Nthabiseng Mabetlela, 24, works at Africa Talent by Deloitte as a junior consultant. Africa Talent identifies and recruits people from across Africa from entry- to senior-level professionals and Nthabiseng works as an extended member of the information technology audit team for the Deloitte Netherlands firm.
From a social engagement perspective, she is a member of the Youth Policy Committee at Youth@SAIIA (the South African Institute of International Affairs) where she had previously pushed for the integration of climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning through co-authoring and being a lead editor on youth statements.
Additionally, she took leadership roles in the formation of the South African Youth Statement to COP27 and COP28. Nthabiseng is also a founder of The Sharing Electricity with Neighbours (SEWN) campaign, a project formed through beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship and seeks to improve access to solar electricity through partnerships between neighbours with solar-equipped homes and those without solar. She says the achievement she is most proud of is being selected for the first group of beVisioneers.
One of my proudest achievements is being selected for the inaugural cohort of beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship. At the Global Summit in Stuttgart, I tested my idea and learned valuable lessons. Initially, I struggled to find my “why” and truthfully connect with my project, which hindered my progress. But I realised that small, coordinated actions could lead to something significant.
This led to the formation of The SEWN campaign and a return to my roots in electrical technology, reinforced by my participation in the 2019 MIT Global Startup Labs and the Youth Leadership Programme at one of Nelson Mandela’s legacy organisations where I received the innovation award for my sustainable battery-backup solution.
I learned to embrace change, focus on solving the problem rather than fixating on the solution, start small, and partner with others to bundle resources. I learnt that waiting for the perfect opportunity results in delaying the work that needs to be done.These experiences taught me that persistence and human-centred design are crucial in addressing big problems such as energy insecurity.
I would say the women in my family have influenced my journey and shaped me to who I am now. My venture coaches from beVisioneers — Eva van der Giessan and Alondra Medina — have acted as guiding voices for my sustainability project, The SEWN campaign. But ultimately, I am inspired by anyone who has formed a path where there was no path, raised their voices and spoke out in moments of silence, and left an impact for many generations to come.