6 when I was diagnosed with cancer.
“I could not complete my Grade 6, as I spent almost a year at the hospital. “But I was allowed to move to Grade 7 since I had passed my quarter.
“I tell my cancer story not because I want people to feel sympathy for me, but to motivate others so they can overcome any challenges they might be facing. We are all leaders in our own right
Kgotso says cancer is often seen as a death sentence and he wants to show people it can be beaten.
Kgotso matriculated last year and plans to enrol for public relations studies. He is also a presenter at youth station Radio7441 and he has done public speaking across the continent.
He is working on an autobiography he wants to publish when he is 21.