Youth Empowerment Leader | Global Youth Ambassador for Sustainable Development | CYPAN Country Representative, Botswana

Letsweletse Ngwako is a youth development practitioner and community leader whose work focuses on empowering young people to become active participants in community and national development.

As Founder and Chairperson of the Global Youth Development Institution – BW, Letsweletse leads initiatives aimed at equipping young people aged 18–35, from both urban and rural communities, with skills in leadership, civic engagement and sustainable development. His work is aligned with Botswana’s Vision 2036 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Through various youth-focused initiatives, Letsweletse has reached more than 5,000 young people through leadership seminars, youth summits, small-business exhibitions and community campaigns. Among these initiatives was a bus rank clean-up campaign that brought together youth organisations, government institutions and the private sector around community development.

His growing role in international youth engagement was highlighted in 2024, when he represented Botswana as a Youth Delegate at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York.

At the national level, Letsweletse has worked with government ministries, institutions and other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth and Gender, UNDP Botswana, the Department of Environmental Affairs, Botswana Police Service and Botho University. These partnerships have supported initiatives aimed at strengthening youth participation and creating platforms through which young people can contribute to development.

His community involvement also extends to several boards and committees. He serves on the Maunatlala Community Trust, Maunatlala Community Advisory Board, Community Engagement Centre, and the No. 2 District Crime Prevention Executive Committee, contributing to initiatives focused on community engagement, resilience and safer communities.

Letsweletse is also pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computing at Botho University and has undertaken international training in areas including human rights education, sustainable development, social entrepreneurship and teaching English as a foreign language.

His certifications include Human Rights Education for Youth from the Council of Europe, Wealth, Sustainable Development and the Law from the University of Cambridge, Creating and Maintaining Social Enterprises through YALI, and an International TEFL certification.

In recognition of his work in youth leadership and peacebuilding, Letsweletse was appointed CYPAN Country Representative for Botswana, adding another dimension to his engagement with youth, government and international development networks.

His work reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that young people are not simply beneficiaries of development programmes, but active contributors to policymaking, community transformation and national development.

Act Local, but Think Global. 🌍🇧🇼