Blog

Some people spend their lives waiting for opportunities. Others create them. Lesego Masethe has spent much of the last decade doing exactly that. As the founder of Brain Waves Development, a science communicator, youth leader, and community builder, she has dedicated herself to creating pathways for young people, particularly those from communities where access to science, technology and innovation stays limited. Her story is not merely one of personal achievement. It is the story of how curiosity, conviction and service can create opportunities for hundreds of young people.

Fifty years ago, South African youths took to the streets of Soweto, armed with placards and protest songs, demanding an end to injustice, inequality, and the denial of equal education. Today, a new generation of young South Africans wages a different but no less consequential struggle, one fought through digital platforms.

Nomsumbuluko Alinah Mazibuko is a 2019 Activator currently serving at the Phumelela Local Municipality, where she has worked as a PR Officer for the past four years. Raised in the Free State, Alinah drew early inspiration from community leaders who were actively involved on the ground, rather than from traditional political figures. This exposure shaped her understanding of leadership as service rooted in community impact.