Youth empowerment and innovation
In an era where global development is increasingly driven by knowledge, creativity, and technological innovation – Lesotho stands on the cusp of a generational transformation.
This transformation is being shaped not by foreign capital or natural resource booms, but by the energy, intellect, and ingenuity of its youth.
Since 2023, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in close partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development (MGYSD) and Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI), has been at the forefront of a catalytic movement to reimagine national development through the Prime Minister’s Youth Empowerment Initiative (Sebabatso) – an entrepreneurship platform which is Lesotho’s premier initiative for celebrating and scaling youth entrepreneurs.
The initiative supports the innovations and enterprise development and further drives innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development by leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration and technological advancements through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). Recognizing that scientific and technological progress alone is insufficient, the STEAM approach integrates the Arts to enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity in addressing complex challenges.
The initiative represents a strategic investment in systems change that places young people at the centre of Lesotho’s social and economic rebirth.
Sebabatso is not merely an awards initiative; it is an evolving ecosystem for national recognition, public-private sector engagement, and youth empowerment. Through Sebabatso, the country is not only recognising excellence but also building a pipeline of entrepreneurs and innovators who can contribute meaningfully to national development priorities.
While Sebabatso through STEAM focuses on fostering innovation by identifying, nurturing, and developing creative ideas and solutions among youth across Lesotho Sebabatso entrepreneurship platform, on the other hand, builds on this innovation pipeline by shifting focus toward entrepreneurship supporting the most promising entrepreneurs to transition into viable enterprises through mentorship, exposure, and investment opportunities.
The initiative forms a connected journey where innovation is sparked, developed, and ultimately transformed into sustainable businesses that contribute to economic growth and job creation.
The platform provides visibility, networks, and in some cases, access to funding and incubation. It serves as a national call to action reminding all stakeholders that youth are not just beneficiaries of development, but co-creators of a better future.
Each year, the Sebabatso Initiative brings together youth entrepreneurs from across the country. These youth, selected from hundreds of applicants, represent a cross-section of disciplines from agri-tech and climate solutions to digital health, artificial intelligence, arts, and manufacturing etc. Their stories are not only compelling; they are transformative.
Many come from rural districts, underserved communities, and modest backgrounds. Yet through the initiative, they have emerged as problem-solvers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs.
Through this initiative, a new generation is being equipped not only with technical knowledge, but also with the creative confidence to dream, design, and deliver solutions for a rapidly changing world. The goal is to transition Lesotho from a consumption-driven economy into one that is innovation-led, inclusive, and competitive on both regional and global stages.
To date, the impact of this transformative initiative has been striking. More than 3 000 youth entrepreneurs and innovators have been pooled into the initiative. At least over 500 have directly engaged through ideation sessions, bootcamps, and national innovation platforms.
At the inaugural conference held in 2023, 15 innovators and 15 entrepreneurs were awarded catalytic grants to take their ideas from concept to prototype, and from prototype to scalable product. A further 225 innovators received training in entrepreneurship, product development, and investment readiness through a dedicated bootcamp, while hundreds more participated in dialogue sessions with policymakers, educators, and industry leaders.
The number of trained innovators grew from 225 to 400 in 2024. Through these efforts, young entrepreneurs and innovators have been supported to move beyond ideation and into execution, commercialisation, and impact.
The initiative has significantly contributed to the growth of young entrepreneurs and innovators in Lesotho. Many beneficiaries have successfully expanded their businesses, improved production capacity, and created employment opportunities for others.
The 30 awardees comprising 15 entrepreneurs and 15 innovators who received grants in the inaugural year (2023), have reported measurable growth, demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness. For example, the grants significantly boosted their production capabilities and operational efficiency.
With the funds, programme beneficiaries were able to purchase key materials that ensured a consistent supply chain for their products. Additionally, the grants allowed them to invest in machinery enhancing manufacturing processes and increased output.
