Dream Big, Gqeberha. Your Future Is Calling!

More than 2,000 learners in Gqeberha are being challenged to rethink their circumstances, believe in their potential and turn their dreams into action as youth empowerment advocate BhasweLihle Zilwa brings her Lihle’s 100K Teens Self-Belief Conference to the city.

The conference, taking place today, 9 October at Ndzondelelo High School, forms part of Zilwa’s broader Lihle’s 100K Teens Challenge, an initiative aimed at reaching 100,000 teenagers across the African continent with a message of self-belief, resilience and ambition.

For Zilwa, the movement is rooted in a journey that began when she was just 13 years old, when she founded the Future Global Leaders Club, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at motivating and inspiring what she describes as the 70% average learners across the country.

The club focuses on motivating and inspiring learners, sharpening their excellence, and rewarding and incentivising consistent academic achievement. According to Zilwa, some of its members have gone on to become top 1% achievers and have credited the motivation they received from the organisation for contributing to their success.

At 14, Zilwa published Lihle’s Collection of Motivational Quotes for Teens, a book that has since been translated into French, Kiswahili and Braille. She said feedback from teenagers who read the book helped her identify what she considers one of the biggest barriers facing young people — not a lack of potential, but a lack of belief in themselves.

That realisation eventually led to the 100K Teens Challenge.

“I’ve dedicated this year to motivating and inspiring 100 000 teenagers across the African continent with the mission of injecting self-belief and igniting their dreams into action,” Zilwa said.

She said the recognition she has received, including two African Continent Awards and being named 2025 Youth Empowerment Champion of the Year and NextGen Innovator of the Year, has strengthened rather than diminished her sense of responsibility.

“I was very excited to receive these awards and felt honoured and privileged, but I also saw them as a responsibility and a call to serve,” she said.

A battle against self-doubt

Zilwa believes self-belief is particularly important for teenagers navigating difficult circumstances, arguing that repeated setbacks can gradually convince young people that their circumstances determine their future.

She points to learner progression and university access as part of the challenge, saying the loss of confidence can affect how young people approach education and their aspirations.

“Current circumstances don’t define our future, only self-belief does,” she said, describing self-belief as a young person’s “wealth”, future and greatest asset.

The conference's message is built around six principles: deepen your self-belief, dream bigger, work hardest, persevere, succeed and protect your self-belief.

From inspiration to action

The Gqeberha conference follows similar gatherings in Mthatha and East London, where thousands of learners were exposed to the initiative. The Mthatha conference inspired about 2,000 learners, while the East London conference reached almost 3,000.

Zilwa said feedback from learners after the conferences has convinced her that the message is resonating.

She said some learners reported that their self-belief had been low before the conference, but afterwards they spoke about pursuing their dreams and refusing to allow their beginnings to determine their endings.

For her, that change in mindset is crucial because confidence can influence how learners approach their schoolwork.

Zilwa believes learners with increased self-belief are more likely to approach subjects with purpose, curiosity and the confidence to ask questions when they do not understand something.

The Gqeberha programme will also feature relatable success stories, including Obuhle Manga, who achieved seven distinctions at Ethembeni Enrichment High School before becoming a first-year University of Cape Town student, and Sesona Masingili, who achieved a 94.3% average and seven distinctions at Soqhayisa High School before enrolling at the University of Pretoria.

They will be joined by Jos Maroba, who overcame poverty through education to become one of the first few Black actuaries in South Africa and gained international working experience in Germany.

Leaving learners with more than a speech

Zilwa's initiative is designed to extend beyond the conference itself.

Learners attending the Gqeberha event will receive a complimentary copy of Lihle’s Collection of Motivational Quotes for Teens, containing more than 300 motivational quotes, together with BhasweLihle’s Guide to Navigating Success for Teens.

The conference will be hosted by professional broadcaster and programme director Olwethu Nodada, with the programme combining personal development, practical learning and engagement with professionals and young achievers.

But for Zilwa, the ultimate goal is bigger than a single event.

“I want to ignite their dreams into action,” she said. “I want to see teenagers dreaming big and going after their dreams with confidence and learning to not let their surroundings limit their capacity to dream.”

Her ambition is to build what she calls a “Self-Belief Generation” — young people who refuse to allow their backgrounds, failures or circumstances to dictate the limits of what they can achieve.

Her message to teenagers is simple: believe in yourself before expecting the world to believe in you.