Mohalenyane Phakela
REEKELITSOE Molapo is among the 240 change-makers set to receive personalized training, mentoring and networking opportunities, as well as take part in a residential programme in the United Kingdom next year.
She landed this lifetime opportunity after she was announced as one of the 240 winners of the Queen’s Young Leaders programme following recognition of her unique influence in changing people’s lives within her community and beyond.
The winners from the 52 Commonwealth countries will receive their Awards from Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at a special ceremony to be held at Buckingham Palace in London, sometime next year.
Established in 2014 by the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief, the Royal Commonwealth Society and the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education, the Queen’s Young Leaders’ programme was unveiled in recognition of Her Majesty’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth.
The prestigious Awards programme, now in their fourth and final year, celebrates exceptional young people aged 18 to 29 years of age from across the Commonwealth. They appreciate how young people are working towards improving lives across a diverse range of issues, from supporting mentally-challenged people; enabling quality education to young people; to promoting gender equality.
Ms Molapo was chosen in recognition of her work which encourages and enables young people in Africa to become entrepreneurs in their communities and beyond.
The training programme will further assist the award winners to build on the work they are already leading in their communities.
The chief executive officer of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, Astrid Bonfield CBE said, tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’s lifetime of Service, will continue to connect and collaborate and change lives for years to come.
“Once again, we have outstanding award winners leading the way in transforming people’s lives for the better in every part of the Commonwealth. We congratulate them all for their remarkable achievements,” Dr Bonfield said.
He said over the coming year, the programme will nurture and develop winners’ talents and equip them to go further in making lasting change in their communities.
“I hope they find the experience to be truly life-changing and I am delighted to welcome today’s winners to the now complete network of Queen’s Young Leaders.”
On her part, the 23-year-old Ms Molapo said she was humbled by the recognition and was looking forward to the life-changing experience.
“It is such an honour to be a part of this remarkable group of young people who are positively impacting their communities. I am thrilled to have been chosen to receive this award. I look forward to the year ahead where I will get a lifetime opportunity to engage and learn from the other winners,” Ms Molapo said
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