As a result, beneficiaries were able to scale up production, meet growing demand, and improve overall business performance.
The initiative played a crucial role in supporting the Lesotho delegation to attend the Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2024 – Kigali, Rwanda. A total of 20 young entrepreneurs and innovators were sponsored to represent Lesotho, showcasing their innovations and engaging with investors, policymakers, and other young leaders from across Africa.
Similarly, it facilitated the participation of 10 youth to attend Youth Connekt Summit held in Nairobi in 2023, it also served as a crucial platform for Lesotho’s young entrepreneurs to gain experience from industry leaders, refine their business models, and expand their networks across Africa.
The initiative also facilitated linkages to regional initiatives that include BRICS+ Youth Summit in South Africa, Timbuktoo Hubs e.g. fintech, healthtech etc. where Basotho youth have participated and competed effectively.
Moreover, Lesotho’s engagement in the broader Timbuktoo framework; Africa’s flagship initiative to build a Pan-African startup ecosystem signals its commitment to regional collaboration and continental integration.
Through Timbuktoo, Lesotho’s innovators have the opportunity to plug into cross-border markets, access seed funding from African and global investors, and participate in peer-to-peer exchanges that promote learning and scale.
The combination of national platforms like Sebabatso and continental frameworks like Timbuktoo and Youth Connekt Africa create a powerful architecture for sustainable innovation-led development. These platforms create a conduit for cross fertilization in ideation and entrepreneurship.
The institutionalisation of this innovation ecosystem is being anchored by the establishment of the Lesotho University Innovation Pod (UniPod) popularly known as Sebopi-UniPod, a national centre of excellence for research, creativity, and enterprise development. Hosted at a national academic institution – the Lerotholi Polytechnic and supported by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Training as well as the MICSTI, the UniPod features a MakerSpace for prototyping, a Design Lab for collaborative innovation, and a Co-Creation Hub where academia, industry, and civic actors converge.
The Unipod is designed not only to serve students and researchers, but also grassroots innovators, informal entrepreneurs, and young people who may not have had access to formal institutions. It is a space where ideas can be tested, failures embraced, and solutions accelerated.
In this way, the UniPod complements Sebabatso by providing post-award support, mentorship, and technical assistance to the STEAM innovators and entrepreneurs.
As the world prepares for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the exponential changes it will bring, Lesotho cannot afford to lag behind. Studies estimate that by 2025, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy systems, and biotechnology will generate nearly 97 million new jobs globally, while traditional roles will decline.
Without proactive investment in youth and STEAM disciplines, countries risk deepening inequality and unemployment. Lesotho’s approach grounded in systems thinking and youth-centred innovation offers a replicable model for other least developed countries.
But the journey is far from over. For the full promise of this initiative to be realised, all sectors must align. Government must ensure policy coherence and create an enabling environment through investment in digital infrastructure, intellectual property protections, and smart procurement policies that favour local innovations.
The private sector must come to the table not only as sponsors, but as long-term partners who can provide market access, mentorship, and co-investment opportunities. Academic institutions must pivot towards applied research and real-world relevance, while civil society must continue to advocate for inclusion, access, and accountability.
Above all, the youth themselves must be given space to lead, to fail, and to rise. Further to this, development partners – e.g. China and other developed economies who have not only demonstrated their willingness to engage on Sebabatso, but also offer opportunities for learning, immersion etc
Lesotho’s youth, who constitute nearly 40 percent of the national population and 60 percent of the working-age group, are both its greatest asset and its most at-risk population. The country faces a youth development crisis marked by high unemployment (29 percent), a staggering NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rate of 40 percent.
These intersecting vulnerabilities are compounded by systemic barriers such as poor digital access, underfunded institutions, and limited platforms for youth participation in economic life. These gaps pose opportunities for youth to come to party and play their part in developing new value chains of employment through Sebabatso.
The initiative plays a vital role in bridging the unemployment gap and building new conduits of economic development in Lesotho.
