Teen Author on a Bold Mission to Restore Self-Belief Among African Youth
The 18-year-old author and founder of the Future Global Leaders Club says self-belief could change the trajectory of young lives across Africa. South Africa (29 May 2026) – At... The post Teen Author on a Bold Mission to Restore Self-Belief Among African Youth appeared first on Good Things Guy.
Black News 
The 18-year-old author and founder of the Future Global Leaders Club says self-belief could change the trajectory of young lives across Africa.
South Africa (29 May 2026) – At just 18 years old, author, motivational speaker and youth advocate Bhaswelihle (Lihle) Zilwa is on a mission to restore self-belief among young people across Africa.
The Eastern Cape-born founder of the Future Global Leaders Club NPC recently launched the #Lihles100kTeensChallenge. This is an initiative aimed at empowering 100 000 teenagers through school visits, mentorship programmes, motivational talks and youth conferences.
But for Lihle, the journey started with her own struggles as a primary school learner.
“In my primary school years, my academic performance was very inconsistent. I would score a really high mark in one test and then the following test, it’s really low.”
Things began to change when she found herself surrounded by friends who shared the same academic goals and encouraged one another to do better.
“I finally saw that my academic performance was now consistent,” she said. “And I knew that the reason I was able to become so consistent was because I was surrounded by people who had the same goals as me.”
That experience inspired her to establish the Future Global Leaders Club at the age of 13. The plan was to create a space where teenagers could motivate and support one another academically and personally.
Now, years later, Lihle believes one of the biggest challenges facing African youth is not a lack of talent, but a loss of self-belief.
“There’s a very high youth unemployment rate, a very high dropout rate as well, and this environment can really kill any ambition or self-belief that a teenager could have. So we really see that teenagers’ dreams don’t die because they lack potential. They die because that self-belief is lost.”
As part of the campaign, Lihle will host teen self-belief conferences across the country, with the first set to take place in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. The conference will feature motivational speakers, young professionals and career exhibitions aimed at connecting teenagers with opportunities and mentorship.
Despite already publishing books in English, French, Kiswahili and Braille, Lihle admits that the journey has tested her confidence at times, especially when facing rejection from potential sponsors and partners.
However, hearing stories from young people impacted by her work continues to motivate her.
“What really keeps me motivated is hearing feedback and testimonials from learners that are part of my club.”
Last year, while completing matric, she received the NexGenAfrica Youth Empowerment Champion Award and the Overall NexGen Innovator of the Year Award.
Looking ahead, she hopes her work will contribute towards unlocking the potential of African youth.
Sources: GTG Interview
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