LESEGO SEROLONG,

31, founder of Raise The Children and Bokamoso Impact Investments lost her parents while in high school and got involved with Rotary from a tender age. It was there that she found her purpose.

Why this initiative? My husband and I started the foundation in 2008 because I’m an orphan, and I know what it’s like to wonder about opportunities that exist out there. If I hadn’t had the people who supported me throughout, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Raise The Children is all about returning to rural North West, and investing in children with potential. How did you get started? We worked with school principals to identify kids. Our criteria is simple – out of 3 million orphans in the country, we ask the learners why we should pick them. It’s not about being a top achiever, but leadership and drive. We then give them scholarships from grade 8 until matric at a boarding school. We pair them with mentors who assist them with adjusting to their academic work, spirituality, and just being there, should they need to talk. The kids also do job-shadowing during school holidays so they can get exposed to real role models. We have helped over 40 children so far.

What keeps you going? Raise The Children actually birthed Bokamoso, which is an agricultural project and hub. To help curb unemployment, Bokamoso has introduced innovative agricultural solutions to poverty, incubates local rural entrepreneurs, and tackles the lack of basic resources with commercial strategies. Seeing kids who were in the worst of situations, graduating or going abroad to fulfil their dreams leaves me feeling fulfilled.

What experience touched you the most? We had our first fundraiser in Johannesburg last year to showcase some of our achievements to possible funders. The kids spoke about how they go back home and look at poverty, unemployment, teenage pregnancy differently knowing that it could have easily been them. What also warms my heart is them calling me ‘Mama’, even though I consider myself young [chuckles].

The world would be a much better place if… people were intentional about helping others.