Following the remarkable success of the inaugural Teens Self-Belief Conference in Mthatha, which inspired about 2,000 pupils, award-winning youth leader Bhaswelihle Zilwa, pictured right, brought her growing movement to KuGompo City on Friday.
More than 2,000 pupils from over 10 schools gathered at Ebenezer Majombozi High in KuGompo for a powerful day dedicated to inspiring young people to believe in themselves, pursue academic excellence, and unlock their full potential.
The conference forms part of Lihle’s #GO100kTeensChallenge, an ambitious initiative she began to motivate and inspire 100,000 teenagers across the African continent.
The movement focuses on building self-belief through motivational conferences, leadership development, and the distribution of her book, Lihle’s Collection of Motivational Quotes for Teens.
At just 18 years old, Zilwa has already established herself as one of Africa’s emerging youth leaders.
She founded the Future Global Leaders Club NPC at the age of 13, and became a published author at 14.
At 17, she received two prestigious continental honours: Youth Empowerment Champion of the Year and NextGEN Innovator of the Year.
After completing grade 12 with a bachelors pass, Zilwa made the bold decision to dedicate her 18th year to inspiring young people rather than immediately pursuing university studies.
Since then, her motivational messages have reached more than 286,000 views across social media platforms, extending her impact far beyond conference venues.
“The purpose is to inject self-belief and help young people understand that their current circumstances do not define their future,” Zilwa told the Go!
“It is their belief in themselves that will shape their path.”
The KuGompo leg of the conference featured an inspiring line-up of speakers and performers, including Sibabalwe Ndabazandile, who achieved seven distinctions and is now studying actuarial science at the University of the Witwatersrand; education influencer Zimkhitha Khumalo; and internationally recognised youth leader Letsweletse Ngwako from Botswana, a Global Youth Ambassador for Sustainable Development, UN youth delegate, and CYPAN Country Representative.
Pupils were also inspired by renowned praise singer (Imbongi) Mngomeni, while performances by musicians Vee Sholo and Yolanda Mazele brought energy and celebration to the event, reinforcing messages of hope, resilience, and possibility.
Each pupil attending the conference received a complimentary copy of Lihle’s book, available in English, French, Kiswahili, and Braille.
A key highlight of the day was the induction of qualifying pupils who achieved a 70% aggregate into the Future Global Leaders Club NPC. This initiative recognises academic excellence while nurturing ethical leadership through motivation, mentorship, and recognition.
Zilwa expressed gratitude to partners who made the event possible, including FirstRand Foundation for sponsoring copies of her book and Oceana for providing nutritious meals for pupils.
“My dream is not simply to motivate teenagers for one day. It is to ignite a generation of young people who believe in themselves enough to transform their families, their communities, South Africa, and ultimately the African continent.
“Every great achievement begins with one decision, to believe in yourself,” she said.
The next Teens Self-Belief Conference is set to take place in Gqeberha this Friday, as Zilwa continues her mission to inspire young people.
